Rankins":1v1ofrx0 said:
Some LED grow lights have IR also, which wouldn't be good. So your probably right about the LEDs.
But I would love to see hard data on the difference between between T5 grow lights and the good reptile specific bulbs you are mentioning. I'm a bit opinionated, but to be honest, for the most part they are the same wavelengths with the same amount of lumens. Reptile people just like to buy "snake oil" that costs more because of a pretty picture of a bearded dragon on the box.
To clarify too, if you are talking about _just_ UVA then I fully agree. The UVA output of most bulbs is going to be roughly the same and barely enough to qualify as existing, certainly not worth paying the extra at a petshop. In the case of giving good UVA the best bet is Metal Halide HID lighting (using very specific bulbs since some MH bulbs can infact be dangerous) though this is an expensive option.
UVB on the other hand is another story, and I wouldn't want anyone reading this thread to decide to forgo the expense of a good UVB lamp thinking any 'full spectrum' or grow light will do fine.
Hortilux claims to have the 'first and only' full spectrum T5 UVA/UVB grow lamp. Just based on the manufacturers claims I wouldn't use them myself - wavelengths below 290nm are what was associated with eye damage in the past.
The
UV Meter owners group is a great resource when it comes to lighting and they have test reports for many popular bulbs including spectral analysis.
I don't have many plants so no grow lights but a few quick photos of the UVB out put (as UVI) of some of my lights. A UVB lamp (reptisun 10.0 which is over a year old, the halogens in the back are just flood lights and don't give UVB), a "super full spectrum" (zoomed ultra-sun), a standard "Full Spectrum" bulb and a white LED flood lamp.