Best prices in USA on high CRI flourescents?

lauraleellbp · #1 09-12-2011, 04:27 PM

Where are ya'll currently sourcing your high-CRI flourescents?

daggekko · #2 09-12-2011, 11:14 PM

Honestly I haven't upgraded my lights like I'd want. I am using T8 or T12 bulbs and usually just buy them at lowes or home depot. I try to go with the sunshine or daylight bulbs. They do pretty good. Their prices aren't bad unless your buying many many bulbs.

In the near future I hope to start switching over to some UV producing bulbs and maybe some T5's. I know in my part of town there is also a wholesaler/retail spot that sells tons of light bulbs. Everytime I've ever run into a bulb that was an odd length or shape they usually have it. Their prices weren't quite wholesale but weren't bad. You might look for a company in your area that just specializes in lighting

I have one fixture that is an incandescent fixture that is 20" long. I get a fluorescent style bulb that screws in(like an incandescent). I get these from the fish section at walmart for about $5.50. They are bright and put out real good color too!

The other bulbs I have been buying recently are GE reveal incandescent bulbs. They are pretty cheap for a heat source and do better color output than your regular cheap incandescent bulbs. Again, I could go for a better color output heat source, but for my room temperature and needs these bulbs work well. Only problem I have with them is they blow out faster than regular incandescent bulbs.

Hope this helps!

lauraleellbp · #3 09-12-2011, 11:43 PM

Pretty sure I'm going to go with halogens for heat ($5-10 is hard to beat), but I'm looking for better lighting for plants and for day gecko color. Most of the bulbs I'm seeing at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot are pretty low CRI, though.

The bulb you picked up at Walmart- is that a spiral or U-shaped flourescent?

I remember ordering light bulbs from a place in Atlanta once for my aquariums, but I can't remember what the place was called...?

Hardknox · #4 09-13-2011, 01:40 AM

You want 5500K or 6500K (color temperature) Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) in the 14 watt to 26 watt range depending on whether you are using live plants or not. You can buy these for a couple of bucks at any Home Depot or Lowes. These do not give off UVB.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

daggekko · #5 09-13-2011, 07:45 AM

The CRI of the fluorescent bulbs I buy are always 90+. I can't remember exactly what they are though. I need to retry the halogen pucks. Is this the type you use for heat? I had them blow out after days every time. Frustrating as hell.

The place I know of in Atlanta is Atlanta Light Bulbs (Atlantalightbulbs.com)

The bulbs I get from walmart are not the spiral type. http://hunt4freebies.com/coupons/wp-...w200-h2001.png This link has a photo of the package and bulb.

lauraleellbp · #6 09-13-2011, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hardknox

27-Watt (100W) Shatter-Resistant CFL Light Bulb-ES5M827FSSS at The Home Depot

14-Watt (60W) Household CFL Light Bulbs (2-Pack) (E)*-ES5M814C250K at The Home Depot

Any chance you have or know the CRI on those? I just read all the specs but that's not listed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daggekko

The CRI of the fluorescent bulbs I buy are always 90+. I can't remember exactly what they are though.

The place I know of in Atlanta is Atlanta Light Bulbs (Atlantalightbulbs.com)

The bulbs I get from walmart are not the spiral type. http://hunt4freebies.com/coupons/wp-...w200-h2001.png This link has a photo of the package and bulb.

I have some of the GE Reveal flourescents, but the CRI is not listed...?

Right now I have 3 bulbs sitting on top of my ZooMed; an 18 watt 5.0 UVB tube, a 50 watt basking bulb, AND one of those GE spiral florescents for plant lighting (26 watt). I'm trying to get it down to two fixtures and bulbs instead of 3.

Based on what I've read in the Christensen's book, I should be able to make do with just a halogen for heat (if I can find one that won't blow out on me) and a high CRI Flourescent, correct?

Hardknox · #7 09-13-2011, 11:56 AM

You seem to be misinformed or confused about what matters in the bulb. You have been told you need a high CRI bulb and thats true but thats not all that matters. The reason you are having trouble finding CRI on CFLs (spirals) is because they are almost always 80-82% so if its standard across the industry why list it? The only ones you'll find listing it are the exceptions. A standard CFL with a CRI of 80 is more than sufficient for your plants IF you get the right color temperature. Do keep in mind you will not find regular CFLs that emit UVB from pretty much any place other than a pet specialty shop, so if that is what you are looking for you'll have to go the exo-terra route most likely.

What are you keeping in this cage that needs UV, basking spots and full spectrum lighting?

lauraleellbp · #8 09-13-2011, 12:24 PM

I have a P. m. grandis and live plants.

I set up all 3 bulbs to be on the safe side, really.

I did not know that most spiral flourescents have a high CRI, so that's good to know- thanks. I'm a planted aquarium hobbyist so I'm familiar with basic plant needs in terms of lighting. It's managing CRI and UV that are somewhat new concepts for me, as neither are important to fish, aquarium plants, or Rhacodactylus LOL

I've read and heard that UV is optional with day geckos as long as you provide enough D3 in their diets... but haven't yet run across how much is "enough" vs "too much"? If I maintain an adult female primarily on Repashy's Day Gecko MRP, dusted crickets (with D3) and the occasional pureed fruit, will that be enough D3 to skip UV?