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Terrarium lighting 101

  • #61
Why do cool white fluorescent look white if they have a low kelivn rating as the original author said?
 
  • #62
I have mine under a temporary 4,100K and another bulb that didn't say the K just said 90 CRI. Is this doing ANYTHING for the plants?
 
  • #63
new terra garden, need help

Hello to all,

I just planted a new CP garden in a 75 gallon fish tank and am lighting it with a bank of 4 florescent bulbs. I planted all highland Nepenties and all non dormant type CP's. First of all I can't seem to keep the humidity above 35-40%. I raised up the lights about 2 inches above the top of the tank because I thought it was getting too hot (82 degrees) without very much circulation but it seems to be dring out the air. What can I do. Does anyone know of a source of small fans that I can put at the top of the fish-tank for air circulation? What do you think a good daytime temp should be in the tank and how much humidity?
Any help would very much be appreciated. Thanks David
 
  • #64
82F is good temps this time of year for LowLanders. HighLanders will need to be much cooler, especially at night.
Do you have a shaded garage or a basement to put this terrarium? HLer's ain't gonna last too long in those temps unless there's a siginificant night-time drop.
Small fans? Radio Shack or any Office store like Staples.
Using a fan with a mister on a timer works well but that's not gonna cool the tank enough.
 
  • #65
If your bulbs are longer than the tank is it OK to have them resting on the top, just by the bulbs? Oh, and forget my other question, I wasn't really thinking.
 
  • #66
Does a small 18" flourescent grow light work for a small aquarium?
Max ???
 
  • #67
No. Maybe for D. adelae and some utrics but that's it.
 
  • #68
That, and a 1' T-5 are working nicely for my ventricosa, but that's about it. The other things are living and growing decently, but the colors are bland.
 
  • #69
 
  • #70
im running a single repti-glo fluorescent full spectrum over a small aquarium with a group of VFTs inside, i have had no problem and they are fine
my first VFT is a bit etoliated from when i bought them....but are doing much better and i will be splitting them, what seems to be 5 times in spring. i havent had any serious trouble with my setup. this picture is also a little older.
and the typical VFT that is etoliated in that photo is now straightening out just fine, there are also two Akai Ryu growing beind the S. Judith Hindle, they are coming out of their dormancy that the seller has had them in for about 4 months before i ordered. they are showing signs of great crimson color and great new leaves. And you say you need all of those lights :p and look at the dentate, though not too much red coloration, a couple of those traps are 1"+ and one is 1 1/2 inches.

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  • #71
What specs for any type of bulb would I need to grow just venus fly traps?
 
  • #72
Lighting Design Question

I'm an orchid grower but you guys have the best terrarium/lighting forum I have seen.
So, I have plants growing in my SW facing window but it's shaded by trees. Condo so I have no garage, basement, or outside growiing area. Greenhouse is out of the question.
The plants in my window could use some additional lighting but the lighting discussions I have seen here so far all talk about placing lamps overhead so that if the plants undeneath are 10-12 " tall, then the lamps will be 18-20" above the pot. Seems that 1/2 of the leaves would lose out on good light. And, as the plants increase in height, then the lights need to be moved up so that more and more, only the crown of the plant is illuminated.
So, I was thinking that if I mounted f5, f8, or f12 bulbs vertically, spaced at 18" then the plants gathered around them would have light up their entire height and no plant would be more than 9" from the light. I planned to strip the parts from the fixture so that the tube was emit light all 'round the tube. I could mount 2 or 3 shelves, pierced by the tube, up the height of a 4' tube.
Thoughts?
Thanks
 
  • #73
that sounds like a "brilliant" idea huhuh seriously that is pretty cool. i think most people just do the lights above because cp's grow in rosettes on the ground. well, besides nepenthes.....

let us know how it goes. or make a diy thread with pics! :-D
 
  • #75
how would a standard old fashioned light bulb with a filament work?
 
  • #77
would a soft white cf work better?? i dont have a lot of choices here ha
 
  • #78
You can get GE daylight cfl that are 6500K.
 
  • #79
callmemonkey said:
You can get GE daylight cfl that are 6500K.
Click to expand...

yeah i have those too. they work real good and you can get a pair of 26watt from walmart for 8 bucks

edit: i just got my pack out to see the specs

they are 26 watts/100 watt equivalent - 1600 lumens each. "daylight 6500k"
 
  • #80
i use 6500k spiral energy savers, they were like 6$ for 2 at wallyworld
 
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