lighting for bioactive enclosure? is uvb enough?

[disposible]

i have a bearded dragon enclosure that i’m turning into bioactive in the next few days, i was wondering if i want the plants to be successful in the tank, do i need another light besides the uvb and basking? the uvb goes across 3-4 of the tank and the tank is a 4x2x2. i couldn’t find any good answers online if the uvb is good enough but im assuming not, please leave suggestions of what you used for plants in your enclosure or if there’s any affordable lighting options (im on a budget. )

 

[Lobretto]

No plants grow under most any light source. If you can see it so can plants. Some plants will grow slower then normal if they are full sun type plants but there is still more then enough light to grow most anything. If you wanted to ramp up plant growth then adding a 2nd t5 non uv will kick things up but it isn't gonna be needed.

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

Yes you want to get Arcadia’s Jungle Dawn led bar

 

[KeBEARDIE]

Or you could get a high output aquarium light a much cheaper option than the Jungle Dawn and it still work the same.

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

Or you could get a high output aquarium light a much cheaper option than the Jungle Dawn and it still work the sam

A lot of those have a purple color from the diodes which isn’t like the bright white light from the jungle dawn
those aren’t nearly as good for beardies they have red and purple light diodes sometimes even blue the jungle dawn has nothing but pure white light the visible spectrum you want to replicate them aquarium leds are more or less to get the color of coral reefs in the tank the light looks different when viewed through water. A few quick searches about jungle dawns from Arcadia would’ve told you all this plus some more. The jungle dawn has a great 6000 kelvins of white light most people think they’re fine with just uvb but visible light does much more for beardies then just “being brighter” research has proven so . You can see the tint from the uvb is blueish you need to fill the void of spectrum from IRA and UV with visible light and that what arcadia offers

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

Cheap isn’t always the best and you can’t beat what Arcadia offers in the jungle dawn anywhere else that’s why I have two 24 inch JD’s I have quite a large enclosure though Biodude has a good LED light that he tries to compete with arcadias jungle dawn but Arcadia set the bar with reptile modern tech with the jungle dawn

 

[KeBEARDIE]

Or you could get a high output aquarium light a much cheaper option than the Jungel Dawn and it still work the same.

A lot of those have a purple color from the diodes which isn’t like the bright white light from the jungle dawn
those aren’t nearly as good for beardies they have red and purple light diodes sometimes even blue the jungle dawn has nothing but pure white light the visible spectrum you want to replicate them aquarium leds are more or less to get the color of coral reefs in the tank the light looks different when viewed through water. A few quick searches about jungle dawns from Arcadia would’ve told you all this plus some more. The jungle dawn has a great 6000 kelvins of white light most people think they’re fine with just uvb but visible light does much more for beardies then just “being brighter” research has proven so . You can see the tint from the uvb is blueish you need to fill the void of spectrum from IRA and UV with visible light and that what arcadia offers

I think your thinking of a Saltwater aquarium light I’ve used the freshwater version of the Nicrew aquarium lights with great success when it comes to growing plants but then again my plants are most likely lower lighting plants such as Cryptanthus Earth Star a Cactus and of course a Spaghetti Agave plant so mine won’t be needing incredibly high lighting, but if you want to feel safe there’s definitely cheaper reptile branded options out there I say that because not everyone is going to be able to afford an $100 Plant grow light I agree the Jungle Dawn is a very solid quality plant grow light but there is cheaper options that still work well depending on what species of plant your trying to grow, I’d say figuring out the PAR of the light is also very beneficial when trying to grow certain plants. Overall it honestly just depends what Aquarium Light you have tbh.

 

[KeBEARDIE]

EDIT: Some of the plants I mentioned aren’t classified as low light plants so my apologies I didn‘t mean to write that but I still use the Nicrew LED on them and they’ve grown very well.

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

I think your thinking of a Saltwater aquarium light I’ve used the freshwater version of the Nicrew aquarium lights with great success when it comes to growing plants but then again my plants are most likely lower lighting plants such as Cryptanthus Earth Star a Cactus and of course a Spaghetti Agave plant so mine won’t be needing incredibly high lighting, but if you want to feel safe there’s definitely cheaper reptile branded options out there I say that because not everyone is going to be able to afford an $100 Plant grow light I agree the Jungle Dawn is a very solid quality plant grow light but there is cheaper options that still work well depending on what species of plant your trying to grow, I’d say figuring out the PAR of the light is also very beneficial when trying to grow certain plants. Overall it honestly just depends what Aquarium Light you have tbh.

PAR

I think your thinking of a Saltwater aquarium light I’ve used the freshwater version of the Nicrew aquarium lights with great success when it comes to growing plants but then again my plants are most likely lower lighting plants such as Cryptanthus Earth Star a Cactus and of course a Spaghetti Agave plant so mine won’t be needing incredibly high lighting, but if you want to feel safe there’s definitely cheaper reptile branded options out there I say that because not everyone is going to be able to afford an $100 Plant grow light I agree the Jungle Dawn is a very solid quality plant grow light but there is cheaper options that still work well depending on what species of plant your trying to grow, I’d say figuring out the PAR of the light is also very beneficial when trying to grow certain plants. Overall it honestly just depends what Aquarium Light you have tbh.

sounds good I know the JD has high pur and cri with with no purple hue I trust in their research as the visible difference in not only plant growth but my beardies activity and but always the plants I have are elephant feed , aloe Vera , golem and a few air bromeliads I did have some hens and chicks but she’s about eaten them haha

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

EDIT: Some of the plants I mentioned aren’t classified as low light plants so my apologies I didn‘t mean to write that but I still use the Nicrew LED on them and they’ve grown very well.

I try to place them smartly in the tank whatever suits it better being direct sunlight or not . I have my timers set up to go on and off like a simulated sunrise and sunset . And on my cool side is more shadey. I’ve tried many plants most die I use a mistking set on a pre programmed special when it does go off just a slight 30-50 seconds depends on the day or whatever defiently recommend one of on bioactive

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

I think your thinking of a Saltwater aquarium light I’ve used the freshwater version of the Nicrew aquarium lights with great success when it comes to growing plants but then again my plants are most likely lower lighting plants such as Cryptanthus Earth Star a Cactus and of course a Spaghetti Agave plant so mine won’t be needing incredibly high lighting, but if you want to feel safe there’s definitely cheaper reptile branded options out there I say that because not everyone is going to be able to afford an $100 Plant grow light I agree the Jungle Dawn is a very solid quality plant grow light but there is cheaper options that still work well depending on what species of plant your trying to grow, I’d say figuring out the PAR of the light is also very beneficial when trying to grow certain plants. Overall it honestly just depends what Aquarium Light you have tbh.

The nicrew looks good nice to know another option to recommend aswell as to see other people seeing how important visible lighting is in our reptiles regardless of which way we do it

 

[topping2]

Cheap isn’t always the best and you can’t beat what Arcadia offers in the jungle dawn anywhere else that’s why I have two 24 inch JD’s I have quite a large enclosure though Biodude has a good LED light that he tries to compete with arcadias jungle dawn but Arcadia set the bar with reptile modern tech with the jungle dawn

Do you think the 34W, 22.5" jungle dawn is enough for a 4x2x2 pvc enslosure? Wondering if it will get too hot with the next step up...

 

[WICKEDPOGONA]

Do you think the 34W, 22.5" jungle dawn is enough for a 4x2x2 pvc enslosure? Wondering if it will get too hot with the next step up...

Jungle dawns dont put off any heat and yea only 3/4 of the enclosure should have light at least 1/4 of the enclosure have no lighting above so they can thermoregulate on their is. It’ll act as shade as light will obviously still bounce there