# Can Lights be too Bright for Poison Dart Frogs?



## that Frog Guy (May 13, 2012)

I have a 36" Exo-Terra and had a dual T5 Fixture on it.

I just bought another dual T5 fixture for the front of the Habitat but it is very bright (One made for freshwater planted tanks).

It is the same light as my other one but the first one had 1 white 10K bulb and 1 actinic blue bulb (Saltwater Reef).

This one has one white 6700 bulb and 1 pink colormax bulb.

My Frogs don't seem to come out like they used too though?

They are hiding alot more.

I want to grow live plants in my terrarium but do not want to stress out my frogs.

They come from the bottom of the jungle floor so I assume that they do not get much light there but maybe I am wrong?

Should I switch one of the bulbs out and put in another blue actinic (Saltwater Reef Light) one that is not as bright?


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

So 4 T5 bulbs? In my opinion that's more light than your plants will need to thrive. As you mentioned, darts live under the canopy, and don't get direct sunlight all the time (or even much of the time). I'd imagine heat could also be an issue.

I'd ditch one of the fixtures, personally... Or if you are looking to more evenly distribute light, remove one bulb from each fixture. Either way, _10,000K, pink color max, and actinic bulbs aren't doing much (if anything) for the vivarium's plants or inhabitants_. 









From: Vivarium Lighting 101 Article

The 6700K color temp is correct, and if possible I'd source another bulb in the 5000-6700K range. Things look a little warmer around 5000K than they do over 6500K, but both are useful in growing plants. The actinic, 10000K, and pink bulbs should be avoided, though.


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

Yeah you can get some t5 6500k bulbs at menards, 2 for 7/8$$. That's all you would need for the tank IMO. I have 6-29's and am going to have 1- 48'' 2bulb t8 over two tanks and may even do 1 6500 and 1 5000 in each fixture


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## djone2 (Mar 8, 2012)

You mentioned that the actinic should be avoided. Is there a reason why other than aesthetics? I recently got a coralife quad t5 fixture and one of the bulbs it had was an actinic bulb. I bought 4 6700k bulbs, but I rather liked the color that using 3 6700k lights and one actinic gives the tank.

Is there a specific reason aside from plant growth (which I doubt would be an issue because there are three 6700k above the tank)

Thanks in advance for feedback!

-Diego


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

Actinic is a blue light on the spectrum I believe. I don't think itll do anything for plants like you said but with your other lights it should be fine. I can't see why it would have any effect on the frogs but can't back that with any guarantee.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

that Frog Guy said:


> They come from the bottom of the jungle floor so I assume that they do not get much light there but maybe I am wrong?


This is another enduring myth in the hobby... many of the dendrobatids are not consistently found under very dense canopie areas... Many species prefer open canopy locations, disturbed or edge habitat and some are even found in savannah conditions (some epidobates (which people keep in heavily planted forest type enclosures...).... 
This is well described in a number of articles in the literature as well as books like Poison Frogs (Lotter et al....). 



that Frog Guy said:


> Should I switch one of the bulbs out and put in another blue actinic (Saltwater Reef Light) one that is not as bright?


Have you considered that the frogs may be less visible due to the fact that you are changing thier enviroment? 

Some comments

Ed


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

djone2 said:


> You mentioned that the actinic should be avoided. Is there a reason why other than aesthetics? I recently got a coralife quad t5 fixture and one of the bulbs it had was an actinic bulb. I bought 4 6700k bulbs, but I rather liked the color that using 3 6700k lights and one actinic gives the tank.
> 
> Is there a specific reason aside from plant growth (which I doubt would be an issue because there are three 6700k above the tank)
> 
> ...


Other than the fact that frogs can detect and behaviorally avoid excess UV lighting? Or that those bulbs are listed as causing eye damage when kept on herp enclosures (and not screened by materials that prevent all UV transmission)?


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