lighting for a plant

[amkid247]

is a twenty watt reptile florescent tube enough for English ivy?

 

[Jan]

What are you trying to do? Just grow the plant by itself or a plant that is in a vivarium with a caudate? I will assume the latter.

Wattage doesn't describe output regarding reptile lamps which are specially designed to produce UV light. As an example a 15 watt 18" Repti 10 fluorescent light produces 10% UVB/30% UVA output which could be harmful to a caudate - remember they are nocturnal animals with very sensitive skin. If you are not highly experienced with reptile lights and what they do/do not do, outputs of UV etc., I would never use these with caudates especially in a small enclosure. Why not use silk plants?

 

[Tappers]

Believe me, English ivy doesn't get that much sunshine over here!

Seriously, I have the normal unvariegated ivy in some of my vivs that are only lit by ambient lighting from the small windows six feet away. Variegated types will turn green in low light levels but 8 watts of any aquarium type lamp would be ample for this plant, any etiolated or overly long shoots can be cut back.

 

[amkid247]

thanks, ill get a new, low wattage light! ^_^