Artifical lighting

[TS 1989]

I apologize in advance if I posted this in the wrong sub-forum.

I've mainly drosera, a few byblis and a few pinguiculas. I might be adding nepenthes, flytrap and sarracenia into my collection soon.

I've always wanted to get artifical lightings because it's always so cloudy here. Went onto many sites and found a few offer. I'm still a student so I can't afford those grand setups.

First offer was T5 HO 2 feet 24W (saw wrongly earlier on) x 2 tubes.
Second was T5 HO 2 feet 24W x 4 tubes.

The second one cost 20 USD more. Both are 6500k I think, the light seems white to me.

I intend to get a 2 feet fish tank from my friend and put my plants in it. I just want them to color up nice. For example, filiformis 'Florida red' turning crimson red, etc.

Will 2 tubes accommodate that or do I have to get 4 tubes? Is the 4 tubes set-up even enough for carnivorous plants?

Thanks.

 

[TS 1989]

Bumps... Anyone?

Lumens produced for one tube of 24W T5 HO = around 1920 lm
Two tubes = 3840lm (i typed wrongly :x) .

Bright enough to bring the red pigment out of plants like sarracenia??

 

[NemJones]

For sarracenia, I would recommend sunlight. t5s just dont cut it

 

[Cindy]

Hi, T5 2ft 18W is not enough for Sarracenia. That's because the brightest part is the middle of the tube and 2ft is very short. You can at most place just one plant under that region.

I use two tubes of T5 3ft high output at 39W each...not enough for tall growing Sarracenia and barely ok for compact ones.

Your 2nd choice of 4 tubes of 24W may stand a chance with lower growing species but that means your growing area would be hot unless your place is naturally cool/cold.

Cheers!!!

 

[TS 1989]

Hi, T5 2ft 18W is not enough for Sarracenia. That's because the brightest part is the middle of the tube and 2ft is very short. You can at most place just one plant under that region.

I use two tubes of T5 3ft high output at 39W each...not enough for tall growing Sarracenia and barely ok for compact ones.

Your 2nd choice of 4 tubes of 24W may stand a chance with lower growing species but that means your growing area would be hot unless your place is naturally cool/cold.

Cheers!!!

Thanks! I guess I'll stick to dews . I actually got a few values wrongly but I don't think it'll make much of a difference. The amount of lux produced by 24W x 2 T5 HO is actually around 16000 +-. ICPS stated that 15000 lux and above is considered intense lighting. Of course, the plant must be placed very near to the light and probably burn it. So back to my dews. :/

For sarracenia, I would recommend sunlight. t5s just dont cut it

My house barely has any direct sunlight :/

 

[Zath]

I've used 2-light T8 fixtures successfully for starting seedlings / strikes, as well as keeping utricularia. The 4-tube fixtures I use provide enough light for seedling Sarracenia (less than 2 years old and with pitchers less than 12" tall), along with several other plants, including a mature cephalotus and several nepenthes (Neps are supplemented by a couple-three hours of daylight).

T5's -should- be much more efficient and put out more light than the T8's I use, but as said above, 2' length really doesn't give you a lot of room to work with. I also haven't tried using solely 6500k, but instead a combination of that and 3000k.

I've never once paid any attention to how many lumens the bulbs say they put out. If I feel it needs to be brighter, I wrap the enclosures with reflective material, lol.

 

[TS 1989]

I've used 2-light T8 fixtures successfully for starting seedlings / strikes, as well as keeping utricularia. The 4-tube fixtures I use provide enough light for seedling Sarracenia (less than 2 years old and with pitchers less than 12" tall), along with several other plants, including a mature cephalotus and several nepenthes (Neps are supplemented by a couple-three hours of daylight).

T5's -should- be much more efficient and put out more light than the T8's I use, but as said above, 2' length really doesn't give you a lot of room to work with. I also haven't tried using solely 6500k, but instead a combination of that and 3000k.

I've never once paid any attention to how many lumens the bulbs say they put out. If I feel it needs to be brighter, I wrap the enclosures with reflective material, lol.

I guess I'll work with some aluminum foil too. [emoji4]

 

[Trout]

Somewhere on this forum, members were discussing the reflective properties of certain backings for terrariums and such. The consensus seemed to be that Aluminum foil simply wasn't all that good of a reflector when compared with Mylar. You may want to give that a go.