# Lighting - Fixtures, Bulbs, UV, anything



## georgiekittie (Jan 27, 2009)

So... I have everything I need except a light. I am looking at two options: Either the exo-terra which takes three compact flourescents or a 24" fixture which holds an 18" flourescent bulb.

1. Which fixture is better in the long run? Which bulbs are going to be better/easier to find? Which bulbs will last longer? Which will be less expensive?

2. Once I have a fixture, what kind of bulbs do I use? I've heard everything from regular "daylight" bulbs to full spectrum and UVB bulbs. Which do I need? What will be good enough for the frogs and the plants?

Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I have a 20gal tall.


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## thumbnail (Sep 18, 2005)

Unless you have some really light hungry plants a double normal output T8 or T12 bulbs will work in the 6000 to 6500 kelvin rating level. Another option that is the best of both worlds is high output T5's. You get the coolness of regular output fluorescents and the intensity of some metal halides. I have had great results with using these on my dart, gecko, and reef tanks. If you need any further info. Please feel free to PM me.


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## jpg (Jan 3, 2009)

I second a 24" t5 fixture . I think a single bulb model will be fine , I use hagen's GLO model fixture with a single 24watt HO T5 frshwater aquarium plant bulb and it is more than effective . The fixture cost me $80 and the bulb $16 . I think The T5 will outlast the Power compact bulbs and be comparable in efficiency and cost .


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## froggerboy (Jul 9, 2006)

I too agree with the t5 light system.If you don't plan on having light needy plants than you could get standard t5 light strips at youe local home depot.I choose to go with the hagen GLO HO t5 ballast and 6700k bulbs. The HO's do make compacts look ridiculously expensive.


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## Ziggi (Jan 23, 2009)

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I'm also wondering.
What about just a exo terra compact top that has 2 light sockets.
Use that with GE Dailight 6500K rating. The top of my viv is all glass so the light and uv will have to be strong enough to pass through the glass.
I would have 2 of these compact tops so 4 GE Dailight 6500K light CF light bulbs.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

I'd be careful with the compact lights. I was talking with a friend of mine who works at PetSmart recently. She says that some companies are recalling their compact flourescents (those that would fit into the exoterra compact lighting fixture) due to making the animals blind.... Just figured I'd throw that out there....


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## Ziggi (Jan 23, 2009)

Thanks for that, but I am just using the compact top or the lighting fixture itself, not the actual bulbs so I don't think the fixture has anything with making the animals blind, especially since I've been using the ones I have for over 4 years with my cresties.

The light bulbs that I would be placing in the compact tops are the GE Daylight 6500K bulbs.


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## georgiekittie (Jan 27, 2009)

Can you guys dumb it down for me even more? (Sorry, I'm having a really hard time with the lighting thing.) What is T5? Is that the same as a 5.0 UVB bulb? What is HO? So far I've only been able to find 5500k at Home Depot...is that enough? Which bulbs do I need to go to a petstore to find and which are generally carried in hardware stores? Thanks!


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## JBR (May 8, 2006)

in fluorescent lighting the size of the bulb is designated by a T followed by a number the higher the number the thicker the bulb. A skinnier bulb is more efficient and also allows more light to be reflected around the bulb. The 5.0 bulbs is just a designation the the manufacturer gives the bulb to denote the UV output. The general consensus around here is that there may be some benefit to UV for dart frogs but it is not required. HO means High Output personally I didn't see enough of a difference to think it was useful in my tank (20H) frankly the cheapest options in my opinion are compact fluorescent (screw in) or a t-5 premade setup. T-5 bulbs are not particularly easy to come by but you can find them while compact fluorescent bulbs can be found just about anywhere I know Home Depot and Lowes both sell packs of the 6500-6700k bulbs for pretty cheap. If I were to do it again I would probably just go with the compacts for what that is worth just for pure laziness sake.

Hope I answered all of your questions
-John


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## holidayhanson (Apr 25, 2007)

I have a 24x18x24 exo with two of the exo 3 bulb canopies over it....so six bulbs all together. I use the GE 6500K bulbs and they have colored up the broms really well. I have found these ge bulbs at target, anytown USA. The plant growth is more than i can keep up with...constantly cutting back the bushes. Your frogs can live in a tank happily with no lights, ambient daylight would suffice. The lights are really just for the plants but also provide some warmth to the tank, thus producing humidity, which the frogs need. I have heard the bulbs begin to lose their effectiveness after a year even though they still make light....it is less intense.

If you go with a 24inch floro tube fixture you could look into overdriving bulbs. this is adding a second ballast to the bulbs or getting a ballast that is designed for 4 bulbs and wire it up to your two bulbs....more power coming out of the lights. 

Im not sure about the cost of CF (compact Florescent) versus the T5...but you could price it out at the hardwear store. The pet store will sell you the same stuff but double the price.

I have no blind frogs after a year of using ge bulbs in the exo fixture.


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## froggerboy (Jul 9, 2006)

When dealing with fluorescent tubes(not bulbs), the number next to the T correlate to the size of the diameter of the tube.Your typical tube sizes are T12,T8, and now T5's are becoming readily available. Typically the smaller the tube diameter the more compact and efficient the tubes.
T5's are not the same as UVB bulbs. The UVB bulbs at your Local Pet Store are typically infrared or black light bulbs.Their are bulbs that emit both UVB and UVA,which are essential to most reptiles for healthy calcium absorption as well as appitite and other things we need not get into at the moment. Their is little evidence to support the need of the UVA or UVB for PDF's to survive.
HO stands for High Output with is an intensified T5 tube (bright enough to grow coral, which is very light demanding). These are usually only found at the local pet stores or fish stores. 

Home Depot now carries some T5 light strips at a fairly cheap price when comparing to your LPS's .Both home depot and your LPS's carry some sort of plant bulb or full spectrum bulb. Depending on what you are growing you could benefit from one of these, but I find them to be an unnecessary cost.If your are growing basic plants(almost anything found at home depot) then the 5500k's should be fine. Your frogs don't need special light so just choose what is best for your plants or what looks the best to you. Remember you really don't want to buy plants that grow fast(big) or give them too much light,otherwise you could add alot of work to the tank from all the pruning. Hope this helps


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## georgiekittie (Jan 27, 2009)

Thank you so much, you guys are amazing! I wasn't able to find a really simple discussion on lighting anywhere, you really helped me out. Thanks!

Which is most important - the "T" rating, the kelvins or the wattage?


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## Ziggi (Jan 23, 2009)

T Rating = Size of the Bulb
Kevlins = 6500K which is what we are looking for as for plant growth ect...
Wattage= The higher watter the more heat it will produce, too much will dry out the air in your viv and might cook your frogs under extreme circumstances...usually wattage is not a big big concern unless your putting 100W or something.
9-25W should be ok In My Opinion.


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## georgiekittie (Jan 27, 2009)

So I just stopped by Home Depot and the guy said that since T8 and T5 are different diameter he didn't know if they would fit the same fixture. Is that true? If so, how do I know what kind of fixture it is? (Most just say "fits standard 18 inch bulb").


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## froggerboy (Jul 9, 2006)

if you measure the distance between the pins(or size of lamp sockets) you can tell the difference.T5's are much smaller. Chances are its a t8 because t5s are fairly new. Oh, and no, they would not fit it the same fixture.The people at home depot are generally idiots so try not to listen them when they answers questions other than where to find something. I only ask them questions to get it straight in my head ,what exactly I'm looking for. You are better off asking a home depot customer shopping in the same department as you.


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## georgiekittie (Jan 27, 2009)

froggerboy said:


> if you measure the distance between the pins(or size of lamp sockets) you can tell the difference.T5's are much smaller. Chances are its a t8 because t5s are fairly new. Oh, and no, they would not fit it the same fixture.The people at home depot are generally idiots so try not to listen them when they answers questions other than where to find something. I only ask them questions to get it straight in my head ,what exactly I'm looking for. You are better off asking a home depot customer shopping in the same department as you.


If t5's are new and most "standard" fixtures are t8 then where do you guys get your fixtures?


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## froggerboy (Jul 9, 2006)

Home depot has just started to carry T5's now but I've always had to get the at the local pet shop.I believe Coralife was one of the first mass producers of T5 fixtures but they were not high output lights. 
T8's are available almost everywhere light bulbs are sold.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

I like this fixture for a 20 gal tall. http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...ew~idProduct~CU01127~idCategory~FWLTFIT5.html
Although I would swap out the 10000K bulb for one in the 6000 - 6700k range. Marine Depot carries the bulbs as well.

You can probably get one of these fixtures near you if you have a decent sized tropical fish store close by.


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## cyberbrat (Jul 14, 2008)

I am a newb and also trying to find the right lighting configurations. I have used CFLs in Exo Terra Compact Tops, Shop Lighting with 6700 day bulbs and also a T5 from a specialty store. 

I would suggest you monitor you tank temperature carefully when using the Compact Tops with CFL bulbs. I have removed them from my frog tanks and reserved them for my turtle enclosures. They made the frog tanks too hot ( > 80 degrees - my enclosures are small). 

Good luck finding the right lighting solution for your needs. The board members here are very helpful and knowledgeable folks! I just wanted to throw in my two cents about personal experiences with CFLs and small frog enclosures.

I am going to re read the thread for myself, thanks for posting this topic. : )


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## Enlightenment (Mar 26, 2009)

In Miami, FL you can get away with not having any lights in your aquarium. We have plenty of heat and humidity to share with anyone.


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## Enlightenment (Mar 26, 2009)

Anyone else get away with not having uv bulbs in their aquarium?


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