What bulb would you choose?

[DonLisk]

Hi All,
My enclosure is fully enclosed with only a small ventilation area in the back top section.
I am keeping Whites Tree Frogs and have some live plants.

Presently I have a 15 watt Zoo Med full Spectrum bulb but would like to reduce the daytime temp down to 70 - 75 and the 15 watt bulb takes it to 80 - 90 depending on room temp. Since I need more light and less heat, does anyone have a suggestion as to a bulb I should be looking at?


The enclosure is 32 length, 18 deep and 22 tall.


Thanks,
Don

[DonLisk]

While dropping off my car for some body work after someone decided to take out one of my doors and depart last week, I stopped into the local pet store and checked out some of the Exo Terra Repti Glo bulbs.

The store was using them in their enclosures so I was able to see some which were new and some that were definitely at the stage of needing replacement. Due to what I saw I decided to bring home the 26 watt 5.0 compact.

Definitely a good choice I think. Everything in now well lit, seems like the lighting will bring some life back into the live plants, and I'm now monitoring the temp in hopes that it drops to a more reasonable temp for the inhabitants.

[John]

The bulb sounds good but I would be worried about your lack of ventilation - tree frogs need good ventilation.

[DonLisk]

Thanks John. Gonna have to think this one out. Wonder if a local glass place can add something into the top sections of the glass sliding doors.

Or just have sliding screens made to replace the doors.

[bshmerlie]

Depending on the starting humidity level in your house most of the time just covering 50% of the top with glass and the other 50% with screen keeps it humid enough while providing good ventilation. Check your humidity gauges and mist accordingly. If that doesn't keep it humid enough you can add a water section or waterfall to your tank they help to increase humidity. Sounds like you're tank is a little too closed off right now.

[Branks]

I have heard about compact UV bulbs causing eye problems in some reptiles so you may wish to see if that applies to frogs as well.

Is a 5.0 bulb recommended over a 2.0 for tree frogs?

[DonLisk]

I finally went with the repti-sun bulbs since they only produce a small amount of heat. My enclosure now runs about 80 day and 70 night temps.

I have added a screen to the replace part of the glass doors and had my humidity levels drop to 50 percent. I have just returned from a glass place in town and they cut my doors down for free... Nice. and the extra pieces now are used a a cover yo bring the humidity up and still gain in ventilation.

I'll have to keep an eye on levels tonight to see which piece of glass I need to use to cover part of the new screen material to get things right.

On a side note, I removed my frogs big water dish ad added in terracotta small pot lined with stone to see if they would each use their own pot. Will be interesting.

[JimO]

Since lighting for my vivs is really only for the plants, I use 26-watt daylight compact fluorescent bulbs. GE makes one and they are about $8 for a two pack at Wal-Mart. I have about 2 to 4 watts per gallon and my temps are always in the upper 70s during the day (we have AC and keep the house around 75 during the day). Another way to reduce the heat transfer to the tank is to put spacers beneath the fixture and raise it up a few inches.