[purplezephead]

Where is a good place to buy inexpensive bulbs that put out enough K for my vivarium? I try to research individual bulbs online, but most do not list their color temperature. I'm thinking I should be able to buy these kind of lights at Lowes/Home Depot, but don't know what bulb to but, as I don't see the K rating.

 

[freaky_tah]

The packages should each list the color temps. Home Depot/Lowes will have some; I get mine from Ace since it's just down the street. Daylight spectrum bulbs are 6,500k, and they work well.

 

[B-NICE]

Where is a good place to buy inexpensive bulbs that put out enough K for my vivarium? I try to research individual bulbs online, but most do not list their color temperature. I'm thinking I should be able to buy these kind of lights at Lowes/Home Depot, but don't know what bulb to but, as I don't see the K rating.

Yea HD or lowes should have them. You have to look on the back of the packaging. Look for CFL( compact floresent light) DAY LIGHT it should be in a blue packaging. I havent found 6700K, the closest I've been able to find is 5k. I'm sure the stuff you get from the hardwear stores are the same as the pet stores.

 

[Tomdarr]

I bought some from our local Lowes that were 6500k bulbs. I think they were GE brand. If memory serves, I think I paid about $12 for a 2 bulb pack.
I think they say something like GE Daylight on the packaging.

 

[freaky_tah]

These are what I use.

 

[purplezephead]

Thanks everyone, this was very helpful! I'm glad to know I can get them so cheap, instead of buying Reptisun 2.0, or aquarium bulbs that are twice the price.


Thanks again

 

[TWA]

At lowes in the bulb section they had some 6700 k. Pretty cheap for a two pack of bulbs

 

[Okapi]

Thanks everyone, this was very helpful! I'm glad to know I can get them so cheap, instead of buying Reptisun 2.0, or aquarium bulbs that are twice the price.


Thanks again

Same manufacturers, just in a fancy box with a higher mark up.

 

[skanderson]

you dont need enough k for your viv. the k merely indicates the color temperature of the light. for best plant growth most who use flourescents and want to keep it cheap, like me, use a 50/50 mix of cool and warm bulbs. cool being around 6k and warm being around 3k. in order to know that you have enough light intensity for the plants the thing you need to look for is the lumens, really need the pur or par number but you wont get that on the bulbs you are looking at, and lumens can be used for a rough approximation. cfl bulbs will work for low light applications but they are not very efficient compared to t5 flourescent bulbs.

 

[B-NICE]

do T5's let off a lot of heat, and what colored lights cant frogs see for night time?

 

[tclipse]

Yea HD or lowes should have them. You have to look on the back of the packaging. Look for CFL( compact floresent light) DAY LIGHT it should be in a blue packaging. I havent found 6700K, the closest I've been able to find is 5k. I'm sure the stuff you get from the hardwear stores are the same as the pet stores.

You can buy 6500-6700k online for cheap.

do T5's let off a lot of heat, and what colored lights cant frogs see for night time?

I wouldn't put them on the glass, they let off a decent amount.... if you would be using them for shy thumbnails or pumilio I'd advise against it since really bright light seems to keep them from coming out as much.

As for the colored light thing, I'd just give them some pitch black time, since they'll be sleeping anyways. I remember reading a quote from Ed that mentioned that certain frogs could see into the red/blue spectrums, I don't think there's much info specifically on dendrobatids but I personally wouldn't do it.