Lighting system suggestions plz!!!!!
- Thread starter DEVO
- Start date
I was thinking of using 48 inch linear fluorescent tubes like(exo terra repti glo 10.0) or a (zoo med reptisun 10.0) but i have never used them before,would it be ok to use for a cage of this size or do you think the 5.0,maybe the 5.0 combine with a 2.0 would be better,i want the best for my cham but pffffff i cant make up my mind on witch one is the best for a (5x5x7.5)screen cage plz help!!!!!!!!
Monkeykungphu
New Member
I would use a double 4' fixture with one 5.0 UVB bulb (probably Repti-Sun) & one regular 6500k daylight bulb for additional brightness & to help your plants out.
Thanks for your suggestion that combo is what im using in the free range area,placed 12 inch from my chams hang out spot with no screen obstructing the lights IT IS VERY GOOD,but what is confusing me is all those reviews saying the 10.0 would be a better linear fluorescent tube for a large enclosure equipt with aluminum screen on the top that can filter out the uvb rays making the 5.0 less effective.I dont thrust reviews,i thrust hands on experience of other chameleon keepers.I would like to know if thats a fact!!!!
T5 bulbs for chameleons,that interesting!I know that they are used in hydroponics and planted aquariums(they are very good to grow plants),but will they provide the light spectrum necessary for chameleons!!!!!Ho by the way super nice calumma parsonii,i like the big cham species,tried to find one but 2000$+ hiiiiiiiiii next time yeah!!!!!!
My experience
I have a male ambilobe panther in a enclosure that is about 8W x 8H x 5D. He and his plants have been established for two years now. I use two 48" 5.0 reptisun tubes and two one hundred watt power sun mercury vapor bulbs. I have the cage built into my house where there is a circular window so I get some natural light that way. I like the power sun bulbs. They produce good heat and light.
I have a male ambilobe panther in a enclosure that is about 8W x 8H x 5D. He and his plants have been established for two years now. I use two 48" 5.0 reptisun tubes and two one hundred watt power sun mercury vapor bulbs. I have the cage built into my house where there is a circular window so I get some natural light that way. I like the power sun bulbs. They produce good heat and light.
VeiledOwner87
New Member
2 48'' floursecent double fixture on the front and back side of the tank with your heat domes in the middle
Monkeykungphu
New Member
Pics of your setup would be awesome!! It sounds great!
(or, have you already posted some here at some point?)
Todnedo
Avid Member
VeiledOwner87
New Member
todnedo, im not sure if i've missed it. but what light source do you provide your chams? 5.0's dont come in T5 do they?
Todnedo
Avid Member
Only kill-zilla makes a t5 uv and they are crap. I use 5.0 and 10.0 depending on the size of the cage.
zeros cage
I need to get some pictures up to show you. It is not your typical cage and I still need to make some adjustments. I planted my plants in the cage and my lights are inside. I dont free range feed so i dont worry to much about him picking up some substrate. We just got our computer going again. I will see if i can get some pics up today. The only thing i dont like about the planting the plants in the cage is cleaning them. Might have to make some changes.
I need to get some pictures up to show you. It is not your typical cage and I still need to make some adjustments. I planted my plants in the cage and my lights are inside. I dont free range feed so i dont worry to much about him picking up some substrate. We just got our computer going again. I will see if i can get some pics up today. The only thing i dont like about the planting the plants in the cage is cleaning them. Might have to make some changes.
summoner12
Avid Member
summoner12
Avid Member
Hey everyone thanks for your suggestions its been very helpful so far.What i have been using in my other setups is reptisun 5.o uvb with 20w t8 glo(life-glo)tubes,the 20w t8 life-glo is actualy very good for taller plants close to the lights but much less affective for the smaller ones,i have always been concern about blindness using more powerful lights,i thrust hands on experience of other chameleon keepers so i will try the 48inch 54w t5 glo(life-glo)tubes.summoner thanks for the link serious reflectors and zero84 i would like to see pics sounds like a crazy setup,ill post my pics of my new custom cage in 2-3 weeks its built around a hydroponics(ebb&flow)flood table and at the same time ill put pics of my cham room central command board its all pro hydroponics equipment,temperature controllers,humidity controllers, timers...crazy stuff,anyways your suggestions have been very helpful so far plz keep them coming thanks.
I did a good bit of research at the following site as it had some good indepth info about this topic. It helped me decide between the 10.0 and the 5.0. I ended up with the 5.0, but my cage is smaller (for now).
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
Looking forward to the Pics of the cage. I'm designing my next one now.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
Looking forward to the Pics of the cage. I'm designing my next one now.
getwitit
New Member
btw..I did exactly what you see in this link posted by Summoner. I have pics of what I did if anyone wants them posted. I used a T8 ballast and retrofit the cheapest 48" T5 hood I found at Home Depot by just scrapping the electricals it came with. If I wanted to, I could have left the T5 ballast inside added my retrofit ballast inside and had two ballasts and two extension cords. One for a T5 bulb and one for a T8 bulb but I just took the T5 out and only used one side of the hood. The reason I did this in the first place was because it is NOT POSSIBLE to find a T8 hood from Home Depot with a ballast made for the Wattages of our special UVB bulbs, however, these ballasts are made for a variety of wattages. Of course a ballast running at too weak a wattage would probably work but I want to be sure my UVB is running at standard specs!
The idea in that link is a bit more complicated than what I did. I only scrapped a hood, bought plastic T8 sized connectors ($4) and a ballast ($18) and did the wiring myself (ballast comes with instructions if you are not an electrician)..in scapping a cheap T5 hood, the construction of the hood is already done for you.
The idea in that link is a bit more complicated than what I did. I only scrapped a hood, bought plastic T8 sized connectors ($4) and a ballast ($18) and did the wiring myself (ballast comes with instructions if you are not an electrician)..in scapping a cheap T5 hood, the construction of the hood is already done for you.
