FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I have a new 55 gallon tank and I want to turn it in to a terrariumI own a 48 inch lighting fixture at the petstore they sell 10000K day light and a hybrid light that is 100000k daylight and something called Actinic blue . what will work best for highland nepenthes and orchids.

Hi Theplant man.
The bulbs you are talking about are for reaf tanks to keep coral growing. For plants over 6500k is not needed. Orchids need red light to flower. Somehting in the 4000k range or (warm). 6500k has more blue light and is good for vegative growth. It is called (cool) your average shop light from Home depot will work fine. I have mostly used a combo of 4300k and 6500k with good results. My nepenthes grow fine and do flower.The new LED light mostly have red and blue LEDs with a few white mixed in. This is because this is spectrum the plants use. Anyway not sure if you have a 2x4 4 bulb fixture like I use but useng 2 6500k and 2 4300k or close to that would be fine and cover the nepenthes and your orchids. Just keep the light close to the plants. your standard 4 foot bulb looses benefit quickly over around 12 inches. I just was reading a care shep from a nepenthes store and that person perfrered the 4300k. To each his own, but the orchids do need the red light to flower well, so if you can only use one type go with something around 4300k and you should be fine.

I have a dual kight fixture so one 6500K and one 4300K.

Just as I sent my last post I saw your new post. Yes one of each would please cps and your orchids. Also 2 4300k or something around that would also work. Good luck growing

Hi the plantman,

I am not sure how you will set up this tank. You will need to get the plants close to your lights as I said. I use overturned pots. It does not look as nice as those tanks set up with pots in moss,but light is very important. A second 2 bulb fixtue would be a good idea in my mind. A 2x4 4 bulb fixture would work but it would be a pain to move everytime you want to mess with your plant.So another fish tank to bulb if you can would be nice. Those fixtures look nice and would be easy to move off the tank. Check out the International Carnivorous Plant Society page on lighting. After reading it you will know all plant lighting facts and all your options. Its very well written. Good Luck

I use 5000K T5 over my orchids and they are flowering like crazy right now. They are next to a block glass window where they get supplemented with some very indirect daylight too.

Beautiful orchids !!! They all look great. I like the t-5 fixtures as well. I got 4 foot 8 bulb one last fall. The high output t-5s seem to throw a little more heat than the t-8s. Even when only using 4 bulbs. The four foot "high output" t-5s put out 5,000 lumens each. I do not run 8 bulbs all day (3 hours 8 bulb and 12 hours with 4 bulbs. Thats 40,000 lumens and 20,000 lumins. Well my nepenthes have never looked better. I think plants can be placed further from the t-5s and still have plenty of light useable for the plant. That is very helpful for taller cps and orchids with flower stalks. Have to check out the specs on useable light to be sure, but my nepenthes are growing from 6 to 24 inches away.