Grow lights for plants

[bellaNS]

Hello, I’m new to chameleons, though I have done years of research on them. However, a recent thought has been bugging me, I’m not sure if Barrina t5 led full spectrum white grow lights for live plants are safe to use in an enclosure. I know they most likely are, but it’s really my brain bugging me with the “What if?”. I’m in love with these animals and I really want to make sure they are safe for a chameleon to be exposed to before I buy them. Also UVB linear light recommendations please! I’m not very sure about which one to get.

(I’ll attach a pic below of the grow lights I wanted to buy. Also, since I know a lot of things depend on the type of chameleon, I’m planning to get a panther!)

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m not all that up on grow lights, but those look to be okay. As long as there are no colored lights, they can be used. Each plant has its own lighting needs and some, like hibiscus, need very strong lights. Many use Arcadia Jungle Dawn with great results. I use Sansi, which work for my needs.

 

[Steve A]

Hello, I’m new to chameleons, though I have done years of research on them. However, a recent thought has been bugging me, I’m not sure if Barrina t5 led full spectrum white grow lights for live plants are safe to use in an enclosure. I know they most likely are, but it’s really my brain bugging me with the “What if?”. I’m in love with these animals and I really want to make sure they are safe for a chameleon to be exposed to before I buy them. Also UVB linear light recommendations please! I’m not very sure about which one to get.

(I’ll attach a pic below of the grow lights I wanted to buy. Also, since I know a lot of things depend on the type of chameleon, I’m planning to get a panther!)

This should be fine, I believe. I don't think the light will harm your chameleon.

I personally use a plant light, but it's 6400k. I am at work and don't know the specifics of those numbers, but if you want a 100% sure thing, I've had this plant light next to my UVB light for Spike since before he even arrived. Never had any issues, and it seems to help my plants. One thing I notice for sure, is it makes his enclosure nice and bright (at least at the top of course). Well worth it, and affordable. I'll link the exact one I use from where I bought it from, just in case.

https://www.pangeareptile.com/products/t5-uvb-light-fixture

You can also get two of them and buy a UVB bulb, because they are T5 HO and can power UVB bulbs properly as well. I personally already had an Arcadia fixture, so I just use that. Next to each other, these units are absolutely identical. I have to actually read the bulbs to make sure I know which is which lol

This is where I got my Arcadia fixture for my UVB bulb

https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-36-with-bulb/

 

[ERKleRose]

@Steve A and @MissSkittles have covered the plant lighting already, so I’ll just go into a little detail of uvb for you. The two safe uvb brands are Arcadia and Zoo Med. You’ll want to get a T5 High Output linear fixture with either an Arcadia 6% bulb (most recommended, and what I recommend, you’ll replace every year) or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 bulb (needs to be replaced every 6 months). You’ll want to get a fixture and bulb at least the length of the enclosure your future cham will have as an adult/its biggest enclosure. You can also go longer if you’ll be running the fixture diagonally across the top. The bulb will be 8-9” away from your cham’s basking branch, and will need to be raised off of the screen since babies screen climb. If you get a Solarmeter 6.5 (couldn’t recommend enough! it’s literally a life saver and should be a must have!), it accurately measures UVI levels (you want a UVI level of 3 where your future cham’s back will be on its basking branch and no higher than a 6 against the top screen inside of the cage), so you can know the precise spot for your basking branch to uvb distance, along with knowing exactly when to replace your uvb bulb (some bulbs last shorter or longer than the recommended replacement time, and some bulbs come in defective and don’t work at all, which is very dangerous as a Solarmeter 6.5 is the only way to know if it is defective)!
I’d personally get the Arcadia ProT5 kit @Steve A linked! Here is another place that sells it, too: https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/
If you use an Arcadia Jungle Dawn or a T5 fixture with 6400/6500 K light bulb, you can link either one with a T5 jumper cable to your uvb so you can run both fixtures off of one plug!

 

[bellaNS]

This should be fine, I believe. I don't think the light will harm your chameleon.

I personally use a plant light, but it's 6400k. I am at work and don't know the specifics of those numbers, but if you want a 100% sure thing, I've had this plant light next to my UVB light for Spike since before he even arrived. Never had any issues, and it seems to help my plants. One thing I notice for sure, is it makes his enclosure nice and bright (at least at the top of course). Well worth it, and affordable. I'll link the exact one I use from where I bought it from, just in case.

https://www.pangeareptile.com/products/t5-uvb-light-fixture

You can also get two of them and buy a UVB bulb, because they are T5 HO and can power UVB bulbs properly as well. I personally already had an Arcadia fixture, so I just use that. Next to each other, these units are absolutely identical. I have to actually read the bulbs to make sure I know which is which lol

This is where I got my Arcadia fixture for my UVB bulb

https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-36-with-bulb/

Thank you, I see the Pangea reptile one has good reviews, but there’s that one review that says it’s like a scam. Are you sure this website is a good one to go through when buying the light and light fixture?

 

[ERKleRose]

Thank you, I see the Pangea reptile one has good reviews, but there’s that one review that says it’s like a scam. Are you sure this website is a good one to go through when buying the light and light fixture?

It definitely is! I only buy light fixtures/bulbs from there, Reptile Basics, Josh’s Frogs, and Light Your Reptiles (last one is a site sponsor!)

 

[bellaNS]

@Steve A and @MissSkittles have covered the plant lighting already, so I’ll just go into a little detail of uvb for you. The two safe uvb brands are Arcadia and Zoo Med. You’ll want to get a T5 High Output linear fixture with either an Arcadia 6% bulb (most recommended, and what I recommend, you’ll replace every year) or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 bulb (needs to be replaced every 6 months). You’ll want to get a fixture and bulb at least the length of the enclosure your future cham will have as an adult/its biggest enclosure. You can also go longer if you’ll be running the fixture diagonally across the top. The bulb will be 8-9” away from your cham’s basking branch, and will need to be raised off of the screen since babies screen climb. If you get a Solarmeter 6.5 (couldn’t recommend enough! it’s literally a life saver and should be a must have!), it accurately measures UVI levels (you want a UVI level of 3 where your future cham’s back will be on its basking branch and no higher than a 6 against the top screen inside of the cage), so you can know the precise spot for your basking branch to uvb distance, along with knowing exactly when to replace your uvb bulb (some bulbs last shorter or longer than the recommended replacement time, and some bulbs come in defective and don’t work at all, which is very dangerous as a Solarmeter 6.5 is the only way to know if it is defective)!
I’d personally get the Arcadia ProT5 kit @Steve A linked! Here is another place that sells it, too: https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/
If you use an Arcadia Jungle Dawn or a T5 fixture with 6400/6500 K light bulb, you can link either one with a T5 jumper cable to your uvb so you can run both fixtures off of one plug!

Can you list a solar meter? There are so many and I don’t know which one to chose, also I’m trying to go through Amazon so if you could give me a link through there that would be great.

 

[ERKleRose]

Can you list a solar meter? There are so many and I don’t know which one to chose, also I’m trying to go through Amazon so if you could give me a link through there that would be great.

I’ve personally used Solarmeter’s website in the past, as it comes freshly calibrated. They seem to sell via Amazon now but both 6.5 options are out of stock. Reptile Basics sells the 6.5R though! It’s the same as the 6.5, just has a reptile pic on it
https://www.reptilebasics.com/reptile-uv-light-meters/solarmeter-6.5r-reptile-uvb-lamp-meter/

 

[bellaNS]

I’ve personally used Solarmeter’s website in the past, as it comes freshly calibrated. They seem to sell via Amazon now but both 6.5 options are out of stock. Reptile Basics sells the 6.5R though! It’s the same as the 6.5, just has a reptile pic on it
https://www.reptilebasics.com/reptile-uv-light-meters/solarmeter-6.5r-reptile-uvb-lamp-meter/

Thanks so much I found it on Amazon!

 

[ERKleRose]

Awesome!