Quick but Dumb Question RE Cracked Bulb

[Ba19Ma88]

So I am doing a water change last night and am working right along. The I move the Hammerhead Magnet and water gets splashed onto one of my 2 month old SE 10K+ Bulbs. Needless to say the bulb cracked but it is still intact. I removed it once it was cooled and right now the right side of my tank has no light. The good news is the left side is where most of my light needing items (livestock) are placed.

I am going to place an order for 2 new bulbs and keep to other one as a spare and that will allow both of my lamps to have the same burn time before next change is required.

Now to my question should I use the bulb (cracks and all) or just trash it? Like I said the bulb still burns fine and it was on for about 30 min before the lights went out via the timer they were on.

 

[RichConley]

I've heard of cracks in SE bulbs leading to high levels of UV exposure, which would bother things. Its certainly safer to not use the bulb, but I guess it depends on how badly cracked it is.

 

[G.T]

Bin it. not safe my friend

 

[Ba19Ma88]

My thought thanks for the reply I guess that is one lesson to learn watch the splashing

Thanks again

 

[Greg Hiller]

I cracked a mogul bulb myself about a year ago. The outer envelope cracked, but was still intact, so I though...well, no UV is getting out, no problem. I did not think about the fact that each time the bulb fires and goes through a heating and cooling cycle, the bulb will crack more. Within two days the outer envelope had completely cracked and had partially opened an area where UV could escape and hit the corals. And OH BOY, did it hit the corals. The area of exposure was severely affected, the closer to the light, the more damage. All of the colonies eventually recovered, but it took many months.

Don't be an idiot like me. Turn the light OFF until you get a new bulb.

 

[ceige]

I did this last year. It got splashed when it was on, a bit of a sizzle noise but it stayed on. The next day when the MH was to come back on my GCFI tripped because of the bulb. It had a hair line crack... I ordered a new bulb.