Replacement Light Tube Question

[sizzla01]

Posted this in the DIY room, but got no response - hopefully one of u's can advise me.

Ive had my tank 11 months and the light has begun to flicker on & off and now never stays fully on. Is this the normal case when tubes are on their way out.

Where is the best/cheapest place on the web where I can get a replacement, do i need to by a Juwel tube or are the universal ?

I believe Ive just got a standard daylight effect, what other effects can i get & in ur opinion what looks the best.

Also are the lifespan of these bulb round about a year or should I be contacting Juwel for a replacement etc etc etc...

PS size is 438mm

Thanks in advance for any advise you can supply

 

[mark7616]

You can use any light bulb as long as its the same size in length and you buy either a T5 (thin tube) or T8 (thick tube) depending on what you have. No 2 bulbs will last the same amount of time they all vary. I would suggest looking at arcadia lights or power glo.

 

[Colin_T]

The life of Fluoro globes will vary depending on how hot they get. The cooler they run the longer they last. Most hoods don't give very good air flow and the globes can get very hot thus shortening their life expectancy.
T5 & T8 "high output" globes might not work in your current light unit because they use a different ballast. Normal T5 & T8s shoud be fine. Try one and see, if it works that's great otherwise you will have to use a standard globe.
Try to get a globe with a Kelvin (K) rating beween 6,500K and 10,000K. Triphospers have a lower Kelvin rating and don't look very natural. they give a pink tinge to everything. A daylight globe 6500K is nicer and a 10,000K is fine as well. The 10,000K is normally used on marine tanks but are fine for freshwater too.
You can drill holes in the light unit above the ends where the metal ends on the globe go. A couple of 6mm (1/4 inch) holes in the top of the hood, and the bottom can allow air to flow through better and keep the globes cooler.
You should be able to handle Fluoro globes while they are running. If they are too hot to touch then they are running too hot and won't last long.

 

[sizzla01]

One more thing...

On checking the Juwel website, its say you should change the plastic "screw on" rings that hold the tube in place, everytime u change ur tube.

Is this another way to get £££ out of u for no reason, or is it a valid point ?

Cheers

 

[Colin_T]

valid point. The plastic bits that hold the globe in suffer from heat. They basically start to break down over time and one day they simply crumble when you touch them. Then you can't put the globe back in. Try scratching them with a nail and if bits of plastic crumble away then replace them. If they are still hard and don't scratch they will be fine for a while.

You should also change the starters in the light unit whenever you change the globes. Old started don't always have the ability to start new globes. They are available from most hardwares, lighting shops or anywhere that sells fluoro globes.

 

[rabbut]

Jewel advise replacement as they keep their unit waterproof. This is change of seal ensures no water can reach the electrics. If the seal fails, then its bye-bye lighting unit, should the fitting get splashed.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[sizzla01]

Thks so far for ur responses ...


So where on the web is the best/cheapest place to purchase a new tube ?

 

[rabbut]

Jewel tubes can be purchased direct from Jewel. I don't buy my tubes online, but their web address is www.juwel-aquarium.com/

HTH
Rabbut