FBT and plant lighting

[TeenyToad]

I'm in the process of building a vivarium that will be housing my FBT's along with live plants and moss. It is my understanding that Fire Belly Toads do not need UVB, but plants do. Can anyone recommend a light that will meet the needs of both the frogs and the plants? FBT's require a temperature around 75 degrees. Thanks!

[deranged chipmunk]

Plants don't require uv lighting either. Any lighting system that provides the color temp of 6500k or so will work


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[TeenyToad]

Thanks! I don't know anything about color temp. Will that level produce a lot of heat? And does it matter if the plants are low light or direct light?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deranged chipmunk]

Color temp doesn't really pertain to actual temperature. It refers to the color spectrum that the light gives off. Different style lights will give off different amounts of heat. Led's give off very little heat from their light, but the fixtures can give off a fair amount of heat outside of the tank. Fluorescents give off a bit of heat from the bulbs, but not a lot. Cfl's (spiral bulbs) give off heat from the built in ballast. And incandescents (old school Thomas Edison bulbs) are just useless for growing plants. It's up to you to decide what style and price range works for you.

As far as high light/low light plants, you can always accommodate the plants when you plant, but for the most part, it won't really make much difference unless you are putting way too powerful of a light on the enclosure. For example, a metal halide light. It would be over kill.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[TeenyToad]

Interesting, I didn't realize how complicated it was. Thank you so much for the help! So it sounds like my best options are fluorescent bulbs or LED. Now to decide on a brand...When I visit different sites some of them say T5HO or T10HO...I'm assuming that will be too hot for my little guys, right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deranged chipmunk]

Nope. But there is no such thing as T10ho. what size tank? There are some really great prices on led's out there.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[TeenyToad]

Oops, I must've misunderstood what I read haha. Well, I don't know how many gallons it is, but it's 19" deep, 14" wide, and 3' in length.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deranged chipmunk]

Check out aquatraders.com. They have great prices on lighting. They carry both T5ho and led. Just look for fixtures made for planted tanks/aquariums. They should have 6500-6700k bulbs already installed.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[TeenyToad]

Thanks, I'll take a look! By the way, your vivariums are amazing!!! I'm in the process of making a realistic one. It's a lot more work than I anticipated, but I'm enjoying every minute of it! It would be great if it ended up looking half as nice as yours!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TeenyToad]

Also, just so I'm understanding clearly, you said a T5HO would suffice? I guess I just assumed the "high output" meant that it put out a lot of heat/light.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deranged chipmunk]

Yes, t5ho (high output) would be fine. I have t5ho lights over my steam punk tank, my grow out tank and my 30 gallon planted tank.

There are T5NO (normal output) out there, but bulbs are difficult to find.

The high output lights put out a lot more light, but not much more heat (maybe a couple degrees). I have been using them in planted tanks for a long time and have used them almost exclusively in vivariums. I just started the process of going to led lights and plan to replace all my t5ho lights with led's.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[MegSeig]

My vet recommended getting UVB.