T5 tubes

[pondfisher]

Hi, need some advise on this. Spoke to one marine shop owner, told me that the lifespan for T5s vary according to the lenght of the tube. mine are 3ft 39watts said that effective period only six months becos after some time, some stuff found in the tube will get lesser and lesser and even tho the tube is still working, certain spectrums of the light will be missing.

anyone can confirm the above?? if a T5 only last 6 nonths, then it is going to be very expensive maintenance!!! I've got 4 running at the same time. Appreciate any feedback or opinions on this.

Thxx

[danano]

What live stock do you keep? Depending on your LS, the "useful life" of your T5s could potentially be much longer than 6 months.

One of my T5 retrofits has been running approx. 11 hours/day for almost 8 months and is still going strong.

[pondfisher]

livestock mainly fish and a few softies. very few hard corals. but do you think it is true that the tubes lose their effectiveness after a period of time. agree that tubes should go on working for a long time but would the light emitting be not so effective after some time?

[FuEl]

My tubes have been up since last oct or nov...till now still seems to be doing fine.. hard corals and coralline still grows like mad..

[Clownfish]

hmm... urs is a DIY or a commercially bought one?

some reefers do hav experience that using ballast (DIY) which do not hav pre-heat functions or using a ballast with higher watt rating will hav a shorter life-span

[pondfisher]

hi clownfish, mine is the arcadia pendant series with 4 T5s rated 39w 3ft

[Tigger]

I think its gd to replace the t5 every 9 months or so......

[Clownfish]

hi clownfish, mine is the arcadia pendant series with 4 T5s rated 39w 3ft

hmm... no experience with arcadia though... dunno wat eballast they using....

if i'm not wrong, i ever read an ad on Tropical Fish Hobbyist by arcadia which promotes their T5s, they did mention bout onli a 20% drop in intensity after 6mths/a year ( cant rem which)

if that's the case, then ur T5s shld last longer than 6mths....

for ur info, i'm using 2 X Osram 860 ($9 each) for my refuguim, using for more than 4 mths liao... still going strong