saltwater bulbs

Question
Hi, I have a 37 gal saltwater with an algae problem that is getting better but not there yet. Just wondering if what I may need are new bulbs. I have a 24" nova extreme w 2x24w HO slimpaq 10,000k daylight,2x24 T5 HO s/p 460nm Actinic, and 2 moonlights. About a year and half on my tank. All looks normal but are these lights still good?

Answer
Hi Lesia,
It really depends on the type of algae problem youre having. Is it green, brown or red? It's usually best to replace your bulbs every 6 to 8 months depending on the photo period you give the system each day. At 12 hours a day most bulbs are ready to go by the 6 to 8 month mark. An easy way to tell if the bulbs are ready to be replaced is to listen for a crackle or a hum(in the bulb or tube not the fixture or ballast) as they come on or to look for darkened spots near the receptacle. You can cut back on the photo period til you get new bulbs to help get the algae problem under control. Run an 8 hour period instead and cut back the ammount of food a little on each feeding(just the amount at each feeding not the frequency of feedings) and that will help knock back most algae problems fairly quickly regardless of the condition of your lighting. Let me know if this helps or if you have any further questions.