# Lighting? Expiry date for bulbs?



## PELIGROSOPYGO (Aug 27, 2013)

So I have a friend who has two Zoo Med Ocean Sun and two Zoo Med Coral Sun, which he's offering to me. The thing is he says the bulbs have just been sitting in his closet for a few months but they're brand new. My question may sound stupid but Is there a expiry date for the bulbs? I remember hearing that bulbs go bad after 6 months?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

They will be fine. Typically, there are things that happen after 6 months of use, such as a decrease in intensity and some colour shift. but tubes don't go bad from sitting around. They will also light for a lot more than 6 months. I have some T8 Philips Altovision tubes that are still growing plants after 3 years of 12 hour a day use, and they were used in an office building for 6 months before I got them.


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## PELIGROSOPYGO (Aug 27, 2013)

Thank you very much, appreciate the info. I'll be getting some free bulbs today


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

How nice. Wish someone would give me free bulbs ! I tend to change those I have in my light garden about every 14 months or so. Mean to do it every 12, but I forget. I try to donate the used ones somewhere they'll be of use, since they have years of life left in them, I just prefer to get new ones to have the greatest output of light. I grow succulents under it, as well as my algae cultures beside it, so output is important.

If you have demanding water plants, you might see some differences once the bulbs have been in use for awhile, but unless it's serious, I give them at least a year before I change them and many don't change them anywhere near that often. Some change them every six months. We all have our preferences.


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## PELIGROSOPYGO (Aug 27, 2013)

Lol hey you never know maybe one day you'll get something better. But speaking of lighting for plants, which bulb do you recommend that is hands down number one for plants? I know it depends on the plants but is there a bulb that meets somewhere in between high demanding and low plants? I actually have a few plants, I thing java fern and amazon sword if I'm not mistaken but it's not growing much? I always have a difficult time making them grow and thought it could be the lighting? Since I have my 130g setup near complete, I'll be adding a Co2 kit instead of using a Co2 booster. Next week I'll be making a trip either Dragons or maybe AK if they have what I need and it's reasonable price. Any suggestions?


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

adding ferts can help. Also if you have a very planted tank and not many fish, your nitrates could be bottoming out, meaning the plants are using up all the nitrates and water changes lowers nitrates even more.

My view of how often and how much to do water changes is based on mostly controlling nitrates. If nitrates don't go up, don't worry about water changes except doing a bit every couple months to make sure the TDS and phosphates don't go up


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## PELIGROSOPYGO (Aug 27, 2013)

I got some API feet tabs and plant them in underneath the roots, also got a few more but I'll be getting more and slowly start removing all the fake plants. Maybe reach out to the other members that are selling. My tank is not that planted I got a few jungle Val's and more java ferns for the driftwood. The nitrates makes sense and I'll keep a steady watch on it, maybe that's why I'm having problems because I do weekly water changes but its because my reds produce a lot of waste so I have no choice. I do 25% water change but I'll try slimming it down to %15 to suck up the waste really quick. I guess I have to keep a eye on how things go. Thanks pyrrolin, very helpful info


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## PELIGROSOPYGO (Aug 27, 2013)

Meant to say ferts*, and Also got a few more plants*. I hate my iPhone sometimes lol


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

one trick I have used when nitrates are bottoming out, meaning they just won't go up and stay at 0 due to plants is putting a fine net over the bucket you drain water into and removing the solid waste that way and just putting the water back in the tank.

I have also seen little vacuum setups that pump water up and through a little filter and back into the tank to remove waste but not water.


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## PELIGROSOPYGO (Aug 27, 2013)

pyrrolin said:


> one trick I have used when nitrates are bottoming out, meaning they just won't go up and stay at 0 due to plants is putting a fine net over the bucket you drain water into and removing the solid waste that way and just putting the water back in the tank.
> 
> I have also seen little vacuum setups that pump water up and through a little filter and back into the tank to remove waste but not water.


Thanks that's actually not a bad idea! I fed them last night this morning when woke up I saw a few leftovers I missed and immediately started to siphon but for the next two weeks I'll just throw the water back in minus food and waste


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

You can do that with a small pump too, with less effort. Put some tubing on a small pump inside the tank, then aim the tubing so it discharges into a net full of floss and back into the tank. A filter sock as is used for marine sumps is handy, if you have one, or a real sock [ clean ] with floss in it would work too. Maybe need something to help hold it open a bit.


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