USED BULBS????????

[meowzer]

What does everyone do with their used bulbs?
It seems those of us who have reef tanks replace bulbs quite often....Metal halides after 6 months
T5's after 1 year (or less) And I am sure they have LOTS more life to them

SOOOO..can people with Fish Only tanks use them???
It seems like such a waste to throw them out, and in the 1 1/2+ years that I have been in SW I am already accumulating old bulbs
ANY IDEAS???

 

[bang guy]

I use them on the refugium. After that, well, they are toxic waste because of the mercury content and need to be handled by trained professionals.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/3261175
I use them on the refugium. After that, well, they are toxic waste because of the mercury content and need to be handled by trained professionals.
Well I don't have a fixture big enough to re-use them in....and in Oklahoma LOL...I doubt there are any trained professionals to handle them

So I guess just keep them somewhere then???? Fish only tanks can't use them?

 

[bang guy]

Oh yes, fish only tanks or even freshwater fish tanks could use some of them. You'd have to find someone that is willing to take them though.

 

[scsinet]

You might check with your trash company, they make take fluorescent tubes with regular household waste, but that doesn't mean that it's an environmentally concious way of doing it.
Many online lamp retailers will sell you a recycle kit, where they ship you a box, you fill it and stick a pre-paid label on it and ship them off to them for recycling. Google "1000 bulbs" and search their site for "recycle." They have a kit for $32 that will handle 15 T12 or 30T8 (and probably quite a few more T5s). That should easily take care of several years worth of lamps if you have a place to store them until you build up enough of a stockpile to make it worth it.
Alternatively, if you or someone you know works in an office environment, many companies already have recycling programs in place for fluorescent lamps. Most companies go through cases of them per year, they'd probably take a few extra from a hobbyist for free, especially if you buy their facilities manager a six pack or something...That's what I do... I just shove them into the case of spent lamps at my company. Of course, me being the facilities guy helps, but if we had someone here who wanted to get rid of a few bulbs, I'd have no problem with it.

 

[aquaman]

Home Depot has a collection area for bulbs, I take them there. I use my old CF's abd T5's on freshwater until the burn out then take them to Home Depot when I make a trip, they will take any kind of old bulb.

 

[meowzer]

I'll have to go home and make a list of what I have.....if SWF doesn't mind, and if someone can use them for their FO tanks, I would be willing to send them to them...(just pay the shipping) I just figured it might help a FO person that was on a budget

 

[aquaman]

I would like the any CF's you may have, I go through them faster then I get them for my salt set up.

 

[meowzer]

I think the only CF I have are from a satellite dual.....I'll list what I have tonight