What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

How many watts for neps?

I'm thinking about putting hamata and predator in a 10 gallon tank. How many watts is good enough? What else should I look for in picking the bulbs? How long should they be on for?
 
1 18in tube(they fit a 10gal) is barely enough for even a sun hater like D. adelae and live sphagnum moss grows VERY poorly in it. so get 2, 24in double bulb fixtures...that should be enought to really grow anything in there. be sure to put up some foil around it so you get as much light as possible. i will be doing this also soon but with a nep such as N. lowii or ephipatta. to get temps low in the night put in a frozen water bottle. pint size should be enough for a 10 gal.
Alex
 
Can you get the double tube fixtures in the hardware store? I don't want to buy the pet store stuff. How many watts would that turn out to be with the four bulbs?
 
uhh. 72? but with the foil that would raise it up to around 80 or so. yes you can buy these fixtures at someplace like home depot.
Alex
 
I don't think that the foil would raise it to 80 watts, just increase lumens or something, it just prevents the escape of light. Considering the tank is about a foot long, and the bulbs 2 feet, you are loosing half the light, which only comes to around 40 watts of light if they are the 40 watt bulbs. I'd think some CFs would be much better for a smaller sized tank like a 10 gal.

-Ben
 
What about putting the tank by the window and the humidifier inside the tank? That way they are still in a controlled environment but getting the natural sunlight? I could also put a strip light above them just for a little extra. Also what about the airflow?
 
Like Ben said, compact flourescent bulbs would be the way to go with a 10 gallon tank. You can pick up a couple of 23 watt CFs at Home Depot along with a couple of clamp lights. It'll cost you about $25 total and you can turn the 10 gallon on its side so you can sit the clamp lights comfortably on the side panel glass (which would now be the top).

I grew several Neps, a Ceph and numerous sundews in a setup identical to the one I described and they all thrived.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (JMurphy97 @ Oct. 10 2006,8:22)]What about putting the tank by the window and the humidifier inside the tank? That way they are still in a controlled environment but getting the natural sunlight? I could also put a strip light above them just for a little extra. Also what about the airflow?
What about that option? What happens when they get too tall though?
 
cut them back
 
  • #10
400W seems just about enough for my Neps... Then again I have no mercy on them and they have no mercy on my wallet.

As previously mentioned, compact fluorescents would be my first choice after HIDs.
 
  • #11
If you put it by a window it can overheat with no airflow.
 
  • #12
I checked at the store and the guy showed me some CF's but they are just like regular bulbs. Can someone show me what I should be looking for? What do they look like. Any pics?
 
  • #13
Those are what your looking for. Compact florecents screw into regular light fixtures and the balasts are built into the bulbs base. They normaly look like a curly florecent tube on top of a pretty large base.  They normaly run about 4 to 5 bucks for a single bulb.  They are better to buy in bulk.  They had 6 for 10 or 15 bucks here at lowes I can't remember exactly.  Personaly even if I was setting up a larger tank I would use several CFs.  That way if one blows there are still others to keep going.  I need a new one for my ten gallon, but I have to warn you a ten gallon tank will get filled pretty fast!  Why not go for a 20 long or some other type tank.  I went with a ten because it was free.  LOL
 
  • #14
I'm going to use a 10 because I have like 5 empty right now. I have my ball python in a 20 long for now. I will build a new cage for him soon and then I will use that. The one said it was 23 watts but it equals a 100 watts. how many 23's should I use? I then also need a dome light too.
 
  • #15
You really cannot use too many, but you can use too few. I would say use two for a ten. Or you might be able to get three if you build your own top for it.

Why don't you build a rack to slide a rubbermade tub into. You use the rack for the top to keep it closed and it slides in and out for ease of opening and cleaning. Get yourself some flexwatt and a thermastate to heat the tub from below. That is the best thing I did for my two BPs. Speaking of BPs it is about to be breeding time. I need to read up on it again! If you need to see what I did just let me know and I will post some pictures. I am about to have to build an incubator for the eggs I am sure I will get. I have extra flexwatt I plan to use. I just need to get another thermastat. www.ball-pythons.net is a forum dedicated to BPs and has alot of good info. That is were I got my plans for the rack system I built and use today. Also where I found a supplier for flexwatt and thermastat too.
 
  • #16
Could you post some pics? Is the rubbermade for your plants or snakes? I'm not sure on how to set-up the lights for the plants. Two bulbs in two different domes right. Would that just give the plants under each bulb the 23(100) watts or will it go for all the plants in the tank? I need to see some set-ups using CF's.
 
  • #17
Build a square top and mount light holders on the sides. Use like 1 x 4's or 1 x 6's if you can find them to make a rectangle lid. Then you have the insides of that to mount the light fixtures you can purchase for a few bucks at walmart. Just the plain jain screw in light pixtures. The old school ones with the pull chain. You know the deal. You use the 1 bys to make a rectangle big enough for the tanks then put some 1/4 inch or something like that for a top then line it with foil. Then get yourself an orange 14 gauge extention cord and cut off a good length with the plug end on it so you have a way to plug it up and connect black to black white to white and green to green with the fixtures using wirenuts. The tape and it should work provided you have the pull chains in the on position.

As for the rubbermade tubs those are for my snakes.

Here is a picture of the setup. The snakes are seperated since they live solitary in the wild unless mating. I used the tall tubs, but most breeders and other herp keepers use the short version of the long tubs. The ones that fit under the bed. I used MDF to make this 1/2 inch, but if I had to do it again I would use 3/4 inch. 1/2 inch is to flexable, but it works.
156688441O624105235.jpg


I now have heavy dog bowls for hides over the warm area of the tank. I just took a jig saw and cut out the opening and files it smooth. They normaly stay in the hides like BPs stay hidden in the wild.
 
  • #18
Also, I don't know if it makes a difference, but I tend to use bulbs that have a color temp. of 5000k-5500k.

-Ben
 
  • #19
I was just gonna put the tank on it's side and put the lights on top of the glass above the plants. I thought that would be the easiest and simplest way to do it. I'm not that good of a builder and messing with wires and all that. I then was gonna but them on times for about what 14-16 hours? Would the light be too close to the plants? Would it be ok to go through the glass?
 
  • #20
The lights would not be too close to the plants. Like I posted, I had a very similar setup in which I successfully grew many different CPs.
 
Back
Top