any suggestions for my enclosure

[nightanole]

. Where can I get this light dimmer you are talking about?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...Tabletop-Dimmer-White-R12-TBL03-10W/203812625
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-100-Watt-Full-Range-Lamp-Socket-Dimmer-6009B/100644831

"lamp dimmer"

 

[flowerrpal]

I would say try using more live plants, I live in Arizona and it was impossible to get my humidity up until I added multiple live plants and no fake ones, it seems to be the best way to raise it.

 

[haydenm14]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...Tabletop-Dimmer-White-R12-TBL03-10W/203812625
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-100-Watt-Full-Range-Lamp-Socket-Dimmer-6009B/100644831

"lamp dimmer"

. Thank you for those links. I’ll get another thermometer from one of my friends to double check that I’m getting same readings and if his is reading high then I’ll probably get one of those dimmers

 

[haydenm14]

I would say try using more live plants, I live in Arizona and it was impossible to get my humidity up until I added multiple live plants and no fake ones, it seems to be the best way to raise it.

. I plan to get an umbrella tree in there with some coconut fiber and hydroballs for the pot the plants in

 

[flowerrpal]

. I plan to get an umbrella tree in there with some coconut fiber and hydroballs for the pot the plants in

Be careful because those hold water and can over water the plant. I have 5 cham tanks and with 2 I just put a bunch of live plants and it works wonders and in the other 3 I use huge umbrella plants that span their entire tank and then no substrate. Substrates are messy and hard to clean

 

[haydenm14]

Be careful because those hold water and can over water the plant. I have 5 cham tanks and with 2 I just put a bunch of live plants and it works wonders and in the other 3 I use huge umbrella plants that span their entire tank and then no substrate. Substrates are messy and hard to clean

indeed they are but it’s not like it’s a lot. It would be like 3 inches in a 8x8 inch pot with 2 inches of hydroballs. Perfect little amount to help out the plant. Plus it’s not like I’m pouring tons of water into the plant. It would be like maybe some everytime I do a clean down of the enclosure.

 

[haydenm14]

Thats a pretty bad lighting system. While i 5.0 is fine since the cage is less than 3ft tall, however its only going across one 14" section of the tank. So 2/3 of the tank is getting no uv at all?

And you have tested the basking areas directly under the 100 watt bulbs only get to 85F? I find that hard to believe.

Finally, you are running at least 200 watts of bulbs for 14 hours a day. That is 1000kwh of electricity per year. At 10-20 cents per kwh, that could be 200 bucks or more per year. You might want to look into something like a 35 watt halogen flood and some under tank heat tape.

I know ive replied to this but I have a question for you. what thermometer do you use to make sure of your gradient.

 

[nightanole]

I know ive replied to this but I have a question for you. what thermometer do you use to make sure of your gradient.

I just use a cheap IR/no contact thermometer, they are like $10-15 on sale

https://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-infrared-thermometer-with-laser-targeting-61894.html

 

[haydenm14]

I just use a cheap IR/no contact thermometer, they are like $10-15 on sale

https://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-infrared-thermometer-with-laser-targeting-61894.html

oh alright. I was thinking of getting one but I went with regular thermometers. I’ll have to get myself one. Thanks for the quick reply l