FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Would it be okay to us an incandescent blue light, red light, and normal grow light (also incandescent) for sarracenia, flytraps and cape sundew? They have a heating pad and are in a deep container? I don't have a blue or red light yet only a normal grow light. Also I can get a red light used for reptiles.

If you're talking about incandescent lights that are painted blue or red such as the party bulbs like this They will not work.

You need a regular fluorescent shop light or a CFL blub like this 6500K(Daylight) bulbs are usually suggested. I us a mixture of warm light and daylight. Warm light are usually your 2500-3000k (your reds) and Daylight are usually 6500k (your blues) If I remember correctly red/orange light promotes flowering while the blue/white promote growth.

All incandescent bulbs do is put out heat and burn or dry up you plants if it is to close. As far as I know incandescent grow lights are usually just accent lighting for plants and not really for growth. I could be wrong and I'm sorry if I have but CFL and fluorescent lights are more efficient to run and are known to be successful.

Thanks, would a 26 watt halide uvb bulb for reptiles work

I got a question about fluorescent light fixtures. I want to get a SunBlaster T5 HO light and fixture, but the 2 ft ones start at almost $30 and the 4 ft ones are at least $35-40! My question is, can you buy the same size fixture from another brand (for example, one that takes 2' tubes) and still use a SunBlaster tube? (T5 2' HO) That way, I will save $20-25 on my lighting setup.

stubbingsj wrote:I got a question about fluorescent light fixtures. I want to get a SunBlaster T5 HO light and fixture, but the 2 ft ones start at almost $30 and the 4 ft ones are at least $35-40! My question is, can you buy the same size fixture from another brand (for example, one that takes 2' tubes) and still use a SunBlaster tube? (T5 2' HO) That way, I will save $20-25 on my lighting setup.

I don't think you can beat the price of the Sunblasters. $33 for a 4 foot bulb and fixture is pretty cheap. If they didn't come with the bulb it wouldn't be quite such a deal but I think it's a pretty good deal still for single lights.
4 ft. - 1 Lamp - F54T5-HO - Fluorescent Grow Light Fixture - Full Spectrum 6500K Lamp Included - Sun Blaster T5 HO Strip Light
http://amzn.com/B0081TX1S0

Of course I highly recommend the reflector for an additional $20
4 ft. Snap-on Grow Light Reflector - Snaps on to Sun Blaster 4 ft. T5 Single Lamp Fluorescent Fixtures - NanoTech by Sun Blaster
http://amzn.com/B00AKKUKOG

Marine botonist kid wrote:Thanks, would a 26 watt halide uvb bulb for reptiles work

Can u post the exact type of the lamp or even better the spectrum of the light?

Uv, up to certain extent is good, but u can really quickly overdo it, Uv is really damaging! (low wavelength=high energy)

I got this T8 4foot 2 lamp for $20 from homedepot( with a reflector!)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lig ... 202052422#
A 2 pack of 6500k bulbs
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-4-ft ... pmZ1z0vvri
And another 2 pack of 3000k bulbs( each pack was $10)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-4-ft ... pmZ1z0vvri
So My lighting set up cost $40( and I have 2 spare bulbs now )
My plants are showing excellent growth, and are starting to get more color now!

Can you still use a sunblaster bulb with a fixture from another brand/company?

stubbingsj wrote:Can you still use a sunblaster bulb with a fixture from another brand/company?

You can. It's a regular T5HO. But I'm not sure how much of a difference there would be between a Sunblaster or say a Spectralux. They have the same specs.

what about uvb bulbs?

Marine botonist kid wrote:what about uvb bulbs?

Sander wrote:

Marine botonist kid wrote:Thanks, would a 26 watt halide uvb bulb for reptiles work

Can u post the exact type of the lamp or even better the spectrum of the light?

Uv, up to certain extent is good, but u can really quickly overdo it, Uv is really damaging! (low wavelength=high energy)

Exo Terra Reptile UVB 200 Intense CFL

Marine botonist kid wrote:Exo Terra Reptile UVB 200 Intense CFL

Well, i cant say for sure since i dont know the power output of those lamps in photons/m^2/sec, but judging from:

Id say a definite no, it has only one useful peak (at 420 nm, chlorophyll a absorption) but the rest is totally wasted, no red spectra as well.

It MIGHT work for coloration of plants (they will become more colorful to protect themselves against damaging light as uvb), but i wouldnt use it on plants that were dear to me to test.

And what about day lights to keep the soil warm.

Day light as in spectrum "daylight" as 6500k?