When to change light bulbs

[jswinberlin]

I have a 45 gal. FOWLR with 1 regular florescent light and 1 Ultra Sun super daylight HO bulb. The tank has been set up for 6 months with about 12 hours of light per day. When should I change the bulb? What should I expect after changing? Is an algae bloom expected?

 

[bjohanson1234]

In a fish only tank, I would change them when it goes out.

The reason people with reef tanks change buble more frequently is because the color spectrum of the light shifts away from what is needed by the corals to grow.

 

[Reef Nutz]

HO T-5? I agree with Mr. Johnson. If its a reef tank the lights should be replaced about 9-12 months for T-5. And as he stated, let em go out if its just a FOWLR.

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

I change my fowlr lights ever 24 months because i start getting problem algea around 10.000 hours 2 years at 12 hours a day is like 8.700 something

 

[Bifferwine]

I expect you'd get more algae the older the bulb gets, even if you aren't growing corals. I'd still switch them out once a year if it were me.