Some help with Terrarium lighting

[mattynatureboy44]

Hi,

I am thinking about setting up my first terrarium for a few plants to keep some growing over winter etc, I will mainly be using it for Cephs and some Helis and neps.

I have two spare Exo Terra Terrariums just sitting in the garage gathering dust so I thought I was either going to sell them or put them to good use they are

This one http://www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/terra-glas...0cm-p-1907.html

And this one http://www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/terra-glas...5cm-p-1914.html

I know they are fairly small but I dont need anything bigger will these be ok? as I only want to grow a few cuttings and seedlings in them over the winter months.

What I would really like is some good advice from someone who can tell me what lighting to use and where I can possibly get it and anything else I might need for a terrarium.

I am thinking about getting this lighting unit http://www.netpetshop.co.uk/p-27338-exo-te...ELAID=525516139 or are there any other options for me, but I have no idea what bulbs to get for this unit.

Would this bulb be any good?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-X-25W-125W-ES-E27-...=item53d99da627

Edited October 12, 2010 by mattybadboy44

[mattynatureboy44]

I was looking at this one does anyone know if these are any good or used them? and will they do for a small terrarium

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/225-LED-Red-Blue-Hyd...=item4152cc30c2

[dchasselblad74]

Hey Matty...I think as long as the plants would fit in any of those two terrariums you were looking at, it should do the job....as far as lighting, I've more experience with t5s and power compacts or compact flourescent lighting(cfl) and I would suggest for you to consider and investigate these two but ultimately it's your decision....Good luck...

DexFC

[mattynatureboy44]

Well can anyone tell me if this sounds ok for a bulb in a terrarium for cps this is the bulb spec.

1X 125 WATTS ES E27(LARGE EDISON SCREW) SPIRAL LOW ENERGY DAYLIGHT LAMP.

Consumption: 25 watts; Actual equivalent output: 125 watts

6400 kelvin (almost pure daylight)

Even distribution light (360 degrees)

Excellent colour rendering for photography and craft/artwork.

Not siutable for dimming systems

Integral rapid start electronic circuit.

Also has qualities that are advantageous for S.A.D. sufferers.

Height=158mm

Diameter= 60mm

1535 lumens

Colour rendering index is 80 at 6400k

Thanks

Edited October 12, 2010 by mattybadboy44

[dchasselblad74]

If that is a Metal Halide bulb you're describing, it would be perfect for plants, but it gives off lots of heat. I know cause I use metal halides for my reef tank.

DexFC

Edited October 12, 2010 by dchasselblad74

[mattynatureboy44]

If that is a Metal Halide bulb you're describing, it would be perfect for plants, but it gives off lots of heat. I know cause I use metal halides for my reef tank.

DexFC

Its this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Sorry dont know what type of bulb it is im new to artificial lighting and just trying to get a bulb that will fit this lid in the link below and be good for growing my cps in a terrarium I have read lots of posts about lighting and bulbs on the forum which has lead me to believe this would work and be ok but im just looking for clarification from people with some experience in this and hopefully get pointed in the right direction.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Thanks

Edited October 12, 2010 by mattybadboy44

[Guest UnstuckinTime]

that would be a Compact Fluorescent Light, or, CFL. Some people swear by them. They throw off some heat, more that the fluorescent tubes i believe, but less than Metal Halides or High Pressure Sodium bulbs.

[dchasselblad74]

Matty, that should work fine....but consider a small fan, in case there's lots of heat thrown off by those bulbs..

DexFC

[johns]

One 25W CFL for a 30cm tank might work, but the light will be strongest directly beneath the bulb, dropping off to the sides and further down in the tank. You may want to put the plants on a raised platform so that they're closer to the bulb (2x distance = 1/4 of the light).

[mattynatureboy44]

One 25W CFL for a 30cm tank might work, but the light will be strongest directly beneath the bulb, dropping off to the sides and further down in the tank. You may want to put the plants on a raised platform so that they're closer to the bulb (2x distance = 1/4 of the light).

Cheers Johns

Should I use a higher wattage bulb then for the 30cm terrarium what would be an ideal wattage for this, and the other terrarium is 45cm high I am thinking about using the smaller one with potted plants and the larger one as a planted display terrarium with a few select plants for a natural display.

Thanks

[mattynatureboy44]

Matty, that should work fine....but consider a small fan, in case there's lots of heat thrown off by those bulbs..

DexFC

Thanks Dex,

May need some advice on a fan I have read about using pc fans but how do you hook em up to the mains and get them to come on and off when the temperature rises.

[mattynatureboy44]

that would be a Compact Fluorescent Light, or, CFL. Some people swear by them. They throw off some heat, more that the fluorescent tubes i believe, but less than Metal Halides or High Pressure Sodium bulbs.

Thanks,

[johns]

Should I use a higher wattage bulb then for the 30cm terrarium what would be an ideal wattage for this

According to the ebay listing for the Exo Terra top, the max you can use is 26W. More generally it depends on the plants and how much light they need. In this thread, manders reported Nepenthes growing OK at 1000-4000 lux. I had Mexican Pinguicula growing at about 3000-4000 lux for 2-3 months, in my opinion it's on the lower end for them, and probably too low for most Drosera. Not sure about Cephalotus. At 15cm distance from the bulb, I don't think you can expect more than about 5000 lux. For trial and error, a light meter is helpful.

and the other terrarium is 45cm high I am thinking about using the smaller one with potted plants and the larger one as a planted display terrarium with a few select plants for a natural display.

I think it'll be hard to get proper light 45cm away from the light source. This lux calculator might give you an idea of how much light you need.

I don't know what the easiest options are when it comes to fans, but using a cheap electronic 24h timer with 15min resolution, you can e.g. run the fans for 15minutes every half hour. Might be easier to set up than something temperature controlled.

[mattynatureboy44]

According to the ebay listing for the Exo Terra top, the max you can use is 26W

I may be wrong but I was under the impression this 26w limit was for the low wattage incandescent bulbs only.

I think it'll be hard to get proper light 45cm away from the light source.

I was not going to use the same light hood as I think your right it would be too far away to benefit the plants, for this tank I was hoping to use something else that could hold a stronger and better bulb for the job but have no idea what to use for this terrarium yet so any suggestions would be appreciated.

I don't know what the easiest options are when it comes to fans, but using a cheap electronic 24h timer with 15min resolution, you can e.g. run the fans for 15minutes every half hour. Might be easier to set up than something temperature controlled.

Sounds like a good idea where can I get the neccessary bits?

Thanks for your help

[johns]

I was not going to use the same light hood as I think your right it would be too far away to benefit the plants, for this tank I was hoping to use something else that could hold a stronger and better bulb for the job but have no idea what to use for this terrarium yet so any suggestions would be appreciated.

I think 2x 24W T5 HO or 18W T8 might be worth looking into, the tubes are a bit longer than the width of the terrarium though. Yet another option might be 2G11 tubes. These options are more expensive than using CFLs, but better because (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong) more light can be reflected by the reflectors, and because of the larger surface area of the tubes. They generate some heat though, if that's a problem it's a good idea to have a glass plate covering the top of the terrarium.

Sounds like a good idea where can I get the neccessary bits?

24h timers should be available in any hardware store. Also useful for controlling the photo period.

Not sure what's the best/safest way of connecting a fan. I know 220V fans are available but it might not be wise to mess with electrical wires connected directly to the mains. A safer option I saw suggested somewhere was connecting a 12V fan to an adjustable 12V power supply. If you search this forum or on the internet, I'm sure you'll find some advice on it.

[mattynatureboy44]

Thanks for the help johns, I have set up the small one with the combination I mentioned in earlier posts and raised the ground level in the terrarium with peat moss and spagnum to provide humdity and placed the potted plants on this, and in total for the unit and bulb I only paid just under £30 only time will tell now if it works ok. Can you or anyone else give me your opinion on this combination of Bulb and Holder and weather it should be ok for the larger terrarium.

THe Holder and reflector http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The possible bulbs ----- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Or this one --- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/65w-Energy-Saving-Da...1QQcmdZViewItem

Or should I use a stronger bulb I can always hang this lamp holder lower in the terrarium to be closer to the plants.

Thanks.

[gardenofeden]

the 45 W bulb is really bright, I have one, prob worth a go, also quite long so may be too long for your shade, which does not look very deep? You may pick up a better (wider, deeper) shade at a DIY store...

[mattynatureboy44]

the 45 W bulb is really bright, I have one, prob worth a go, also quite long so may be too long for your shade, which does not look very deep? You may pick up a better (wider, deeper) shade at a DIY store...

Thanks for the info I think ill give that bulb a go then, Im glad you pointed that out to me as I didnt even think of that, I don't want the bulb to be too long for the shade can I ask what shade and connection you use your bulb with? Im struggling to find anything at the DIY stores suitable maybe im not looking for the right thing or looking in the right places.

Thanks

[gardenofeden]

I use an old heat lamp shade, like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/poultry-heat-lamp-/2...=item33619a57cc

they have a ceramic holder, alumimium shade so very heat resistant, usually a screw thread

actually you can buy them brand new, nice and shiny!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Edited October 15, 2010 by gardenofeden

[mattynatureboy44]

I use an old heat lamp shade, like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/poultry-heat-lamp-/2...=item33619a57cc

they have a ceramic holder, alumimium shade so very heat resistant, usually a screw thread

actually you can buy them brand new, nice and shiny!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Thanks for the links they look better and deeper I would have never have thought of those, do you use the 45w green lamp in them? as you mentioned they were long I checked the length and it says they are 250mm which seems very long for a bulb of this type and there is no mention of the sizes of the aluminium shades, also can you tell me if you think this bulb runs very hot.

In your experience are there any other better options as far as bulbs are concerned.

Thanks

Edited October 15, 2010 by mattybadboy44

[Peabody]

Some lamps to consider are T5 lamps made by either nlite (www.nlite.co.uk) or SunBlaster (www.Sunblasterlighting.com). They are 24 Watts each and a couple of feet long. The light would be more evenly distributed than a single CFL bulb.

I have recently treated myself to a Vitopod thermostatically controlled propagator (from GreenhouseSensation) and got a couple of the T5 lamps mounted on the top of the cover (therefore not subected to humidity) using the suckers and clips.supplied with the lamps. I am using it to germinate VFT seeds. The height of the propagator can be extended using extra panels for growing anything that is tall. The thermostat is very very easy to set and has a large LCD display showing the intended temperature and the actual temperature.

[mattynatureboy44]

Some lamps to consider are T5 lamps made by either nlite (www.nlite.co.uk) or SunBlaster (www.Sunblasterlighting.com). They are 24 Watts each and a couple of feet long. The light would be more evenly distributed than a single CFL bulb.

I have recently treated myself to a Vitopod thermostatically controlled propagator (from GreenhouseSensation) and got a couple of the T5 lamps mounted on the top of the cover (therefore not subected to humidity) using the suckers and clips.supplied with the lamps. I am using it to germinate VFT seeds. The height of the propagator can be extended using extra panels for growing anything that is tall. The thermostat is very very easy to set and has a large LCD display showing the intended temperature and the actual temperature.

The T5 lamps look good and I would probably use them but as my terrariums are not very wide (only a foot wide) and different heights and I am not sure I can get one that small and to benefit the plants.

I think it sort of makes more sense to go for a CFL bulb so I can maybe hang it lower in the tank or adjust its height as needed, but maybe im wrong this is my first CP terrarium so im open to new ideas.

[gardenofeden]

Thanks for the links they look better and deeper I would have never have thought of those, do you use the 45w green lamp in them? as you mentioned they were long I checked the length and it says they are 250mm which seems very long for a bulb of this type and there is no mention of the sizes of the aluminium shades, also can you tell me if you think this bulb runs very hot.

In your experience are there any other better options as far as bulbs are concerned.

Thanks

I'm not sure I can really answer your question with authority. I do have one of the 45 watt green lamps, and it is very bright, but I have not yet used it to grow anything with. I mainly bought it as a very bright light for my potting area with thoughts of raising Cephalotus cuttings overwinter as well... you will just have to try and see, lighting is a bit hit and miss. If in doubt get the brightest lamp you can afford. You may need two lamps if your terrarium is very long to give adequate coverage.

The lamp runs warm, however no warmer than a standard 100W incandescent; if you use one of those heat lamp shades they are well ventilated so not a problem. I don't know how big the heat lamp aluminium shades are, if they are all a standard size, and the same size as mine, then the 45W bulb only just protrudes from the bottom by about 1cm!

[mattynatureboy44]

I'm not sure I can really answer your question with authority. I do have one of the 45 watt green lamps, and it is very bright, but I have not yet used it to grow anything with. I mainly bought it as a very bright light for my potting area with thoughts of raising Cephalotus cuttings overwinter as well... you will just have to try and see, lighting is a bit hit and miss. If in doubt get the brightest lamp you can afford. You may need two lamps if your terrarium is very long to give adequate coverage.

The lamp runs warm, however no warmer than a standard 100W incandescent; if you use one of those heat lamp shades they are well ventilated so not a problem. I don't know how big the heat lamp aluminium shades are, if they are all a standard size, and the same size as mine, then the 45W bulb only just protrudes from the bottom by about 1cm!

Ok no worries, thanks stephen for all your help and useful info I think I will try the lamp out with one of the shades like you use as they seem the best and longest I can find I think it should work fine after reading and viewing pictures of some good results with these CFL bulbs even at a lower wattage.

I understand lighting can be a bit hit and miss so Ill let you know how it goes with the lamp as I will be using it for some ceph cuttings overwinter amoungst a few other bits.