Is this enough light?

[ziggy]

I have one 15-watt cool-white Sylvania flourescant tube. It is placed almost directly on top of a transparent plastic cover. The cover is scratched up a bit. I let the light run from about 8 am to 10 pm? I have the VFT in a ten-gallon terrarium that is placed near a westward-facing window, but it gets very few, if any, direct sunlight. I live in the suburbs of Chicago. As any more information needed? Any help and advice is very much appreciated.

 

[Dave S.]

I think you should get a stronger light if you are growing it indoors. Do the leaves look long and thin? I have grown VFT in a terrarium before, but I used a lot of light.

 

[Ant]

they are supposed to be coming out of dormancy.

 

[Not a Number]

Beware direct sunlight on a terrarium - temps can shoot up enough to bake/steam your plants in a matter of minutes. Monitor carefully.

 

[NeciFiX]

Terrarium?

Get rid of it and put your Nepenthes in it. Terrariums are a hazard to Sarracenia and Dionaea. I have a 25 watt, rich in reds and blues very VERY bright and intense light about 2 inches from all my Dionaea, they even are sending up new shoots to get even closer to the light, light worshippin little devils. This shoot was about to have a formed trap (for some reason, it made a trap, but it opened prematurely and doesn't work) and then it got attacked by aphids and got weak. Sigh.

 

[Clint]

ummm... 25 watts is nothing man. Unless were talking LED's. No matter how rich the reds and blues are or how intense it looks to you. To me, intense it blinding pain from metal halide, or even better, the sun. Not some energy saver.

Terrariums aren't hazardous to Sarracenia or Dionaea. It can be done. It's just easier and more practical to put them out side. They like that sexy radiation.

By the way I've used lights from 5000-10,000K and I've never noticed any change in growth or flowering. The only time I've ever noticed any change was under HPS which had almost no blue spectrum. Personally I like 10,000K. Nice blue-white color. If you're unsure just shoot for around 6,500K.

 

[NeciFiX]

It's 25 watts or SOMETHING. I don't really know. The plants seem fine in it, it does hurt to stare at it for awhile. I'd buy a Metal Halide, but that's not practical for me due to how immensely poor I am!

 

[Clint]

Hehe, they are expensive but make up for it.

They get hot. Really hot.

 

[abcat1993]

Well, my VFT (not saying it's great though) turned very light pink on the inside of the traps (the new ones) from a ~10 Watt T-5 and a 15 Watt 18" T-8. The neps are better though.