FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi all i am thinking of setting up a terrarium

but would like some help on lighting etc etc etc i am looking at this website http://www.arcadia-uk.info/product.php? ... &sub=&id=4 and i am thinking about getting the compact light at the bottem of the page will this work ? as the tank i getting is only going to be just under 1 and a half foot. also could some one tell me what % UVB i would need i wanna grow VFT Sundews and may be other things down the line.

Thanks for you help ian

I think the best bang for your buck is going to be getting a couple of T5s because they use less wattage, but still pump out a ton of light. I actually got a four T8s the other day for my plants that I'm deflasking from TC and for my cultures. You can probably find something like this cheap at a local store. I got them at the local Wal-Mart here. The four bulbs and the two fixtures were less than $30 and they put out a lot of light. I would have gotten T5s but they didn't have any 4 feet long, so I settled for T8s. For optimal growing, it's best to get bulbs with a high kelvin rating, like 6500K, so I got the "cool white" generic bulbs that are rated at 3800 lumens and 6500K.

I was just at the grow shop the other day and I asked the guy there about a bulb similar to the one you're looking at there, and he recommended against it for a few reasons. He said they go out quite frequently and that you lose a lot of the light in the inside of the coils.

I can't say anything bad about the light your looking at or give any experience with it, but I can tell you (and agree with Matt) that I have had a great experience with my T5 light setup. I would highly recommend it.

Matt wrote:I think the best bang for your buck is going to be getting a couple of T5s because they use less wattage, but still pump out a ton of light. I actually got a four T8s the other day for my plants that I'm deflasking from TC and for my cultures. You can probably find something like this cheap at a local store. I got them at the local Wal-Mart here. The four bulbs and the two fixtures were less than $30 and they put out a lot of light. I would have gotten T5s but they didn't have any 4 feet long, so I settled for T8s. For optimal growing, it's best to get bulbs with a high kelvin rating, like 6500K, so I got the "cool white" generic bulbs that are rated at 3800 lumens and 6500K.

I was just at the grow shop the other day and I asked the guy there about a bulb similar to the one you're looking at there, and he recommended against it for a few reasons. He said they go out quite frequently and that you lose a lot of the light in the inside of the coils.

The problem is here is i have not got room for a 2 foot take and the max size i can get is 1 and a half so T5's and T8's are not a option for me as they only go down to 2 foot. other wise i would have gone for the T5 option as every one recomend them.

So what i looking at is the only option i really have it just that they do many many different versions of this bulb and i dont know what one to go for

I thought that there were 18 inch T5s. Maybe 24 inch is as small as they go?

Matt wrote:I thought that there were 18 inch T5s. Maybe 24 inch is as small as they go?

I gotta admit i might be wrong i am only going on what i was told at me local shop...

Smallest I found was 12.5" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EEW0T6

Nickrober wrote:Smallest I found was 12.5" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EEW0T6

would you adam and eve it that they not got it in the amazon.co.uk

I willing to take risk on them lights i pointed out though if some one can tell me if they are the right ones or not. I dont wanna go buy the light and it not even given the right wave lenghs off lol

well i got some lights 4 my terr i got two T5 24W 6500K strip lights and i am happy with the color i am getting with my plants

Eh....what's the diffrence of UVA and UVB? I think I used the wrong light..

UVA is basically an incandescent light used for heat, ie: basking. UVB aids with the adsorption of Vitamin D3 which metabolize calcium in Reptiles. UVB bulbs should be fine but there are also different wavelenghts involved so go for the Daylight one.

hb