need light suggestions

[bryce.martin23]

Kinda new at this hobby and decided that I wanted to build an enclosed display for my oncidums and phalaenopsis. I have been reading that a lot of others are using standard flourecence lights and some are even using t-5. My display cabinet measures 21" W X 21" D X 48" T. I was wondering what kind of lights would work the best with the enclouse I have and how many watts. I was hopeing to use metal halides for the wide color spectrum but im not sure as if this kind of light will burn the plants. Any info will help.

[Ray]

I recently built a terrarium out of a 20-High fish tank (24"W x 17"T x 12"D), and am using 3 x 24W (24") High output T-5 fixtures to give me about 500fc at the sufrace of the medium.

I would thing that an MH bulb would generate way too much heat.

Part of the problem is the dimensions, as T5's will hang out over the edges of the top. CFL's might be an option, as would some of the phosphor-type LED's.

By the way, "watts" per se, are not your concern, but the lumens output. Lumens per watt changes with the type of bulb.