Light Bulb Changes

[dlhirst]

I have had my tank up for a little more than 9 months now, and bought some new light bulbs to change. When I did, the guy mentioned that "you get a lot of algae growth on the glass as they get older". That made no sense to me, EXCEPT I have actually noticed more algae on the tank glass for the past month or so. No algae growth on the substrate or rocks, just on the glass.

So, is this really true? Or just a funky, funky coincidence?

[CableGuy]

I bought a fixture that has "7MO" bulbs... and in the last 2-3 weeks the algae on the glass is over whelming.

I will be ordering some new bulbs this week. The corals look OK, but just like you said, the algae on the glass is crazy.

Note: It is like brown hair algae.

[CableGuy]

Double post.

[jimsflies]

So you changed the bulbs and now seem to have more algae?

IME different algaes tend to do better in different conditions. Cyano (although not actually an algae) often seems to do better under older bulbs whereas days were the lights got left on longer than normal or a new bulb with more intensity seems to promote more of that film algae that lies to grow on the glass.

[jimsflies]

So you changed the bulbs and now seem to have more algae?

IME different algaes tend to do better in different conditions. Cyano (although not actually an algae) often seems to do better under older bulbs whereas days were the lights got left on longer than normal or a new bulb with more intensity seems to promote more of that film algae that likes to grow on the glass.

[dlhirst]

In my case, I have not YET changed the bulbs. I just bought them. And, the guy anticipated that I was probably HAVING an algae on the glass thing going. He said when I change the bulbs, the algae would go away. That sounded bass-ackwards to me.

[Rabidgoose]

Sounds possible to me, a spectrum shift in older bulbs could contribute to an algae bloom...IMO


In my case, I have not YET changed the bulbs. I just bought them. And, the guy anticipated that I was probably HAVING an algae on the glass thing going. He said when I change the bulbs, the algae would go away. That sounded bass-ackwards to me.

[adalius]

Yea, what RabidGoose said, it's more the spectrum shift that causes the algae growth blooms. But which algae blooms usually depends on which spectrum bulb you're starting with.

[dlhirst]

I guess that's just one more of the crazy things that goes on underwater!

[henry hill]

Change bulbs? LED'S!!!