The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
What are some plant/grow lights that y'all use for bioactive vivs? I know that @GoodKarma19 @jamest0o0 and @Brodybreaux25 have done some, have y'all used any? If so what kind and wattage?
Plant Light Bio Questions
- Thread starter The Wild One
- Start date
JackRipper
Avid Member
YU MEIL LED Pool Light Bulb 120V 45W 6500K White Light
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Currently running two HLG 65 quantum boards on my 36x18x36, and 2 SunBlaster 6500k linear plant lights on my screen cage. The quantum boards are fabulous, but the drivers are running hot on mine which led me to suspend them 8" above the cage. They're also extremely bright, to the point that I've rigged up "blinders" out of black foam board.
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Um it looks good, maybe something a little lower priced?
JackRipper
Avid Member
Attachments
JackRipper
Avid Member
Maybe find one without radar motion lol
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Wow thanks! That’s way more in my price range lol
JackRipper
Avid Member
EBay has great deals. Type in 6500 LED bulb and shop prices.
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Reptofreak
Chameleon Enthusiast
These are where it’s at! I get enough light at the bottom of a 5ft enclosure to keep bromeliads happy. It also doubles as the basking light. Not cheap but also not crazy expensive. The perfect choice in my humble opinion.
Bill
Hashtag ChamLife
Avid Member
Just gonna say this: just because it's either A) a lot of LEDs or B) really bright [aka lots of lumens] does NOT make it an adequate plant light. It has more to do with the spectrum it outputs. While the Yu Mei 45W does have recommendations, for the same price you can get the 36W Sansi grow bulb. Less wattage, so less power. Personally I went the Sansi route so cannot speak to how they stack up... but I know my plants are happy and the light gets where it's going [aka, pretty bright].
I'd avoid anything under $25-30.... chance are they're just bright and will do next to nothing for your plants. I also have the 24W Sansi bulbs and would say one of those is more than adequate to grow a medium size reptibreeze. [My 24W is growing 4 cutting of wandering jew, a palm, a box of moss, and a box of Bermuda grass]
On bulbs, you get what you pay for. On fixtures... theres a LOT of junk out there and pricing is all over the place.
SANSI 36W Daylight LED Plant... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BRKG7X1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
SANSI 24W LED Plant Light Bulb Full Spectrum LED Grow Light Plant Lights for Indoor Plants, E26 Grow Light Bulb for Hydroponics Greenhouse Houseplants Vegetable Tobacco, Sunlight White UV IR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BRKT56T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WZy9DbGACMAQQ
^^^
I got both these bulbs [2 each] on the lightning deal for $25/$15ea. Even at full price, I'd buy them again.
I'd avoid anything under $25-30.... chance are they're just bright and will do next to nothing for your plants. I also have the 24W Sansi bulbs and would say one of those is more than adequate to grow a medium size reptibreeze. [My 24W is growing 4 cutting of wandering jew, a palm, a box of moss, and a box of Bermuda grass]
On bulbs, you get what you pay for. On fixtures... theres a LOT of junk out there and pricing is all over the place.
SANSI 36W Daylight LED Plant... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BRKG7X1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
SANSI 24W LED Plant Light Bulb Full Spectrum LED Grow Light Plant Lights for Indoor Plants, E26 Grow Light Bulb for Hydroponics Greenhouse Houseplants Vegetable Tobacco, Sunlight White UV IR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BRKT56T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WZy9DbGACMAQQ
^^^
I got both these bulbs [2 each] on the lightning deal for $25/$15ea. Even at full price, I'd buy them again.
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ill do 2 of each there will be 11 different species of plants, do you think that will be enough? The enclosure did indoors by the way.
CamoChameleonsHuman
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have recently replaced my incandescent basking bulbs with the YU MEIL 45W LED.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/the-new-arcadia-jungle-dawn-led-bars-whose-gotem.172151/
Last edited:
Hashtag ChamLife
Avid Member
Well... this is 1 of each [24W and 36W]. Don't mind the mess, it's an experiment as we're moving. As you can see I have everything from bromeliads to literal grass.
It's a mess as I'm always adding/removing plants and starting new projects. My wife isn't happy that I stole the dinning room, but as stated, we're moving next month anyway.
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Oh sorry I meant 1 of each lol
skoram
Established Member
If you have the time and patience, DIY LED is a great way to go. I use Bridgelux Vero COB LED arrays connected to a Coralux StormX Arduino-based controller. DIY allows you the freedom to control every aspect of your lighting and you can typically go much stronger than anything you would find in a retail bulb or fixture. A single Vero 29 COB LED can use up to 80 watts. I use mostly the Vero 18s which can take up to 31 watts each and are *incredibly* bright at max intensity. I can't even comprehend what 80 watts on a Vero 29 would be like. Arduino-based PWM controllers like the StormX allow me to slowly ramp up the intensity in the morning and dim at night, along with other neat effects like cloud cover simulation.
Hashtag ChamLife
Avid Member
In the back right, by the window, is my palm (rather large). In that clear box with blue handles is my sheet moss. It gets ample light being so far from the light source and under the palm.
The box of "dirt" on the back end of the bench is Bermuda grass. Again, far away from the source - yet it has sprouted from seed.
The wandering jew is between 2 lights (not the batch closest to the camera) and is doing quite well too.
I am thoroughly impressed by these lights... especially for the cost. And as a side note... theres really no noticable heat unless you touch them directly. I can turn the bulb off and immediately take it out of the fixture with no issue.
Hashtag ChamLife
Avid Member
^^^^
I second this. If you have the patience, ability and cash to drop it's for sure the way to go. This is what I wanted to do, and will probably end up doing, once I'm set up and established in my new house. I just absolutely HAD to have plant lights as my cages were dying.
