VHO bulbs-longevity and where to buy

[reefpour]

I am looking for some input on VHO bulbs. My 180 gal tank utilizes 6 72" VHO bulbs. They are powered by 3 Icecap 430 ballasts. Each pair of bulbs run 8 hours per day. The first pair come on at 10:00am. The second at noon, and the third at 2:00pm. My question is how long should I go before replacing bulbs, and where do you all recommend purchasing bulbs?

Thanks, Ralph

[goda]

buy uvi brand bulbs and replace once every 12-18 months

[staticfishmonger]

i agree with goda's advice. i get my URI bulbs from hellolights, when bought in bulk they were the best deal i could find.

[reefpour]

Thanks for the replies goda and staticfishmonger. I do like the URI bulbs. At hellolights.com, they list the 72" aqua sun bulb at $43.95. marinedepot.com has the same bulb for $32.00. Does anyone have a better source for the URI bulbs?