will old bulbs attribute to more algae buildup on glass?

[php1775]

my bulbs-2x175 10,000k ,uri 1 vho super actinic R,2-aquasun are just over 2 years old.all my water parameters are fine and ive been running a phosban reactor filled with 500 ml of rowa plus for a few months.my problem is that green algae is building up on the front viewing area a lot more frequently than it did maybe 6 months ago.im thinking that it could be the old bulbs.i didnt run a phosphate test as of yet.

 

[lickwidspace]

Those bulbs are wicked old... They most deffenitly have something to do with it. I was starting to get algea explosions as my lights got closer and closer to the 1 year mark. After I replaced them the algea was gone in a couple days.

 

[rjdudek]

No question, the old bulbs are part of the problem. They most likely are not the only factor, but as they age the spectrum will shift to the lower end, where where it more useful to algae.

 

[Kevin McG]

my bulbs-2x175 10,000k ,uri 1 vho super actinic R,2-aquasun are just over 2 years old.all my water parameters are fine and ive been running a phosban reactor filled with 500 ml of rowa plus for a few months.my problem is that green algae is building up on the front viewing area a lot more frequently than it did maybe 6 months ago.im thinking that it could be the old bulbs.i didnt run a phosphate test as of yet.

Most definetly YES! get those bulbs changed and you will see some good results I believe.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

Yes, depending upon the brand most people change their MH bulbs every 9-12 months. Unlike home lightbulbs they are not "good" until they no longer light.
The light spectrum does change to a lower K value, which is beneficial to algae growth
I keep my old bulbs as spares - just in case I have one break
But I label them - "OLD"

 

[php1775]

old bulbs

thanks guys i was hoping it was just the bulbs,now i just have to find the best deal on their replacements.my two frogspawn which sit under each of my halides are shrinking back a bit while all my other corals are doing well and growing .do they need newer bulbs for growth more so than say hammer corals which are only inches away from these frogspawn that not only look great but are growing new heads?

 

[dz6t]

Watch out for those VHO, they shift spectrum much more than MH. VHO should be replaced every 6 month and may be they should be replaced by t5 forever.

 

[reefsmurf]

Is there any actual evidence/research on how long MH and T5 bulbs are good for ?

 

[naturebatslast]

Researching, MH bulbs are claiming to last 12 to 18 to 24 months.