Originally Posted by
Geo
I use 2 EarthTronics t2e CFLs in my Brown Mantella 50 gallon bowfront tank vivarium setup. These bulbs emit a soft white/yellowish light in the 2700k colour temperature range. 900 lumens, 80 CRi colour rendering, 120 volt, 50/60 hz, 13 watts. I have found that these lights offer sufficient light for the plants to grow easily and quickly and it seems that the frogs are quite comfortable with it as they are more visible and less prone to hiding or seeking darker corners. Mold / fungi tend to grow slower in a "warmer light" than in a "cooler" temp light setup as has been my experience. These CFLs also produce less heat than other brand/types of lights available which is an important factor in a small enclosure. I have found that some lights emit a more "cooler" (as in light temperature (k) and not ambient enclosure temp) white light but the frogs seem less active in such. Why that may be is for better minds then myself to figure out. If the light is more warmer (yellowish) they are more active, if it is cooler (whiter) than they are less so but the difference in activity levels may be hard to discern unless you have an obvious understanding of what would be their typical amount of activity / visibility. To the untrained / new frog owner it may not be discernable. Whether this light affects the absorption and usage of vitamin D I cannot say but I do compliment their feed with a sprinkling of reptile related vitamins, minerals and calcium to augment any nutritional shortage in the fruit flies and pinhead crickets that comprise of their regular diet.