saradoggy10
Established Member
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/bioactive-setup-stuff-list.2443/
Am I missing anything? I feel like I need more lighting for plants
Am I missing anything? I feel like I need more lighting for plants
How is my list looking?
- Thread starter saradoggy10
- Start date
saradoggy10
Established Member
Yes! I have to say the lighting part of the setup is my LEAST strong suit.
Do you have any other lightning advice?
saradoggy10
Established Member
Are there any LED UVB lights? My environmentalist side is yelling at me for considering fluorescents
Coop
Avid Member
Not much. I only know about the basking and the uvb lights, as I have not gone bioactive yet. I will be watching this thread in hopes that somebody else knows about the plant lighting, as once school gets out for me next week I will be building a new bioactive for Pete. As for the led uvb, there is a recent thread around the forums, but the led lights are still not recommended for use yet. I will post the thread in a minute once I find it.
Edit: Here it is https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/uvb-leds.174223/
Edit: Here it is https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/uvb-leds.174223/
saradoggy10
Established Member
I found one- but it has red LEDs. I understand the issue here.
Grayson Payne
Avid Member
Have you considered any plant growth lights? Personally, I am thinking about going with an Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED
saradoggy10
Established Member
I have for sure considered it- as long as it's safe for the chameleon as well. There's nothing I'd like more than to have not only a chameleon but a mini garden as well.
Grayson Payne
Avid Member
Yeah, I have seen some people using 6500k blue lights. Personally I'd just stick with 6500k regular colored lights. I like the Arcadia Jungle Dawn because it's LED so it wouldn't produce more heat but be very bright at the same time.
saradoggy10
Established Member
Im killing my soul getting fluorescents for the UVB bar so it'll feel nice to know im at least using LEDs for the plants Haha
saradoggy10
Established Member
Wait a hot sec- does this provide enough uvb for a chameleon?
Grayson Payne
Avid Member
No, you'll need the UVB light, I would use a T5 and either a 5.0 or 6%. You can go higher if you want but I would consider buying a solar meter for that. The LED is only for the plants. You will still need your UVB and some sort of basking light.
saradoggy10
Established Member
Got my hopes up for a second lmao. Yeah im planning for a T5 HO. I have the basking light down as well.
Just to confirm- your suggestion is the T5 fluorescent, basking light, and the LED bar?
Grayson Payne
Avid Member
Yes, the LED is only for plants, so it's not a necessity. I don't even have one right now. There are other variations of plant growth lights that you can look into as well, but this would be the easiest for me. I'll link my UVB down below.
https://www.arcadiareptile.com/lighting/prot5/
I have the 6% 34" one. It is placed diagonally across the top of my cage.
saradoggy10
Established Member
I'll most likely end up getting two chameleons and I'll place them side by side. Let's say the two enclosures side by side equate to 34" long. Could I use one 34" UVB bar across both?
(Please take into consideration that the chameleons would not be able to see one another)
saradoggy10
Established Member
WOWEE the proT5 is MUCH cheaper and more reliable I'm sure than stuff at the pet store! Im going to see if I can buy all my stuff from them~
saradoggy10
Established Member
Awesome. I can't find any light bars that fit just one well anyway haha
AmandaS
Retired Moderator
If you are using a 24x24x48 inch cage, and you set 2 side by side, you will presumably want a 48 inch light.
But they make them in 24 inch too. Thats what I currently have.
On a side note, I also have a 72" light (which I am not using) that uses staggered 54" bulbs...i think? And it will span 3 cages.
They dont seem to have that large right now
But they make them in 24 inch too. Thats what I currently have.
On a side note, I also have a 72" light (which I am not using) that uses staggered 54" bulbs...i think? And it will span 3 cages.
They dont seem to have that large right now
I just want to add here that your UVB bulb strength depends on what fixture and your reflector......
Rule of thumb is if you are using a single or dual fixture you will use a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb.
If you are using a quad fixture like the one that @AmandaS posted above that has 1 reflector panel for all 4 bulbs. You will add 1 single UVB 10.0 or 12% bulb and the other 3 bulbs would be 6500k daylight bulbs.
If the quad has individual reflectors for each bulb then you will drop back to a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb...
Also your distance from fixture to basking area is entirely dependent on what fixture and bulb type you use. UVB output varies based on fixture, reflector, and bulb strength.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/
Rule of thumb is if you are using a single or dual fixture you will use a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb.
If you are using a quad fixture like the one that @AmandaS posted above that has 1 reflector panel for all 4 bulbs. You will add 1 single UVB 10.0 or 12% bulb and the other 3 bulbs would be 6500k daylight bulbs.
If the quad has individual reflectors for each bulb then you will drop back to a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb...
Also your distance from fixture to basking area is entirely dependent on what fixture and bulb type you use. UVB output varies based on fixture, reflector, and bulb strength.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/
