When to replace bulb

When is a good time to replace a bulb (and i don't mean when it's burnt out, sillies)? I have a 50/50 bulb for a 55 gallon fish only tank with live rock. Should I change the wattage? I have algae eaters and want to ensure there is good growth on the rocks. Thanks

 

I don't think you need to up the wattage for a fish only, you should get algae anyway. But flourecents and PC bulbs lose a lot of spectrum after 6 months. If older, I say change the bulb. Halides, 9-12 months.

If you let it go along time it promotes nasty bubble algae and the like. I was getting some in my plant tank until I changed the bulbs.

 

Good advice...thank you

 

No prob!

 

From IceCap:
We've tested our VHO ballasts on NO and VHO lamps (and the new T-5 HO lamps) and find even the 40-watt NO lamps run at 80+ watts each last a full year without dramatic loss of light (<10%) and no color shift. For VHO's I recommend 18-24 months, HO T-5's, 2 years.
For MH bulbs, 18 - 24 months.
All of this assumes use of an electronic ballast and for fluorescent lamps, a vented canopy. For the MH bulbs, the lower starting voltage and higher operating frequency provide 25% or more longer bulb life.
Andy

 

That's interesting and brings up a good point about how ballasts are part of the equation.

I still have a hard time believing a mh bulb can go 2 years though with less than 10 percent loss. I'd probably still swap it out at a year even if I had one of those ballasts.

 

A conventional 60Hz. ballast starts the bulb with 5KV and turns the lamp on and off 60 times per second.
When you run an electronic ballast like ours the ignition is closer to 2KV and lamp when run at over 20KHz., they just stay on.
Both features help extend bulb life.
Andy

 

Very interesting. What does my probe start do in your opinion Andy, I find that I have to replace my MH bulbs annually or the algea and cyano go bonkers.

 

ASH
why not become a sponsor here at 3reef we would love you to jump in here. I have a 660 ballast right now and love it.

 

Probe start I think, is the same as pulse start. Instead of the lamp having the ability to build up a charge and zap the arc tube, the ballast does. The new twist is multiple fast discharges vs. the old standard of 'hit it until it lights'

Regarding sponsorship, it's being discussed.
Andy