Lighting for vivarium plants

[Heatheranne]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002VB...8362852&sr=8-1

I am getting ready to start planning my next retf vivarium. If all goes well, I'll be waterproofing a 48"L x 16"W x 48"T cabinet.

I am wondering what the best lighting would be for my vivarium plants? I would like to do a live wall back ground, waterfall on one end and some floor plants. Most likely pothos, broms, snakes, dracena, and a few others.

I found these bulbs at amazon and was wondering if they would be beneficial? Or if you have any other suggestions?

I currently have the GE 6500K spiral bulbs on my 55 gal viv, but am thinking I may need more lumens do to the 48" height of this set-up.

Thanks!
~Heath

[Deac77]

I just use a aquarium bulb for planted takes my plants grow like the weeds they are lol

[deranged chipmunk]

you will definitely get much more light using a t5ho fixture. i wouldn't use more than a 2 bulb fixture though. as far as bulbs go, 6700k is the correct bulb. they can be gotten at most aquarium shops except petsmart. they only sell t5no. most are comparable to other, but geissman are top of the line and their price reflects it. you can get decent lighting from aquatraders.com. i have several of their units on my planted tanks and they are pretty reliable. and you can't beat the space saving feature of going from cfl's to linear bulbs. if you want a lot of extemely boring tech talk about lighting, i can link you to a really informative article on another forum if you like....lol

[DonLisk]

I prefer the T5HO on my vivs. The bulb you listed should be fine since it is listed by Corallife as a "Daylight" 6500K.

[Heatheranne]

Thanks everyone!

I'd love a good article.

@Don, what is the best light that I can get?

[deranged chipmunk]

heather, here is that article i mentioned. granted, it is about aquariums, but the same basic science still applies :-)
Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts

[Heatheranne]

Thanks so much! Greatly appreciated .

I have been reading several light fixture descriptions as well. I definitely need some more reading on plants.

My current viv's are more simple. I need to have my Eco system in this one just right. I don't want to have to redo anything once I get it up and running bc it is so big. I also don't want to have to catch and remove any of my frogs once it's up and running.

I'm going to do another false bottom and also the ABG layering. I already have a bazillion springtails, as they keep multiplying in their breeding tank. I do need more isopods.

My biggest tank viv now is a 55 gallon. Fairly simple with a false bottom and eco earth substrate.

This one will be approx 159.58 gal, depending on how much of the top I block off for lighting. If I can't get this properly waterproofed, I will probably buy a 36"x24"x48" from one of the sponsor sites here.

[deranged chipmunk]

That is the best article i have read on lighting in a while, and i have read a LOT (i have no life...lol)

Just remember to leave yourself maintenance access areas and you'll be fine. Waterproofing shouldn't be that difficult. I have seen it done many times and there are numerous options. If i were smart enough to post a link from another forum on my phone, i'd link you to a couple good build threads, but alas, i am dumb when it comes to my smartphone.....lol i have yet to do one in that style, but i'm still relatively young, so if you have any questions ask away......lol

[flybyferns]

That is the best article i have read on lighting in a while, and i have read a LOT (i have no life...lol)

Just remember to leave yourself maintenance access areas and you'll be fine. Waterproofing shouldn't be that difficult. I have seen it done many times and there are numerous options. If i were smart enough to post a link from another forum on my phone, i'd link you to a couple good build threads, but alas, i am dumb when it comes to my smartphone.....lol i have yet to do one in that style, but i'm still relatively young, so if you have any questions ask away......lol

Bill,
You're funny
That's a great article!
What size tee shirt are you ?

My plant lights are really simple- suspended from the basement ceiling ( 48" - plain-jane "plant " fluorescent bulbs ) and two screw base Philips... in 2 cheap Home Depot clamp domes. Works great...it's in the basement. So the only person looking at it is me ! All the equipment ends up being an "electrical danger zone !"

Heath,
You must be excited ! What project ! I am thinking the biggest challenge is lighting and drainage?
The electrical parts of the wiring will have to be protected form the constant humidity. If put behind glass it would block some of the light.
If put behind screen it would have to be in an appropriate fixture to withstand the moisture. And then there is the possibly of heat from the bulbs. (depending what you choose). But -- I'm sure you have considered all of this. There must be solutions. Do you know any electricians? Have you considered having glass cut for the interior walls for waterproofing? So many different ways to approach it!

Any news on tee shirts ?

Lynn

[deranged chipmunk]

Hey lynn, what tee shirt size am i? We just met and you're trying to get me shirtless? Tsk tsk.....lol i am a large. you'reblike me with stuff, most of my lights for tanks are just shop lights and phillips 6500k bulbs. They blow away those plant/aquarium bulbs they sell. They aren't even the right color spectrum. They only run about 3000k. Great for viewing fish and plants, but not real good for plant growth.
Heather, for sealing the viv, think drylok paint (sold at h.d., lowes, wally world) or you can go with fiberglass mesh and marine epoxy. I would definitely go with epoxy on the water reservoir. You are already planning t5ho lights, so any aquarium lighting should be relatively waterproof

[deranged chipmunk]

Ok, that should read that you're like me in the respect that i'm really the only one who sees my fish/frog room, so i don't care what my lighting looks like. And i definitely have multiples of octopii of wires all over the place......lol

[Heatheranne]

Lolllll !!!!! You guys are making me laugh

Thanks! That's a great article! Very easy to understand.

So far I think an aquarium light fixture might be the safest. I think I will screen off the whole area below it. Might be tough. I have some ideas rolling around in my head. I need to start a sketch/diagram.

Waterproofing is clearly going to be my toughest challenge.

This is what I hope to convert...


Lynn, looking for printers and quotes. I'll be posting some logo choices soon . It was a rough week. Worked night shift fri and sat, then day shift tues & weds, 12 hrs . Glad to have a couple days off. I'll prob stay up late tonight and tweek a few .

[deranged chipmunk]

OMG!! that is going to be monster cool!!! and yes, water proofing WILL be the death of you.....LOL can i assume that that china cabinet has a shelf under it, so it is divided into 2 levels? if so, why not build a plexi or glass tank to go on the shelf, thereby utilizing the bottom of the top portion as your false bottom?? i would definitely look into marine epoxy for waterproofing the glass section. i know i have seen one of these type conversions around, i'll see if i can find the thread whilst i surf this evening. Man, i have so many ideas running through my head on this one. and i can point you to THE MAN when it comes to driftwood. has the best manzanita in the states and his prices are excellent. oh, and if you decide not to do this, i might drive to you and steal that cabinet from you....LOL

[deranged chipmunk]

you could build a glass insert like this http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/mem...aludarium.html and then just gut the cabinet and slide this in.

same builder, different viv. excellent on working with wood cabinets http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...nstr-jrnl.html

[Benedicta]

I still have trouble getting the plants to grow properly
Am using 4 HOT5 tubes...all 10k for one tank and the other tank having 2 6.5k and 2 10k
2 more tank lights using 12k and one testing LED light at 6.4k
All these Ks givin me a headache

Next setup will be a single red light forgot how many k its supposed to be at followed by 3 x 6.5k
Heard tat red lighting helps plant to grow better...
Currently using Wave Point...u guys heard of this brand ?
Geismann ....cant get those here sadly... and i think i may need to rob a bank to buy one of those

[Heatheranne]

Hey, thanks for the links! Very useful!

Check out this one!http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ect&styleid=-1

[deranged chipmunk]

i've seen that palu on other forums. i would love to build one from wood. and i will. i want to do a 4'wx3'dx4'h for retf's one of these days. apparently, my wife is still attached to her mother's china cabinet, so i guess that plan went out the window...lol

[Heatheranne]

Ha ha!

[DonLisk]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

I think a pair of T5 tubes with a good built in reflector is always a good choice. I am getting two Odyessa 48 inch fixture for the frog rack next. One to hang above and one to mount under the shelf for all the 20 verticals. Odyssea T5 Aquarium Lighting

[deranged chipmunk]

i agree with don, for the price, you can't beat odyssea. i have 5 of their units, but my favorite so far has been the 48" 4 tube with built in timer. one plug for everything, and it allows me to run the lights in a sunrise sunset pattern without the need for multiple timers. the reflectors aren't as great for planted tanks, but they are awesome for terrestrials. besides, the price difference between thos and the tek lights (top o the line for fishies) is ridiculous. you could easily pay $500 or more for a 4'/ 2 bulb fixture from Tek