Plant Lighting Options?

[procyonloser]

I'm in the beginning stages of planning a bioactive enclosure. I won't have any animals in it for likely a half year to year (besides clean up crew) but while most of the build should be fairly straightforward, I've realized I know very little about lighting for a planted enclosure.

How have you gone about lighting your vivariums? (Specifically tropical to temperate, think new Caledonian species)

What systems worked best/worst for you? Which resulted in the healthiest plants?

What is the most cost efficient in regards to the bulbs and also energy requirements?


Thanks for any suggestions. I'm doing my own reading, but I also want to hear back from people who have actually used these types of bulbs long term.

 

[acpart]

I usually use those clamp lamp domes with compact florescent grow lights that I get from the hydroponics store. That said, my luck with plants is not great. I think it's an issue of the interaction between lighting, planting medium, humidity, plant choice and how badly the geckos beat up the plants. I've had my best luck with pothos. If you're not getting any animals for awhile you'll have time to experiment with plants. Obviously you don't want succulents in that kind of environment. It's also good to get an idea which plants do best with indirect vs. direct lighting. Good luck!

Aliza

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I use either incandescent bulbs or UVB from Zoo Med's Reptisun 5.0 T8 tubes.

I have good luck with Sanseveria (snake plant) planted their own pots, in a sandy soil, and watered every 2-3 weeks. Sanseveria is quite resilient.

Another interesting plant is Ludisia discolor (jewel orchid). It's leaves are dark and velvet-like with pinkish stripes. It's bottle brush shaped clusters of small white blossoms are OK.

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#6---Custom Soil Mix especially for Sansevieria (snake plant): fertilizer-free

Cresties are hard on plants, because they bounce around like Tigger. Use resilient plants like sansevieria.

Sansevieria varieties include squatty ones, upright ones, and very tall ones.

Plant sansevieria in terra cotta pots or in plastic pots. CrestedRick's cork bark round planters work fine too.

I plant most my sansevieria in this fertilizer-free, perlite-free, custom mix or in fertilizer-free sandy soil. They do well. (This mix is poor for pothos.)

• 2/3 Wonder Worm Earth Worm Castings (pure form of humus)
• 1/3 Eco Earth coco fiber

Sansevieria are quite tolerant of low light. A 15-25 watt incandescent bulb from Ace Hardware or Home Depot overhead in an 8.5 inch dome fixture during the day will be all the sansevieria needs to support its growth. Let sansevieria dry out between watering.

 

[Herpin Man]

I have used fluorescent tubes (Reptisun, and grow max) in the past, but for those vivariums and aquariums that do not require UVB lighting, I have been switching them over to LED lighting. They last longer, use less energy, run cooler, and are brighter. Plant growth has been very good. There are many brands available, I have used both Finnex and Koval.
I can't wait for someone to invent an LED that emits UVB and doesn't have to be replaced. If I was a lighting engineer I'd invent it myself.