Lighting Help

[dshuld]

This may sound like a stupid question but, do you have a Wal-Mart or lowes near you? There is a digital thermo-hygro by accurite for around $8/ 9 that is pretty accurate. Don't leave it in the cage full time though. I use this one when setting up a new cage to compare readings across my temp controller and temp gun. I compare the rh on this to the rh on my dehumidifier too when needed.

 

[JoshD49]

Great thanks. I have a home Depot so maybe they have it. I will pick it up to see correlation between the in cage and temp gun. Great idea!

 

[dshuld]

They have a different model for $10 there. Same brand but, haven't used that one myself. I would imagine it's the same general guts attached to a different screen/ housing though.

 

[JoshD49]

@dshuld I got an accurite and it has a remote that I put into the cage and leave the main unit on my desk so I can be overly cautious haha. Thanks for the recommendation. The remote is made for outdoor so I don't worry about it breaking in the cage. Just out of curiosity where do you prefer to monitor the humidity? Top, bottom or just take reading at different spots in the cage?right now I have it sitting in the middle of the plant branches at the lower part of the cage to make sure the cham wont be able to get at it but I am sure this reading will be more humid then the rest of the cage.

 

[dshuld]

I check bottom, middle and top after putting everything together and running it. After that I mostly watch the rooms ambient rh since my cages are all screen. I am working on rearranging "cham land" as my daughter has decided to call her room though lol. As I get cages set up with the night time humidifier I'll probably get a controller for each to monitor and turn the humidifier off at the set point.

 

[Char333p]

I originally wanted a mist king... but didnt have the extra space for a water resivoir. So i bought the bigger monsoon with 2 spray nozzles. 2 gallon one... so far so good.. mist comes out nice and fine. And has many different intervals for up to 120 seconds.

Every time it goes off my cham runs for cover haha he doesnt particularry enjoy getting sprayed.

 

[JacksJill]

Every time it goes off my cham runs for cover haha he doesnt particularry enjoy getting sprayed.

A couple time a week after the mister has gotten him wet go back with a hand mister and give him a longer misting so he cleans his eyes and drinks. Chameleons tend to run from the initial spray and then settle in once they get past the "something's touching me phase". This way he will still get good eye hygiene.

 

[JoshD49]

Thanks @dshuld ! I guess I have been a little paranoid. I have a clear curtain around the cage but that's mostly to prevent other electronics from getting wet and so far with the accurite in there it's consistent around 60% range but that's down by the plant. Should be good. I was thinking about getting a fogger/humidifier for at night.

 

[dshuld]

Thanks @dshuld ! I guess I have been a little paranoid. I have a clear curtain around the cage but that's mostly to prevent other electronics from getting wet and so far with the accurite in there it's consistent around 60% range but that's down by the plant. Should be good. I was thinking about getting a fogger/humidifier for at night.

Cool, glad it is giving a better reading. Which model number did you end up getting? I'm reworking a lot of my cages atm to include the night time fogging ability along with a few other changes as I go lol. I've been working on some different ideas for "automation" of the night time fog. For now that'll be buy parts to do 1 cage as a test run though I think lol.

 

[JoshD49]

Not sure exactly but I just made sure it was the one that could read temp and humidity. I saw this one with the remote sensor and remembered what you said about not leaving it in there and thought this might be a solution. It's double the price of the one you suggested but is really nice.

I attached photos of it and the model number on the back.

 

[dshuld]

Not sure exactly but I just made sure it was the one that could read temp and humidity. I saw this one with the remote sensor and remembered what you said about not leaving it in there and thought this might be a solution. It's double the price of the one you suggested but is really nice.

I attached photos of it and the model number on the back.

Cool, I may at some point look into the ones that can link to multiple remotes but not sure lol. Right now my plan is a dimming proportional temp controller on heat lamps and a humidity controller controlling the night time humidifier functions but, that is where it's getting complicated lol. I've got a few different ideas I'm going back and forth on lol.

 

[JoshD49]

Im not sure if it supports multiple sensors or if they even sell the sensor separate but that would be cool.

I was going to do a night time fogger since my humidity went a little low last night but I read they can be troublesome for the cham so now I'm going to do more research on it before I install it.

Are you a programmer? You can try using a rasberry pi and program the outputs to control those things.

 

[dshuld]

Im not sure if it supports multiple sensors or if they even sell the sensor separate but that would be cool.

I was going to do a night time fogger since my humidity went a little low last night but I read they can be troublesome for the cham so now I'm going to do more research on it before I install it.

Are you a programmer? You can try using a rasberry pi and program the outputs to control those things.

This is one of the ones I saw from acurite.

https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-0208...ywords=acurite+weather+station+with+3+sensors

Check out pod cast 89 (I think it was 89 anyway) from Bill Strand and if you're on fb look for Petr Necas' post on in one of the cham forums. I've had my wc male Odin set up like this and that is one of the many changes I'm working on for everyone else lol. Everyone is being switched to Arcadia from Zoo Med, getting night time humidification and being changed to bio active for those that aren't already lol. As for the programming, not in over 20 years. I don't mind taking the lazy route on that part and buying preprogrammed put in my settings and go for the controllers.

 

[JoshD49]

Oh man yeah that one is nice. I will probably be looking into something like that when I get my second Cham.

Thanks I will look it up because the humidity going to 40% shouldn't be too bad but I don't want it to go lower then that.

 

[dshuld]

Oh man yeah that one is nice. I will probably be looking into something like that when I get my second Cham.

Thanks I will look it up because the humidity going to 40% shouldn't be too bad but I don't want it to go lower then that.

I forget what species you have?

 

[JoshD49]

He is a Yemen. If I get another one I will get either a jackson or panther.

 

[JoshD49]

@dshuld what bulb brand would you recommend? I think the zoo med I had went bad already. I had a second one and the temp is better.

 

[dshuld]

For which bulb? Heat or uv? Sorry, I didn't get notifications for some reason.

 

[JoshD49]

Oh man so sorry I should have been specific. I'm talking about basking. I also just tried today doing a longer mist morning and evening and running a humidifier during the day and the humidity was doing well.

 

[dshuld]

See if your home depot has one like this in the wattage you normally use.