dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
What plants are you planning on?
Chameleon future owner
- Thread starter Blustrgzr
- Start date
What plants are you planning on?
Blustrgzr
Established Member
Wandering Jew, Pothos, Umbrella plant, bromeliads for now.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ok, one of these fixtures will do you better then the odyssea fixture you linked earlier. One bulb will need to be swapped for uv of course though. The led bulb is just in the for a "cheap" way to get light punch down to the bottom if you need it.
Tony_S
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thanks for the link, they even have the 34" Arcadia bulbs that I use.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
No problem lol. Who did you go through before?
Tony_S
Chameleon Enthusiast
LightYourReptiles, I had a hard time finding the 36" fixture and bulbs.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ah, yeah not much of a selection in the 3ft like the 2 and 4 ft. I use the reptilebasics or pangea 3ft fixtures due to the limited selections lol.
Blustrgzr
Established Member
Thank you! I really appreciate it. Do I need the 4 or can I just do two bulbs? And I see most of those are hanging, is there a way to do that without hanging it from the ceiling... Hopefully not a dumb question. This is really helpful.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
You can either hang them or rest them on the cage. There's a couple different ways to go about lighting the cage but with 4ft depth, you're going to want at least a quad or two duals, with a possibility of adding "strong" led for depth punch. Or, a single with leds for depth and upper lighting. When I get home after dinner I'll try to get you a couple different routes to look at.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
Set up one:
One of these with one of the bulbs linked earlier.
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html
Two of these (4000k version) in parallel:
https://horticulturelightinggroup.c...cts/qb288-quantum-board?variant=5712407167003
Wired to one of these (may need their heat sinks for the second option ) both are dimmable drivers. You can go up in driver strength and push more power to them but you will definitely need the heatsinks to do so :
One of these with one of the bulbs linked earlier.
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html
Four of these (4000k version, comes as a set of four, no heatsinks needed, will most likely need dimmed via the driver but, they are only sold as a set of four for the diy side):
https://horticulturelightinggroup.c...ts/qb120-quantum-board?variant=14318971551793
Wired in parallel to one of these:
HLG-240H-24 - 4 or more in parallel
Or series to one of these:
HLG-240H-C2100 - 4x in series
Set up three:
Two of these, a bit more then a single quad but, has the benefit of moving them for "better distrobution" of the across the cage. As noted before, may still need to supplement with led bulbs posted prior.
https://www.amazon.com/Oppolite-Fluorescent-Horticulture-Gardening-Fixtures/dp/B07DJ6B3PV?th=1&psc=1
Set up four:
Single quad pictured earlier, same as above may still need to supplement with led bulb.
One of these with one of the bulbs linked earlier.
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html
Two of these (4000k version) in parallel:
https://horticulturelightinggroup.c...cts/qb288-quantum-board?variant=5712407167003
Wired to one of these (may need their heat sinks for the second option ) both are dimmable drivers. You can go up in driver strength and push more power to them but you will definitely need the heatsinks to do so :
- HLG-80H-54 with 1 or 2 boards for 90 Watts
- HLG-100H-54 with 1 or or more boards for 120 Watts
One of these with one of the bulbs linked earlier.
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html
Four of these (4000k version, comes as a set of four, no heatsinks needed, will most likely need dimmed via the driver but, they are only sold as a set of four for the diy side):
https://horticulturelightinggroup.c...ts/qb120-quantum-board?variant=14318971551793
Wired in parallel to one of these:
HLG-240H-24 - 4 or more in parallel
Or series to one of these:
HLG-240H-C2100 - 4x in series
Set up three:
Two of these, a bit more then a single quad but, has the benefit of moving them for "better distrobution" of the across the cage. As noted before, may still need to supplement with led bulbs posted prior.
https://www.amazon.com/Oppolite-Fluorescent-Horticulture-Gardening-Fixtures/dp/B07DJ6B3PV?th=1&psc=1
Set up four:
Single quad pictured earlier, same as above may still need to supplement with led bulb.
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GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm running two of the HLG 65 quantum boards that @dshuld posted for my 36x18x36 ExoTerra. Extremely bright, and definitely need to be suspended! Or at least, they did in my case largely due to heat emission in the first couple inches. Very happy with the product so far, and they're doing an awesome job keeping my higher light plants growing!
I may be running 3-4 linear lights with LED retrofit bulbs for my ReptiBreeze build, though, if only because I had a difficult time with shipping the boards to Canada and am now gunshy, lol! Can't complain about the product, but I'm extremely displeased with the customer service I recieved through LED Grow Lights Depot.
I may be running 3-4 linear lights with LED retrofit bulbs for my ReptiBreeze build, though, if only because I had a difficult time with shipping the boards to Canada and am now gunshy, lol! Can't complain about the product, but I'm extremely displeased with the customer service I recieved through LED Grow Lights Depot.
Blustrgzr
Established Member
Thank you so much. I'm going to look at each suggestion now.
Blustrgzr
Established Member
Thank you!!!
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
The qb120 (the one that only comes as a four pack) should be the same/ very similar board as the hlg 65. The difference being the hlg 65 comes "premade" with the driver attached but isn't dimmable as far as I know with the included driver. Having a dimmable driver, which all 4 on that cage will likely need dimmed a bit, should give you the ability to rest the frame you make for them to rest on top of the cage without heat issues.
Blustrgzr
Established Member
The dimmable driver is the DIY setup though right? I am in no way electrically smart. I have never done anything like that. My husband is a computer tech, and has done stuff like that. How hard is it actually to do? And thank you, seriously, you and everyone on this thread have helped so much.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
What species is that red one to the left of center? Love how that one is coloring up.
dshuld
Chameleon Enthusiast
It's not hard at all, some 18 gauge solid core thermostat wire, couple of wago connectors (not really needed can use wire nuts if you wanted to), aluminum angle to make the frame for them to sit on and machine screws and nuts to hold the frame together. If you go with wire nuts, everything can be bought at home depot/ lowes to do it. Give me a few and I'll see if I can find the videos I sent someone else on it lol.
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Correct - the hlg 65 are not dimmable with the included drivers! Nothing suspension doesnt fix, but it would be more aesthetically pleasing if i could have been able to place them flush in the enclosure without melting things/frying my plants haha! One day I'll pick up a dimmable driver and fix it, for how it's fine.
The upper left one there is a neoregalia 'fireball' - it loves all the light, and is continuing to redden with time! It had been starving for light in the window it was in previously, and had almost completely reverted to green. I'm hoping my neoregalia c. Lindas cheer up soon and develop all of their speckles and yellow sheen, and n. Gorion gets its pink blush back!
