What wattage and lumen to use?

[Synthtcd]

Can anyone tell me how much wattage I will need to grow healthy plants in a 24"Tall 18"wide and 18" deep exo terra? It will be heavily planted in the bg and on the bottom, but plants will be up to the very top of the tank. I've already purchased the plants, I have many orchids, nepenthes, ferns, and a multitude of tropicals. I'm looking for 18" flourescents, but I have no idea what wattage and lumen to get. I know I'm looking for around 3000-5000k? Any advice is greatly appreciated, Brooke

[wildboxer]

I'm no lighting expert, so hopefully some of the more technical people will respond. I'm running 48 watts of HO T5's on my 24" tall Exo Terra. My broms are coloring up very nicely. But, I don't think they make an 18" fixture.

I see that Exo Terra is going to be selling a fixture for the Exo Terra enclosures.

[allanschon]

I've been growing orchids under lights for a little while, and it really depends on placement and the variety. It's pretty hard to give most orchids too much light under 18" flourescents, especially with plants above providing partial shade. If you could post a little more information about the species you've bought, it would certainly help.

Generally, though, I'd get the highest light output you can find and order your plants from the top down, higher light requirement to lower.

[Synthtcd]

Here is a rough list of my plants, some are proper names, some are layman's terms:

Drosera Adelae
Goodyera Schlectendaliana
Tillandsia Velutina
N. Muluensis x Lowii
N. Gymnaphora
N. Ramispina
2 x Masdevellia
Pothos Satin
Oncidium "Little Twinkle"
Rex Begonia
3 x Maidenhair Ferns
2 x Tropical Ferns
Calathea
2 x Syngonium
Creeping fig
Fittonia
Aglonema
Spathiphyllum
2 x Baby's Tears
Goldfish Plant
Staghorn Fern

[allanschon]

Well, I haven't done much research on lighting in the 18" range, but based on the plants you've listed, I'll go with my initial recommendation. 24" down is a long way, and even though many of the plants you have are lower light plants, you'll probably need as much as you can get to the bottom.

I'm building a viv with the 24x18x24 exo-terra, and I'll probably be going with two 55W compact flourescent tubes, each providing about 4100 lumens. You might consider using the 36W versions; they give about 2500 lumens, and should last quite a while.

[defaced]

I'm running two 65w FCs and Zach (ZBrinks) is running one 85w CF on that size tank. These are both Lights of America fixtures we picked up at Home Depot. You'll have to get the lights up off the top of the tank because of heat, but aside from that they're great.

[zBrinks]

My broms in the upper 12 inches are coloring up nicely, and I have some more light-demanding orchids that bloom for me airly regularily. I get a nice temp gradient, from about 82 at the top to 74 or so at the bottom.

[Studdlygoof]

I know with aquatic planted tanks you generally go with a 2 watts per gallon rule...i was talking with the guy from AHSupply on Friday and he said that lights along the 67000 K range are the most natural looking light...not to plug for the company but he was very helpful to me, espicially being someone who lacks knowledge in the light and electrical department....

[Synthtcd]

I'm running two 65w FCs and Zach (ZBrinks) is running one 85w CF on that size tank. These are both Lights of America fixtures we picked up at Home Depot.

So how long are these bulbs? Probably 24"? I only have a Lowe's in my area and their selection was extremely poor. I could only find 35w flourescents in an 18" size. And the old man from lighting wouldn't stop following me and insisting that I buy these ineffectual under the counter lights, seeing as that was the only 18" fixture that they offered. :?

[zBrinks]

The 85w fixture itself is around 16'' long, and the 65w fixture is even smaller. You could fit either over an 18'' tank, as the exo-terras I have running are 18x18x24.