How often to change my Reeflux SE250s

[cpreefguy]

Here's another:
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting

[Dominican]

Jackpot!!! Thanks guys..

[ErikH]

I would change them once you see more algae than desired. Sanjay is the man!

[alton]

Here is one of personnel experience, Around 2003 I set up a 158 and after a year I changed lighting from CFL’s to MH DE 250w’s. Added SPS and everything was doing great, except a little hair algae. Then after about eight months my SPS started to RTN and die. I checked water quality and everything seemed normal. So I checked my lighting with my meter, something I had not done since I had set it up because typically MH lamps last a year? To my surprise my lamps had lost 50% in 8 months! And trust me you can not tell with your eyes, because to me everything looked the same both color and brightness.
I am guessing the lamps I received where from a bad batch because I have never heard of anyone else having the issue of bad lamps in eight months, but if it can happen once it can happen again.

[Dominican]

Funny Erik.

Yeah I'll prob still get a light meter as a back up, but also for placement of light sensitive specimens. Getting quantitative never hurts!

[FossilReef]

I'd change them every 6 months at least with the Reeflux bulbs. They aren't exactly known for their outstanding performance, and I've noticed in tanks that I have serviced that par values degrade rather quickly with these bulbs.

[cpreefguy]

I think that if you are willing to get a quantum meter, that will definitely be a helpful tool. I think I am about to buy one, Ive always wanted one, maybe just because it is called a quantum meter

They also come in handy for when you get frags from someone. You can take measurements in their tank and try to place the frag accordingly in your tank.

[JimD]

I'd change them every 6 months at least with the Reeflux bulbs. They aren't exactly known for their outstanding performance, and I've noticed in tanks that I have serviced that par values degrade rather quickly with these bulbs.

Huh? Ive been running Reeflux 10k's ever since they came out, I chose them over the XM's. Good color with actinics, outstanding par and growth. I change them once every year no matter what but Im sure they could go longer. . As with anything else, youre bound to get a lemon every now n then.

[FossilReef]

Huh? Ive been running Reeflux 10k's ever since they came out, I chose them over the XM's. Good color with actinics, outstanding par and growth. I change them once every year no matter what but Im sure they could go longer. . As with anything else, youre bound to get a lemon every now n then.

If it was a lemon every now and then it wouldn't have been an issue. I can't say I have experience with their 10k's though, but dozens of 12k bulbs that just don't perform says something.

[JimD]

What do you mean by 'dont preform'?
12k's start out fairly week, the older they get, the weeker they get, similar to most 20k's. 10k's on the other hand, are very bright white/yellowish depending on the bulb, thus the need for actinics. Its not surprizing that youre changing the 12k's out so frequently. Big difference between the two. If youre sevicing systems that require high light like an sps tank, Id switch to 10k's, if youre servicing tanks that just require economy and ok color, stick with the 12k's.