NEW t5 lamp combo!!!!

[amonchak]

So for Christmas the wife and kids got me new t5 lamps, the lamps arrived today. I went with 3 blue plus and 1 purple plus. Had a test run tonight after replacing the lamps and man the colors pop under this combo!!
:idea:

When the rest of you replace t5 lamps do you just replace and let it go or do you reduce the lighting time to help aclimate your corals to the assumed hight par from the new lamps?

 

[Craigar]

When I had my t5 I would replace one bulb a week till they were all replaced. I highly suggest not replacing them all at ince

 

[dv3]

when i had t5's i just left it the same when i replaced ...think you should be fine doing that

 

[Craigar]

when i had t5's i just left it the same when i replaced ...think you should be fine doing that

You replaced them all at once?

 

[dv3]

ya i only had 4 ...sounds like its the same for adam

of course there would be no harm in changing one a week and probably a good idea in fact but i think doing them all at once shouldn't be an issue either

 

[amonchak]

Well I plan to change all at once and shorten the photo period by half and slow go back to normal.

 

[dv3]

damn half seems like alot ....how old were your bulbs?

 

[amonchak]

some where between 12 to 18 months.

I might ramp up faster cause it seems like the t5 are good for upto 18 months depending on where you read.

I also wen to all ATI from a mixed bag (2 Blue+ a 10K and an antinic) before so I am sure the PAR will be higher even switching the same lamps I had for the ATI's I have now if all the lamps were new.

 

[Craigar]

In t5 I ran mine 9 months 12 at the most

 

[amonchak]

Yeah, I shoot for 12 it just ran long this time......

 

[B-Willz]

I write the date on my bulbs when they go in, just so I dont forget. The timing on my bulbs are 3 months apart so I dont have to drop the money for a whole new set all at once. This also keeps me from having to adjust timers.

 

[amonchak]

Brad do you just sharpie on the metal part?

 

[B-Willz]

sharpie on the glass, small near the end so I can see it without taking it out.

 

[bsharpe]

I write the date on my bulbs when they go in, just so I dont forget. The timing on my bulbs are 3 months apart so I dont have to drop the money for a whole new set all at once. This also keeps me from having to adjust timers.

That is a good idea, I just changed all the lights on my frag tank, cost 160.00 bucks. I did put then in at the same time but raised my fixture 12 inches and then dropped them 4 inches a week until back low so as not to shock anyone.