T5 life?

[SnowManSnow]

How long should 48" t5 lamps be good for b4 they need to be replaced? Let's just say they r on a 12 hr/day schedule.

Thanks
b

 

[Henry Bowman]

8-12 months. Some run them up to 18 months but I believe that there is color shift at around 12 months.

 

[james3370]

depends on if they are being driven on a "standard" ballast or over-driven like on a icecap 660 ballast......

std - 12-18 months
overdriven - 9-12 months

as stated above, after about 2/3rd the bulb life, the color tends to shift. i think sanjay told us in a presentation he made at out frag swap that the color tends to shift more towards the purple spectrum, so actinics will normally hold color a bit longer since they are already at or near that spectrum to begin with

 

[xmjxflipx]

yes 12 months max on t5 HO in my opinion.....i try to change around month 10, but its already been 12 and i have already noticed a color shift in 1 or 2 of my acros already.....and so i bought replacements immediately =X

 

[JRechcygl]

Most lamp manufactors state 4500 hrs of burn time which equates to 375 days if my math is correct when ran 12 hrs a day.
Just remember when you replace lamps esp when you drag it out longer, that you should either shorten photoperiod or shade the tank for awhile as you could photoshock the corals esp the more sensitive ones...