Worried about my lighting, need advice

[awelcome]

Ok, so I have the wrong light, and have already ordered an LED bulb from NEherp, but I didn't go with express shipping so it won't be here until the 19th. 6 more days might not seem like much, but then again I have only had these plants for about three times that long and they aren't doing so well already. I dread to think how much more they could suffer in those six days.

Currently I have a Zoomed fluorescent UVB bulb, which Paul already explained to me is useless. Not only does she not need UVB, but the glass blocks it, and it's not a good plant bulb. In fact it's acting against me by fighting my humidity. I remembered I had gotten a box of CFL's (Paul made a comment about even cheap CFL's being better) and sure enough I still have a couple. I wanted to get your opinions if it would be better to switch to one of these for the time before my LED gets here, or leave it as is? I am including a shot of the bulb I have.... it's NOT 6500k so that's a bummer, and I don't know if it puts off a lot of heat or anything or if the CFL I would need is way different... so don't be afraid to tell me it's garbage lol. My enclosure has a piece of glass sitting over the screen right now, and I have a zoomed hood so I need to be sure it would be ok in something like that too. Thanks!

[DigitalPunk]

It should work with you hood and won't produce much heat. It also (as you stated) won't help your plants.

It's really a lateral move except your humidity should be more stable.

Maybe move your tank near an open window till the new bulb comes in. The sunlight will heat the tank, but it will also keep the plants going. Just a thought.

By open window I mean the blinds/curtains are open

[deranged chipmunk]

I would just leave the bulb you have in there if you have plants growing. That bulb is so below the optimum range for color temps. 2700k would be ok for a supplement to help plants flower, if you had any that would flower, but for a primary bulb, I would stick with what you have.


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

[LilyPad]

I have no problem growing plants with the zoomed reptisun cfl. I kept 2 of them on my red eye tank but switched to LED there. I still use 2 of them on my grey tree frog tank without an issue. The UV is useless, but it should be in the correct spectrum for growing plants.