[Raf]

I'm thinking of changing my lighting. I have 6 x PL 36watt but that isn't sufficient light for great plant growth. I have installed 1 Solar Raptor 50 watt as a test. Eventually I will install 3 x Solar Raptor 50 watt and 6 x T5 24 watt. The PL lights will be removed.

I installed the test Solar Raptor in the middle. I also cleaned the viv, removed a lot of plants and added a few ferns at the left:

I will frequently take photos so you can see the result with the Solar Raptor.

 

[Duff]

The lighting and plant trim/change looks great, I like how the middle (& a bit to the left) area is now highlighted / lighted more. It's sure is stunning!

 

[RNKot]

Raf, I see your moss going yellow-brown. Wat's the problem & how do you treat it?

 

[Raf]

I had too much plantgrowth above the moss so the moss was too dry and didn't received a proper amount of light.

 

[RNKot]

So you think it's a problem of not being lightened enough? I had the same issue after 6 month growth with a good light though.

 

[Raf]

What is good light? I am pretty sure that most vivs don't have proper lighting for plants and mosses. It can't hurt for the frogs so it isn't a big problem. I thought I had enough lighting in my viv. Some plants will grow with or without a lot of lighting but others don't. I have spent a lot of money on plants and they kept on dying.
Also keep in mind that the amount of light decreases as lamps get older. You should replace all your lights after a year/year and a half.

 

[Giga]

Great viv and I'm guessing the raptor is a led light if so led or the way to go I've been haveing crazy growth with my led setup and I won't have to change my light for years

 

[Raf]

The solar Raptor isn't a led light.
What led lights do you use?

 

[Giga]

It's a DIY unit I built, check my thread I use about 150w of LEDs to simulate the sun. I've used LEDs from the start but I know there are a lot of premade fixtures out there

 

[Raf]

Ok I took some time to upgrade the lighting. I have 3 solar raptors and 6x T5 instead of the original 6x PL 36 watt.
I also modified the bottom part a bit. I added pieces of wood so the bottom looks a bit more interesting.

 

[JoshsDragonz]

Looks amazing as always Raf... I like the changes too!

-Josh

 

[Raf]

Thx!
I just made one with evening lighting. This is the next thing on my list I'm going to change (a bit). Not a very clean shot but it's made with slow shutter speed.

 

[JoshsDragonz]

Hey Raf you said that you are using 6 T5's... Are there 6 4' T5's or 6 2' T5's that span the length of the tank. Just wondering because I believe our tanks are the same length 72", well I know yours is in cm. I have a 4' 4 bulb T5HO (54w ea) coming next week for my tank and I'm hoping that it will be sufficient. It will be supplemented with 4 24w cfl's though. I know your tank is taller than mine I have a 180 gallon which is 25" tall.

-Josh

 

[Raf]

I have 6x 24 watt T5 (54cm - 21,.."). The lighthood consists of 3 pieces so I can't exceed the size of 61cm. The solar raptors provide the most light.

 

[hockeyboy]

Man do I wish I had the time to even attempt something as amazing as that.

 

[drutt]

Hi

I have been reading about this Solar Raptor light and it produces a lot of heat
how have you solved that? Is 50W enough for the hight of the terrarium. I planning to build o terrarium that will be like yours, 100cm high and I dont know if 70W would be better or too much. Do you turn these light on all the day or just for a couple of hours?
Do you have a meshnet on the tope cristal to let the UV light pass?
Is it necesary to have the T5 lights as well?

A lot of questions...

 

[Raf]

The 50 watt Solar Raptor gives a lot of light. The whole bottom turns green already.
I had to drill a big hole in the lighthood so I could fit the Solar Raptor. This hole also provide enough airflow so the heat doesn't build up in the lighthood.

for comparison (only 17 days between those photos):

At the moment the lights are on all day. I plan to have the lights on for 8 hours a day.
I have no mesh so the UV is lost but that wasn't the main purpose I bought the Raptors.
The T5 is necessary as the light beam of the Solar Raptor is very narrow.

 

[ruud65]

Hi RAF,

First of all: O M G what a great background you made.
Second: what brand of sealant are you using to seal your grout.
Third: can these backgrounds be used in an aquarium also, without any influense to the water parameters???

Grtz,
Ruud

 

[Raf]

Hi Ruud,

Thanks for the comments!
The sealant is fixall (Soudal) I press the peat into it.
This method isn't suitable for an aquarium. Compaktuna/flevopol or sealant will wash away over time when constantly under water. For this purpose you better use epoxy.

 

[JoshsDragonz]

Hey Raf do you know what species of moss is growing in the bottom of your viv?