Need help w/ lighting

haryr

New Member
Hello! I have been doing research on chameleons as I think they are fascinating, and currently considering getting one for myself. Understanding everything was pretty easy, until lighting. There are just so many choices, and complications, such as living in CA where incandescents are banned. I plan on having a 2'x2'x4', and using a MistKing system for humidity, but I've heard that halogen bulbs explode when in contact with water. I plan to use a reptisun 10.0 22", and maybe a 6.5k daylight bulb, as I heard they were good for plant growth/heat, but I'm having a hard time with basking bulbs. People usually recommend an incandescent, or halogen, but I don't want to fry my chameleon with the halogen, and incandescents are banned where I live (as previously mentioned). I also have a question with the sizes of bulbs/fixtures, as I read a thread where people discussed 22" bulbs fit in a 24" fixture, and now I am confused as to whether I should get a 22" fixture or a 24" fixture for the 22" reptisun bulb. Would something like this( http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/fixtures/t5-high-output/?sort=featured&page=1) work for the reptisun bulb/daylight bulb? Sorry for the long description/questions, just want to get everything a-ok before I buy a chameleon.
 
With the 2x2x4 you want a 5.0/6% 22"(t5HO), single reflector. Not the 10.0/12%, its too high for most people, and should not be used with out a meter. You can bump up the light by getting a double bulb setup that has 1 reflector per tube, and buying a 6.5k daylight.

The 22"/24" is confusing. The bulb is 22", the "hood" is 24". I dont know why they market them like that, but no T5HO is going to be 24/36/48. They are going to be 22/34/46.

Halogen is the bulb of choice for basking. You want them to be 35-75 watts on average, wide flood style. You goal is to heat up "an area" to around 88-92f. For me i was fine with 50 watts, and right now i use 4, 35 watt bulbs in a row(about 4-6" apart) to heat up a 18" long area.

99% of halogens will not explode when coming into contact with water. The 99% are a halogen bulb, inside of another thick glass bulb, so you can never physically touch the bulb. they make them this way because pure halogen bulbs put out a lot of UVB, an most uses do not want it.

Bulb in bulb:
41Nbqy0jYPL._AC_.jpg



Raw bulb:
54263_11_33df3ccd-c984-456f-81e5-3a45cd7398ed.jpg


jtype123.jpg
 
Wow! Wasn't expecting a reply so quickly, thanks for clearing that up! I now have a different question as I am confused about which bulb (Arcadia/Reptisun) I should use. Personally, I really see no difference in the two but would like some insight from a more experienced person. Thanks :)
 
Hello! I am a new chameleon owner as well, we just received our baby veiled today. We are using the linear 5.0 T5HO UVB bulb in our 24x24x48 enclosure as well but we bought a 100W ceramic heat emitter for the basking bulb that I think was a mistake as it doesn't seem to heat up the basking spot above 75F and I have our temperature probe set up right next to the basking spot, which is probably about 6-8 inches from the top. I was thinking of replacing the ceramic emitter with a halogen bulb as you suggested here, but I'm having trouble find one that is actually 75W, as they all seem to be energy efficient now that advertise 75W equivalent. For example I found this one on Amazon, would this be recommended? Or is there another brand/model that is recommended for a halogen flood bulb? Thanks!!

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-4195...words=75w+halogen+flood&qid=1587155298&sr=8-9
 
zoomed reptisunt t5 5.o linear, or a linear arcadia 6%.
heatwise, any lightbulb that generates enough heat is fine.
 
Wow! Wasn't expecting a reply so quickly, thanks for clearing that up! I now have a different question as I am confused about which bulb (Arcadia/Reptisun) I should use. Personally, I really see no difference in the two but would like some insight from a more experienced person. Thanks :)

im 90% sure that both bulbs are made side by side at the same german bulb plant. Neither company makes their own, they just have another company make them according to their specs. They are all 6 phosphor and very high quality. Id just get the one that is easiest to aquire. Reptisun makes a 22" hood with replaceable 6.5k leds as a kit for example.
 
Also, what lamp should I put the halogen in? Do I buy one at the pet store, or hardware store?

It all depends on how you mount it, and how much protection you need. I run mine as just a floating socket, but for others you might want a aluminum hood of a certain shape so it fits and is the right height. I can only recomend that you get a ceramic socket style, but the hood shape is up to you.
 
Hello! I am a new chameleon owner as well, we just received our baby veiled today. We are using the linear 5.0 T5HO UVB bulb in our 24x24x48 enclosure as well but we bought a 100W ceramic heat emitter for the basking bulb that I think was a mistake as it doesn't seem to heat up the basking spot above 75F and I have our temperature probe set up right next to the basking spot, which is probably about 6-8 inches from the top. I was thinking of replacing the ceramic emitter with a halogen bulb as you suggested here, but I'm having trouble find one that is actually 75W, as they all seem to be energy efficient now that advertise 75W equivalent. For example I found this one on Amazon, would this be recommended? Or is there another brand/model that is recommended for a halogen flood bulb? Thanks!!

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-4195...words=75w+halogen+flood&qid=1587155298&sr=8-9

You want a "wide flood". What you picked is a narrow spot. It will make one hard to aim spot that is very hot. Instead look for a "flood" light of at least 30 degrees.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BYZ2YE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BTRYW1A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is my exact setup. I find the "click in" bulbs to last a lot longer than the 1500 hour screw in ones. I get about 2-3 years at 12 hours a day.
 
Thank you so much that is very helpful!!! So i have one of these hoods:

https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Mini...sun+dome&qid=1587161066&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-1

Which needs the standard screw in bulbs. So something like this should probably work then I'm thinking:

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-70PAR38-FL-120V-Replacement/dp/B016N64PM8/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=75w+halogen+flood&qid=1587160942&s=hi&sr=1-11&th=1

That looks like it has a ceramic base, so it should be good. Worse case you may have to raise the unit it up 3-6" so you dont get a burn, and you may want to angle it so you you dont get a hot spot. Other than that, just dont hook it to a dimmer. They say they dim, but if the halogen bulb runs cool, then the halogen cycle stops, and the bulb burns out much quicker.
 
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