# Planted Terrarium Information



## dmallia (Apr 27, 2013)

So after getting my first american green tree frog and watching some nice planted terrarium photos, I am going to build my first planted vivarium for my first dart frogs. As regards to frogs I may get a pair of bumble bee dart frogs, since from some research I found that they are a good species for beginners and they are really nice. As a terrarium size I may get a 60cmx45cmx60cm but am still undecided if I buy an exoterra once or buy an aquarium(for humidity reasons). Maybe you can suggest what's the best choice. As this is my first planted vivarium I would like some information of what equipment you need to keep the plants healthy. All I know is that they require UVB lights. And if you know any plants that they are nice and easy to mantain or other information regards the plants, please post them.


Thanks before hand.


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## Fantastica (May 5, 2013)

I don't believe plants need uvb, and heard it could be harmful to the frogs. Not sure on that, though. The thing you care about in the lights is the Kelvin, between 5000k and 6500k.

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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

Fantastica is correct that plants do not need UVB lighting. Plants needing UVB is a common misconception pushed onto hobbyists by pet stores trying to sell UVB bulbs. (For that matter, ignore everything any chain pet store tells you about building a vivarium!  ) The color temperature of a bulb is important, and lumen output is also to be considered.










Explaining vivarium construction in any detail would make for an extremely long forum post... When you continue your search, try using the term "vivarium" as opposed to "planted terrarium" on google. It'll yield more relevant results for you. 

Here's our Comprehensive Vivarium Construction & Care Menu, for a good place to start on build info. When you are ready to grab supplies, check out the DB sponsor list!


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## GP dynamite (Feb 19, 2013)

Mike basically summed it up. I constantly refer new viv builders to his site. His explanation of lights is easy to understand and very informative.


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## dmallia (Apr 27, 2013)

Thanks for the information and for the website. It has very good information especially for beginners. Will read all the articles when I have some free time


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## asunderco (Apr 4, 2011)

So, when I first started researching this hobby lighting was always my weakness. I had no green thumb for indoor horticulture. Here's a quick breakdown for you. I've linked some wiki pages for more in depth information.

PAR is what is most important to growing plants. PAR is literally the amount of light energy usable by chloroplasts per given area. Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) is considered by many the best way to measure light energy and quantity for growing plants, and is much simpler to define and measure than any other form of light measurement. PAR is the number of photons per meter squared per second of light that falls between ~400 nanometers (nm) and ~700nm in wavelength. Photosynthetic efficiency peaks at around 430 nanometer. Most photosynthetic life do not utilize the full spectral range that PAR covers but respond best to light in the PUR (Photosynthetically Usable Radiation) range.

Kelvin temperature (K) is the scientific unit for temperature, and is often used to measure the color temperature of light, or more accurately, the measurement of the temperature of an object emitting black body radiation (also known as thermal radiation, or radiant heat) as visible light. Kelvin temperature is a very useful way to measure the color spectrum of a bulb. Kelvin temperature has become the common color-rating index (CRI) among bulbs produced for our hobby and aquarists.

Furthermore, Lux/(Lumen) is a measure of the intensity of light, one Lux is equal to one lumen per square meter. One must keep in mind that a Lux reading only measures light intensity to which the human eye is most sensitive (green) and a Lux meter will not measure wavelengths over 580 nm.


[LUX/Lumen](Lux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[PAR](Photosynthetically active radiation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[Photosynthetic efficiency](Photosynthetic efficiency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[Color Temperature or K](Color temperature - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Best,




MeiKVR6 said:


> Fantastica is correct that plants do not need UVB lighting. Plants needing UVB is a common misconception pushed onto hobbyists by pet stores trying to sell UVB bulbs. (For that matter, ignore everything any chain pet store tells you about building a vivarium!  ) The color temperature of a bulb is important, and lumen output is also to be considered.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## run91 (May 28, 2013)

As far as the difference between the exo terra and a normal tank, you can maintain humidity in either. The best way to keep your humidity up is to place a piece of glass over the top of the terrarium screening or replace the screening completely. This will also keep flies or other feeders in (added bonus). I have an exo terra and a zoo med front opening and both are great. I used a 10 gallon for my first set up but appreciate the ease of access with the front opening tanks. 
As far as lighting goes, especially with a lighting above the tank, most of the UVB is filtered out when it passes through the glass. It's not worth the money to have a fancy bulb that doesn't really do anything. Proper supplementation will do far more good for your frogs than a particular light bulb, although there are real benefits to special UVB lighting (should you go through the hassle to do it correctly).
As was previously stated, the lighting is mainly for the plants. Get a 6500k bulb with a good wattage and you'll be fine. You can find them at hardware stores or even a corner drug stores.

Best of luck!


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## dmallia (Apr 27, 2013)

So I am almost ready to build, but the only thing left is the light. How much minimum lumens I need for a 60x45x60 viv? As a bulbs I may get reptiglo 2.0 or led lights.


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## Scott Richardson (Dec 23, 2010)

If you can get UVB into the tank, the frogs DO benefit from UVB in the production of D3. Naturally produced D3 is more benefical than D3 in a dusting supplement. The actual percentage gained from supplements is low. 
I use 5.0 and full spectrum bulbs. You lose about 35% of available UVB as light passes thru screen, so a 2.0 would be useless. A 10.0 is way too much.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

from the bits and pieces I've read about UVB--and there is LOTS of information about it on Db--having an area that is available for the frogs where UVB is available--the frogs will choose that site...but it is also important for a majority of the space be UVB free...I'm pretty sure about this...check some threads about it...


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## Scott Richardson (Dec 23, 2010)

You have to have areas of cover so frogs can regulate their exposure. However, You should already have these in the form of hide spots and such. 
There are actual studies that were done and results published that should be read not just take someones opinion on DB


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Let's get busy:

1) To clarify only one point in Adereco's post: Color temperature is not quite the same thing as CRI. For practical purposes, a higher color temp emits more blues and looks whiter and brighter to the human eye (hence warm white--cool white--day light, etc.) However, while a 6500K bulb may "look" brighter to the eye than 4100K one of the same wattage, it is not necessarily producing more lumens! (Btw, the bulbs you see in fish store with color temps of 10000 or even 18000K are designed to penetrate water for corals, and are not relevant here.)

CRI, color rendering index, is the capacity of the bulb to light an object as close as possible to its real color. Any bulb with a CRI over 90 is quite good. For example, the Exo Terra 2.0 has a color temp of 6700K, and a CRI of 98. It is quite possible to have bulb with a color temp of 6500K and a CRI of 88, and another bulb with a color temp of 5500K and a CRI of 94.

2) UVB: Terrestrial diurnal animals do use UVB to make vitamin D3 to generate calcium. (UVA seems to have some real psychological benefits, whereas shortwave UVC is toxic to all organisms.) Because ultraviolet is invisible to the human eye, the more UV in the bulb, the dimmer it looks. The # refers to the percentage of light the bulb generates in the UVB wavelength. So a 10.0 generates 2X the UVB of a 5.0, and is designed for desert or tree animals that bask a lot in full sun. 

For most jungle animals, a combination of a "daylight" bulb (between 5000 and 6700K, as Mike says--can be Vitalite, Verilux, Zoomed Tropic Sun, etc.) and a 5.0 or equivalent work just fine. A 5.0 bulb running the length of the tank will not hurt any jungle animal in a planted tank. The problem is this: Many PDF keepers are wedded to the idea that their tanks need to be covered with glass. This is simply not necessary for most larger dart frogs; the reason they do it is because many grow rare, delicate, valuable (okay, girly man) plants that require a high, stable humidity. Fine--except glass filters out ultraviolet light! I keep tropical lizards and tree frogs, so I only cover half the screen top (I use saran wrap). But if you feel it easier to cover the tank, you can be quite successful using dietary supplements. 

3) So your Exoterra is 20" long, 20" tall, 18" deep? Think at least 200 watts. Start with two of the coiled 26W 2.0 bulbs (what is this 100W equivalent, so 2= 200W). I believe that you may want to use four bulbs, maybe two 26 watt, two 13 watt. For a tank of that length, coiled bulbs may be a better choice than tubes, as a tube's power diminishes at each end.

Hope this helps.


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