QUESTIONS &ANSWERS
Lighting advice for dart frogs
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Email your queries to practicalreptilekeeping@gmail.com. A selection of submitted questions will appear here every month. Regrettably, replies can only be given through this column, and if you are worried about the health of your animal, seek veterinary advice without delay.
&Please advise me about lighting a vivarium for dart frogs. Should I provide lamps just for live plant growth or incorporate areas of UV as well? Are LED sources of light sufficient to grow plants in the ways that we see on the web and at shows?
There have been many advances in LED technology in recent years, with a huge array of LED plant grow products now on offer. Unfortunately, these are largely ineffective because of a misunderstanding of the way that plants use light. It is required in two main wavelengths for good photosynthesis, with plants needing light in the blue spectrum between 410-480nm, and also light in the red spectrum, from 610-680nm.