# Are my plants getting too much light?



## Heartagramtc (Jul 24, 2011)

I just got some 14w LED's and I installed two of them into my exoterra 3 light hood. one on each end. These lights are BRIGHT but my worry is lately I've noticed my plants have seemed like they are getting burned. Also one of my orchids is turning a dark purple, not sure whats going on there. Ill post some pics so you can see. I have currently moved one of the lights to the center and am just using one LED at the moment. 

Orchid:




Bromeliad:


Other plants:




Should I worry? Do I need to move the lights up more? Im just not sure.


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## Heartagramtc (Jul 24, 2011)

Bump, 

Anyone?


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## dapjansen (Aug 22, 2012)

I noticed nobody is responding, I'll give you my 2 cents..
I'm pretty new to the viv. hobby so I can't tell you exactly what to do.
But I'll suggest to 'play around' with your lightening and observe what the results will be. And with playing I mean, move the light up/down and/or cut down the amount of hours you're burning your lights.
In the beginning of my vivarium I had two different lights going. Due to slight yellowing of one plant I had to move the second light and decided to turn it on only a few hours during the day. This had a great positive impact on my overall temperature and plant growth.
Besides light, it obviously depends on the plants and plant location if they will do well in your viv. (some plants need more shade than others).

Hope this will help.


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## L8apex (May 2, 2014)

Could you give the size of the tank, a full tank shot, substrate type, misting schedule? We could help you more then  oh and vent/circ situation too


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## Heartagramtc (Jul 24, 2011)

L8apex said:


> Could you give the size of the tank, a full tank shot, substrate type, misting schedule? We could help you more then  oh and vent/circ situation too


Yes! I forgot all that!

Exo-terra 24x18x24, I have a false floor with ABG mix copied from Frogboys thread. With a layer of oak then Magnolia leaf litter. My mistking is running 3 times a day, 15sec each time. 9am, 2pm, 7pm. I have a computer fan in the viv but I had to make a dimmer for it because it was blowing too much air and drying out the tank. It keeps the glass clear, but makes it hard for the misters to reach the background to keep it moist. Vent is a 1" strip across the top in the front, as well as the exoterra vent under the doors. 

FTS. 


Here you can see the fan in the brown cube up top. 


Top vent


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## L8apex (May 2, 2014)

Hmm, looks good. Hopefully Antone, Mike, Ray or someone else chimes in.

The purple orchid is sort of in a dimmer area between the lights, so I don't think it's too bright, but can't say for sure. I have broms pretty close to some 20W grow and glows that do great, maybe that brom doesn't love bright light? is there sphagnum by the base and is the mister hitting there? 

I might mist more often until everything is more established, then later you can let the fan run quicker because the plants will boost the humidity more. And/or turn off the fan when misting


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## L8apex (May 2, 2014)

Really nice viv btw!


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## Heartagramtc (Jul 24, 2011)

L8apex said:


> Hmm, looks good. Hopefully Antone, Mike, Ray or someone else chimes in.
> 
> The purple orchid is sort of in a dimmer area between the lights, so I don't think it's too bright, but can't say for sure. I have broms pretty close to some 20W grow and glows that do great, maybe that brom doesn't love bright light? is there sphagnum by the base and is the mister hitting there?
> 
> I might mist more often until everything is more established, then later you can let the fan run quicker because the plants will boost the humidity more. And/or turn off the fan when misting


Yeah not sure about the orchid, its Restrepia contorta. It started blooming, but im not sure if its because it went into "survival mode", or it likes the conditions. That bromeliad is the only one that looks burnt, it was also one from the local hardware store, that has 4 pups coming from it. There is sphagnum at the base, and the roots are growing well, it does get misted. 

Everything has been in the tank for months, I've just gotten the mistking. I like the idea of turning off the fan when the mister is going, I'll have to find another timer, and I will have it turn off before the mister comes on, then back on a minute or two after its been running.


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## L8apex (May 2, 2014)

Oh sorry I thought it was new. the background looks pretty dry to me, stuff should be growing on it and it should be all damp most of the time. Well maybe that's by design, but I'd try five mistings a day for a week or two and see what happens.

Hardware stores usually sell broms that have flowered, which means (I think) they only have around a year left to live. Maybe it's just dying, if so stick the pups there.


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## lando (Sep 10, 2010)

I'm by no means an orchid expert but, when leaves turn purple, it's a good indication of too much light. You may want to try moving it to a spot where the light intensity isn't so strong. If I remember correctly that particular orchid only needs 500-1500 foot candles of light intensity.


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## Heartagramtc (Jul 24, 2011)

L8apex said:


> Oh sorry I thought it was new. the background looks pretty dry to me, stuff should be growing on it and it should be all damp most of the time. Well maybe that's by design, but I'd try five mistings a day for a week or two and see what happens.
> 
> Hardware stores usually sell broms that have flowered, which means (I think) they only have around a year left to live. Maybe it's just dying, if so stick the pups there.


Yeah, the fan would cause the mister to not hit the BG, but if I dont have the fan running it looks like the tank stays too wet. the glass doesn't de-fog. 

I've since turned the fan off, and the BG has been getting more saturated, I will leave the tank to run with the fan off, and still mist 3 times for 15sec each time. If it seems to be getting too wet I will turn the fan on for a hour or so to help cycle the air. 

Yeah the bromeliad was one from a hardware store that flowered, i cut the flower out and there are 4 pups growing. I have two other neoregelia in the tank but they have no "yellowing" or "burning" to them. They are very vibrant and holding their colors well.


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## Heartagramtc (Jul 24, 2011)

lando said:


> I'm by no means an orchid expert but, when leaves turn purple, it's a good indication of too much light. You may want to try moving it to a spot where the light intensity isn't so strong. If I remember correctly that particular orchid only needs 500-1500 foot candles of light intensity.


Thats what I'm worried about, I don't really have anywhere to move it, unless I relocate the marcgravia elsewhere. But it seems to like where it is, and I dont want to lose that cutting. Maybe I can fasten is onto a cork slab and just hang it off the side of the tank where there is less light? How would one adhere or attach a cork slab to an existing glass wall with moisture?


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## dravenxavier (Mar 12, 2008)

Some of my orchids get some purple on them, particularly ones that are in the upper regions of my tanks. However, it doesn't seem to slow them down any. I have taken to shading part of one of my tanks with some no-see-um mesh under the light, though.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Your plants are fine. They may show some light stress at first, but I find it hard to believe they can burn from LEDs. Give them some time to adapt to the higher light levels, maybe mist a little extra at peak heat.


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