# CFL or LED



## terraruums.eu (Feb 17, 2013)

Hello to everyone, first post here. Been watching the forum for quite some time and reading with allot of interest so I decided to start simple, with some moss from the forest. To be honest that did not work out very well, so I read up a bit and now I have a few questions.
Can I keep high humidity with those fog makers? The ones with the leds and what not. I have 2 and i have been experimenting 2-3 times a day turning them on and off and they keep it pretty damp in the viv. The vivarium is a 30x30x30 Euro style vivarium.
Also light. 
As i understand Light is one of the most important parts of growing moss. What type if light source is better?

LED -








CFL
Other?
My space is a bit tight above the viv so a LED lamp of that type would be ideal for me. I found a 10W that is about 900lm - 4200K, would that be enough for a 30cmx30cmx30cm viv.
Any other light source would need some reflector which would add up in the cost and space above the viv.
Sorry for the English, I come from far away


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## Dale D (Apr 22, 2012)

I've switched all my tanks over to LED.
On 2 of my vivs I am using a screw in type of the LED you have pictured.
I used to use CFL and HO T5.
People usually try to get lights that are close to 6500K.


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## redfrogger (Nov 6, 2010)

Hi,

Yes you can use a fogger to increase the humidity. But you do not want the actual ultrasonic fogger inside the tank as it can harm the frogs. 

Have tubes leading to the tank from the container with your fogger so only the fog goes in.

Light: I actually prefer LED. They will be more expensive upfront, but will save you $ in the longrun. They tend to last longer than the CFL. Plus they don't put out as much heat. I have slowly switched over to LEDs from the CFL. You want the k rating to be about 6500 which is optimal for plant growth.


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## froggorf (Nov 22, 2008)

Just to add to the lighting question, 9-10W LED should be appropriate for the size of your tank and I think both you and your plants will like a 6500K output better than the 4200K.


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## terraruums.eu (Feb 17, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the answers. I wont be looking after frogs at the moment (hard to get where I live), it will be just a plant thing (I can hear my mother hooraying from the other room haha  )
I will search for a LED - 6500k at 9-10W and will put it in. I saw allot on Ebay,DX,AliExpress but dont know if they are good, they look a bit Chinese. 
On a side note, because there are no MistKing systems available here, the foger will have to do for now. I have started a project on making a mist system of my own, with the timer, pump, nozzles and all. But that will be for another topic, because that is a whole other story.


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## dapjansen (Aug 22, 2012)

redfrogger said:


> Light: I actually prefer *LED*. They will be more expensive upfront, but will save you $ in the longrun. They tend to last longer than the CFL. Plus they *don't put out as much heat.* I have slowly switched over to LEDs from the CFL. You want the k rating to be about 6500 which is optimal for plant growth.


Redfrogger? Because LED doesn't put out much heat, do you use other sources to heat up your tank?? (assuming you have dart frogs?)


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## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

dapjansen said:


> Redfrogger? Because LED doesn't put out much heat, do you use other sources to heat up your tank?? (assuming you have dart frogs?)



Do you think dart frogs need heat beyond room temperature?


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## VisionVoid (Nov 20, 2005)

ecichlid said:


> Do you think dart frogs need heat beyond room temperature?


Depending on where you are, room temperature isn't always optimal. I'm in an old victorian in San Francisco with no central heating and super old construction that leaves our place quite chilly with all the bay fog and wind blowing in. Room temperature here is typically 50-65 degrees.


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## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

I see what you mean, but that is by definition not room temperature. At least in my book.


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## nish07 (Mar 16, 2008)

My room is 74 and the tops of my tanks are near 80. Nice gradient from 74 at the bottom to 80 at the top. Some frogs like the higher temps.

-Nish


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## VisionVoid (Nov 20, 2005)

I completely agree. I wish my room temperature was 70 



ecichlid said:


> I see what you mean, but that is by definition not room temperature. At least in my book.


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## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

According to Wikipedia, which is NEVER wrong. Ha!

In more rigorous scientific contexts it may denote the range between 68 and 79 °F with an average of 73 °F.

A larger range than I thought. Then again, this comes from a guy who has an app on his phone that controls his home thermostat and sends me an email every hour that the temperature range falls outside of a range that I dictate.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

Basically its what ever you can afford go LED...


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## terraruums.eu (Feb 17, 2013)

Hey I got that Light bulb, worked 1 day, the next started flashing from time to time, lowering its power 50 % even, now it stays at 25-30% not sure and doesnt want to light as bright as before .... mega pissed to be honest...
Its times like this that i would love to break it into the face that sold it to me.


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

what bulb did you get? LED or CFL? What model / brand?


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## terraruums.eu (Feb 17, 2013)

I got an LED lamp -








It had some bad solders, and i told the seller to send a new one and I fixed the old one hehe  Now i got 2  They are pretty bright IMO


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## MondoBongo (Aug 3, 2014)

i'm still in my build process but i am am planning on using LEDs.

i switched my reef tank over to LEDs from Metal Halide about two years ago and have been quite happy with the results. no bulbs to change, very low heat, and a slim profile.


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