Grow light

[froggielog]

So I have realized I am not a green thumb and my plants need some help
I want to get a grow light but I am having trouble finding the right one or even where to start. I dont need a 400 dollar fixture or some crazy thing like that, but is there anywhere I should start? If you have any tips I would be very grateful.
Also can you use compact ones vs the linear, or can those be harmful for their eyes?
And one more XD Do you usually have to buy another special fixture or could you get one like the UVB hood and just put the bulb in?

Thank you!

 

[Rottsko]

So I have realized I am not a green thumb and my plants need some help
I want to get a grow light but I am having trouble finding the right one or even where to start. I dont need a 400 dollar fixture or some crazy thing like that, but is there anywhere I should start? If you have any tips I would be very grateful.
Also can you use compact ones vs the linear, or can those be harmful for their eyes?
And one more XD Do you usually have to buy another special fixture or could you get one like the UVB hood and just put the bulb in?

Thank you!

you can get some cheap fluorescent fixtures at home depot or lowes. I would start at one of these places and they should also have a 6500k fluorescent linear light bulb.

I use fluorescent lights on all my cages and my fixtures are all dual fluorescent fixtures so that I don't have to have 2 fixtures on top of the cage. hope this helps.

 

[kgallego]

you can get some cheap fluorescent fixtures at home depot or lowes. I would start at one of these places and they should also have a 6500k fluorescent linear light bulb.

I use fluorescent lights on all my cages and my fixtures are all dual fluorescent fixtures so that I don't have to have 2 fixtures on top of the cage. hope this helps.

^^^
Exactly what I did, however, I wasn't able to find those bulbs at Home Depot. I went to a grow store and found a 6500k fluorescent bulb.

Most people don't know what you're talking about when you ask for a "6500k" bulb, so just tell them you're looking for a regular sized light bulb that is a fluorescent grow light.

As far as fixtures, you can get one of those cheap clip-lights from Home Depot for like $8. The light bulb will cost about $10.

 

[dom1959]

email "light your reptiles" i got great info and 2 great units from them.
it's only been a short time but my hibiscus looks much better since
the new light fixtures!

 

[Venutus1]

email "light your reptiles" i got great info and 2 great units from them.
it's only been a short time but my hibiscus looks much better since
the new light fixtures!

Thanks!


Yes - now that ho t5 fixtures have come down in price- they are great because they are allot brighter (have much higher lumen out-put) than reg. t-8 tubes.

One thing we need to talk about.

However there are flo tubes commonly called "Grow Lights" for plants that are like the good old sylvania Grow-Lux bulbs.
These are not very natural lighting.
But Yep... you can use them, and things like them.
But you are not matching natural out door light with those.

You are getting a more Pinkish purple light.

BUT they give off a more purplish cast-

Due to the fact they have added spike sin the RED and BLUE parts of the spectrum to stimulate photosynthesis & plant growth.

(examples of products with similar light properties are Aquari-Lux flo. tubes for aquariums and Arcadia Plant Pro, and many other "plant" bulbs.)

So if you say:
"Give me a grow light" that is what you may end up getting.
Something with a spectrum with red and blue spikes in it.

I personally would not use one Grow light all by itself in an array because to me they are pretty far off from the natural spectrum of daylight.
However, one of them mixed in an array of 6.5k DAY LIGHT and Arcadia 6% tubes is fine.
And they do punch up visual colors a bit... for humans anyway.

The 6.5k Economy "Day-Light" bulbs at HD and Lowes are not always marketed as "Plant Grow Lights."
They are marketed as simulating 6.5k "day-light" and that happen to work good on plants in part due to the tubes overall brightness / lumen out-put.


I have used the inexpensive 6.5ks in the past and been somewhat happy with them.

However,
the do not have a very high CRI.
COLOR RENDERING INDEX.
6.5k just refers to the KELVIN color temperature of the bulb.
(I know it is confusing)

Kelvin "K" rating means more like weather is is "warm looking" light like an incandescent bulb...
or "cool" to blue-ish white light.
Example - like a higher 10k++ K (kelvin) bulbs that are commonly used on reef tanks to simulate light as it passes through sea water (and thus has reduced reds)

6.5K has nothing to do with the overall quality of light.

Now One thing to know is there are FULL SPECTRUM Daylight bulbs that are around 6.5-sh K,
and cost more...
like Zoo Med NatureSun, Indoor Sunshine, Vita-lite / Ott Lite, or Arcadia Natural Sunlight Lamps:
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/natural-sunlight-t8-fluorescent-lamp/

But there is a reason they cost more*.
All these all have a much higher "CRI" rating...
That is to say that they show colors much more naturally and try harder and match the color rendering properties of Natural Clear Sky Sun-light.
And they grow plants fantastic.

Art museums, photographers, artists are all familiar with things like CRI and color rendering and color temperature....
because they all are looking for the TRUEST representation of the visual spectrum of natural sun-light.

Cheapie flo. tubes are usually those yellowish 4.5k ("warm" white tubes")

6.5k "Day-light" tubes may or may not have good full spectrum properties.

"Cool White" flo. tubes may be close to 6.5K -but they are cheapie and use less phosphors in their manufacture.

And the rest of the world.... outside of the Chameleon Forum
LOL
they tend to regard "Grow Lights" and "Plant Lights"
as lights that HAVE extra blue and red spikes in their spectral out-put to promote plant photosynthesis.

just see what I mean on a google search of plant light,
LOTS of lights with purple-ish cast come up.:
https://www.google.com/search?q=gro...Hbl4BQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1781&bih=723

So if you ask for a 6.5 light.... you may get one thing ...and asking for plant "gro" light you may get another.

The best thing is a FULL SPECTRUM (5.7K to) - 6.5K Day-Light Bulb.
Now...
*they can cost more.
Why?
BECAUSE to get a higher CRI (= color rendering index) and better quality light- they use a wider variety of rare earth phosphors in them. and that costs more to make.

and lastly...
Nooooooo....
I am not trying to be a know-it-all @_$ - #_le.
well.... not too much.
LOL, remember ...
light afterall IS my job.


You know...
it took me FOREVER TO LEARN THE "NUANCES" of all this lighting stuff too!
(and I am getting OLD, I have been at it since the mid 70's when Vita Lites were all the rage. )

I am always happy to freely share info.

Please note the natural spectrum of sun-light, below.

That is the template against what all vivarium light should be held up to.
word to ya' mother.
Sharing is caring.



Thanks!
Todd
lightyourreptiles.com

 

[CLP]

I can't claim to be a lighting expert of any kind, but I bought some t5 grow lights from Lee Valley (www.leevalley.com). I bought mine at the local Lee Valley store, not sure what shipping would cost if you had to do that. I put two 22" fixtures in each of my cham's enclosures. For reference, the enclosures are 3 ft wide x 4 ft tall x 2 ft deep. One enclosure has a hibiscus in it, the other a ficus. The hibiscus flowers on a consistent basis and the ficus is growing like crazy, so they're definitely working.

I believe they make 22" ones and 44" ones. The smaller one is around $30 and the larger around $40. This includes the bulb and fixture with reflector. You have to buy the power cord which is only about $10, and can get small connectors (about $3 each) so you can chain the fixtures together, thereby only needing on power cord and plug.

Pretty cheap and like I said, my plants are both quite healthy, so the bulbs are definitely working.