Replacing Lightly Used T5s

[Adamantium]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but for the past 6 months I've only run my T5 bulbs for, at most, 2 hours a day. Do they still need to be replaced on schedule, or can I push them a bit more? Thanks!

 

[2Sunny]

Originally common thought was to replace them every 6-9 months more recently Bulk Reef Supply has run some tests and showed only slight changes after 1 year so now some people including myself go with replacing them annually. My corals do not seem to notice the difference Given how little you run them I wouldn't hesitate to go at least a year maybe even two.

 

[Bpb]

Originally common thought was to replace them every 6-9 months more recently Bulk Reef Supply has run some tests and showed only slight changes after 1 year so now some people including myself go with replacing them annually. My corals do not seem to notice the difference Given how little you run them I wouldn't hesitate to go at least a year maybe even two.

Outstanding looking tank. Very well done.

 

[Adamantium]

Originally common thought was to replace them every 6-9 months more recently Bulk Reef Supply has run some tests and showed only slight changes after 1 year so now some people including myself go with replacing them annually. My corals do not seem to notice the difference Given how little you run them I wouldn't hesitate to go at least a year maybe even two.

Oh. My. Goodness. What a gorgeous tank. How long has it been running?

And thanks for the advice!

 

[2Sunny]

Oh. My. Goodness. What a gorgeous tank. How long has it been running?

And thanks for the advice!

Unfortunately it doesn't look like that today as I did a "do over" this year so it's slightly more bare now, but that tank has been going since 2007. I think I have counted 4 "do overs" in that time. It's most famous point was 2011 when I took this photo which is pretty well known . . .

it started life looking like this in '07 . . .

 

[Adamantium]

Unfortunately it doesn't look like that today as I did a "do over" this year so it's slightly more bare now, but that tank has been going since 2007. I think I have counted 4 "do overs" in that time. It's most famous point was 2011 when I took this photo which is pretty well known . . .

Unreal

 

[jda]

I have always been a guy who looked at hours. If a year at 8-10 hours was good, then 4 years at 2 hours is good. I never have replaced any bulbs at 6-9 months. A year is as short as I have ever gone in the past.

 

[2Sunny]

I found the BRS video today by accident. It's a great vid to answer this question.

 

[Adamantium]

I found the BRS video today by accident. It's a great vid to answer this question.

This was absolutely perfect. Thank you!

Now I'm super curious, does anyone know what that coral was at 7:40? It looked like a scoly, but the growth pattern looked like a micromussa...

 

[2Sunny]

Bowerbanki? Looks just like the one in this video at 2:51

 

[Adamantium]

Ah! Thank you! So, same genus. No wonder it looked like a Scoly.

Gosh coral names are confusing. So hard to keep up.

 

[Bfragale]

Hello. Here’s my rake on T5 (keep in mind I’m no expert)

I think what it comes down to is the intensity and par your getting in your tank. Some have said 18 months before any drastic reduction in intensity of the bulbs. Some say 6-9 months. But I think many were just guessing as many don’t have a par meter.

I picked up a used seneye just for checking par. After the 9 month mark I check ever few months until I see a drop of intensity.

the seneye will pay for its set of your able to avoid buying bulbs as often.
Hope this helps. Take care and happy reefing.