Lighting for Plant Growth

jjhill001 · 12-14-17, 08:48 PM

As many regulars know I've started to keep my snake on a bioactive substrate.

My plants are kind of struggling. I think it has more to do with the lighting than anything. What lights do you guys use to foster good plant growth.

Thanks.

Tiny Boidae · 12-14-17, 09:04 PM

I have Arcadia Jungle Dawn. Good quality bulbs.

jjhill001 · 12-14-17, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiny Boidae

I have Arcadia Jungle Dawn. Good quality bulbs.

Lol, who would have thought the hardest part of this venture would be growing plants.

TRD · 12-15-17, 01:40 AM

haha, yup. Can you post some info on vivarium size, temps, type of plants, maybe a picture?

jjhill001 · 12-15-17, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRD

haha, yup. Can you post some info on vivarium size, temps, type of plants, maybe a picture?

36x18x18 umm heres a photo from when it was first setup, the plant is on the left and I've since added another on the right in the front.

I have an exo terra fixture with a 5.0 bulb on one side and one of the lower wattage jungle dawns on the other side of the fixture.

I ended up taking advantage of a sale for a 16inch tincman light that people in the dart frog community really respect. I'll be interested to see if that has an effect.

TRD · 12-15-17, 11:15 AM

Well jungle dawns are good to about 30cm/1' light to canopy for half shade loving plants. The only difference between the wattage's is basically the area's that they cover, not the distance they are effective. Due to their beam angle (120 degrees) they lose power fast.

Those CFLs or T8/T5 UVb lights aren't the best for plant growth. Their spectrum is just not very suited as they have 5 mercury spikes but not a good continuous spectrum like LEDs or Incandescent lighting. Also most 5500 - 6500K LED lights with sufficient lumens will be good for plants (2000 lm is about as bright as shadow is on a summer day outdoors), you don't have to pick jungle dawn, they'll all have the same spike in the blue spectrum that is critical to plants and deliver more or less the same in the rest too, they are however lacking in the red, so don't expect much blooming.

Ps. you can get those tincman lights for much cheaper (as well as the JD)... there lots of chinese vendors with exactly those products (few $ a piece just a min order of 10 pcs or so). I can try and dig up the distributor, but people had a lot of success with them, though I haven't any personal experience with them at this point.

jjhill001 · 12-16-17, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRD

Well jungle dawns are good to about 30cm/1' light to canopy for half shade loving plants. The only difference between the wattage's is basically the area's that they cover, not the distance they are effective. Due to their beam angle (120 degrees) they lose power fast.

Those CFLs or T8/T5 UVb lights aren't the best for plant growth. Their spectrum is just not very suited as they have 5 mercury spikes but not a good continuous spectrum like LEDs or Incandescent lighting. Also most 5500 - 6500K LED lights with sufficient lumens will be good for plants (2000 lm is about as bright as shadow is on a summer day outdoors), you don't have to pick jungle dawn, they'll all have the same spike in the blue spectrum that is critical to plants and deliver more or less the same in the rest too, they are however lacking in the red, so don't expect much blooming.

Ps. you can get those tincman lights for much cheaper (as well as the JD)... there lots of chinese vendors with exactly those products (few $ a piece just a min order of 10 pcs or so). I can try and dig up the distributor, but people had a lot of success with them, though I haven't any personal experience with them at this point.

I bought a tincman from the biodude. He was very helpful in setting up my enclosure and I think the guy is offering unique products and want to offer him my support.

TRD · 12-16-17, 04:11 AM

Gotcha, I do same with local suppliers or simply people who you can tell put their heart and soul into their business

jjhill001 · 12-16-17, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRD

Gotcha, I do same with local suppliers or simply people who you can tell put their heart and soul into their business

He does need to get his shipping costs down though. USPS shipping for 16 bucks is a bit ridiculous.