Bulb Life . . . thoughts/opinions?

I run (2) 65w CF's on my 40gal and typically switch them out every 10 months on an alternating schedule.

Sure they throw out "light" for much longer but in the "useful" plant spectrum range, IMHO, by 10-12 months they pretty much spent.

Looking forward to hear from y'all

Are you using standard full spectrum lighting or UV A/B fluorescent? If it's just a regular fluorescent then the plants aren't getting the full energy they need to photosynthesize and such anyways. But yes, lighting generally should be replace every year

CrashSmAshley wrote:Are you using standard full spectrum lighting or UV A/B fluorescent? If it's just a regular fluorescent then the plants aren't getting the full energy they need to photosynthesize and such anyways. But yes, lighting generally should be replace every year

UV A/B . . . using Coralife, or eqivalent, plant bulds (1) 10K, (1) 6.7K

I'll google the UV ab deal and see whadupwitdat

A lot of reading that I have done on lights show a dramatic decrease in the efficiantcy at the 6 month mark and are useually are only producing around half of there wattage at this point. But yes changing your bulbs anually is a good way to do it ideally alternating a bulb change every 6 months is the best (imo).

fish_n_vw wrote:A lot of reading that I have done on lights show a dramatic decrease in the efficiantcy at the 6 month mark and are useually are only producing around half of there wattage at this point. But yes changing your bulbs anually is a good way to do it ideally alternating a bulb change every 6 months is the best (imo).

THANKS! It's really noticable when you plug the new bulb in, so much brighter . . . makes for a spendy bulb habit but I need my greens

Clogstonian wrote: UV A/B . . . using Coralife, or eqivalent, plant bulds (1) 10K, (1) 6.7K

I'll google the UV ab deal and see whadupwitdat

UVA and UVB are ultraviolet rays that the sun produces. Plants use the rays to make their food and such. In regular fluorescent lighting the tubes only provide full spectrum lighting and no UV rays therefore depleting the plants ability to photosynthesize. With certain flurescent tubes, however, they have been created to mimic the UVA and UVB rays to allow plants to be able to sustain themselves and flourish with the ability to produce food and other nutrients.

fish_n_vw wrote:A lot of reading that I have done on lights show a dramatic decrease in the efficiantcy at the 6 month mark and are useually are only producing around half of there wattage at this point. But yes changing your bulbs anually is a good way to do it ideally alternating a bulb change every 6 months is the best (imo).

Really? I never knew that. Thanks for the tip!