Show me your bio active setup!

[Beman]

(Unfortunately posted it in the wrong thread, however can´t remove it)

Finally finished the bio active setup. Mounted an extra plant grow led strip in the lower third part of the enclosure. Otherwise the dense foliage keeps away too much light from the bottom plants.

Placed a 2” drainage layer and another 5-6” of mixed soil layer. Created some privacy behind the fern and log for the eventual egg laying.

Added an army of springtails and white wood lice. Only need some more leaf litter (it was sold out)

Plant list:

• Spider plant
• Umbrella plant
• Pothos
• Lipstick plant
• Tree fern
• Paper plant
• Madagascar Jasmine
• Silver Sword
• Rattlesnake plant
• Bromelia (Neoregelia ampullacea)

View attachment 294701
View attachment 294702
View attachment 294703
View attachment 294704

It looks beautiful. May I ask what species do you have? Also is your UVB in the far back of the enclosure?

 

[Sonny13]

.

 

[Sonny13]

It looks beautiful. May I ask what species do you have? Also is your UVB in the far back of the enclosure?

Thanks

. I got a Veiled in there. I’ve got one in the back and one in the front. The back one is angled in such manner it hits the basking spot at about 6”. After basking she moves to a point without any artificial light and/or explores the enclosure (searching for food

) and then goes back to her basking spot and by time leaves again and so on and so on......colors stay for 90% the same (normal green without spots) Sometimes she gets darker when basking, mainly after a long exploring session.

Already thought about moving it more to the middle.

 

[Beman]

Thanks

. I got a Veiled in there. I’ve got one in the back and one in the front. The back one is angled in such manner it hits the basking spot at about 6”. After basking she moves to a point without any artificial light and/or explores the enclosure (searching for food

) and then goes back to her basking spot and by time leaves again and so on and so on......colors stay for 90% the same (normal green without spots) Sometimes she gets darker when basking, mainly after a long exploring session.

Already thought about moving it more to the middle.

What fixture type and bulb strength are you using with the 6 inch distance to branch?

 

[Sonny13]

What fixture type and bulb strength are you using with the 6 inch distance to branch?

Got the ZooMed Reptisun T5 HO fixture with a T5 HO 5.0 24w bulb. In the front the same only the 15w.

 

[Beman]

Got the ZooMed Reptisun T5 HO fixture with a T5 HO 5.0 24w bulb. In the front the same only the 15w.

You will want to raise the fixture a bit... 6 inches to the branch below will put your girl above a 6 uvi level which is outside the safe UVI parameters. Typical distance on these fixtures with this bulb strength is going to be 8-9 inches to the branch below it to get a 3-4 UVI range from branch to top of the back.

You really only need the one UVB fixture as well. She needs to be able to move out of it if she wants to. I would consider replacing the front t5 fixture's bulb with a 6400 or 6500k plant light. Since it sounds like she prefers that back basking area and is getting her heat with her UVB.

 

[Sonny13]

You will want to raise the fixture a bit... 6 inches to the branch below will put your girl above a 6 uvi level which is outside the safe UVI parameters. Typical distance on these fixtures with this bulb strength is going to be 8-9 inches to the branch below it to get a 3-4 UVI range from branch to top of the back.

You really only need the one UVB fixture as well. She needs to be able to move out of it if she wants to. I would consider replacing the front t5 fixture's bulb with a 6400 or 6500k plant light. Since it sounds like she prefers that back basking area and is getting her heat with her UVB.

Good point, thanks for the advise. Really was in the assumption, 6” would be okay. No props will do it directly, easy job and just for the best of her. I already had fixture for the smaller enclosure (bad advise petstore) and its a Reptisun Led/UVB and using it as a plant light, however haven’t thought about putting in a 6400 - 6500k plant light bulb, great tip . Used the UVB bulb as an extra and also assuming it would be good the plants.

Plants are growing as crazy. Even the pothos which is directly under the back UVB. No burn spots or anything. Just keeps growing and growing.

 

[Beman]

Good point, thanks for the advise. Really was in the assumption, 6” would be okay. No props will do it directly, easy job and just for the best of her. I already had fixture for the smaller enclosure (bad advise petstore) and its a Reptisun Led/UVB and using it as a plant light, however haven’t thought about putting in a 6400 - 6500k plant light bulb, great tip . Used the UVB bulb as an extra and also assuming it would be good the plants.

Plants are growing as crazy. Even the pothos which is directly under the back UVB. No burn spots or anything. Just keeps growing and growing.

Yes, you have done a wonderful job with the enclosure.

The highest UVB that a Veiled has been raised under is a 6 UVI level. So we know that up to 6 UVI is still safe. Your levels jump really fast though moving toward the fixture. If you had a solarmeter 6.5 you would be shocked at how high they get a few inches down. And vise versa they reduce quite fast moving away from the fixture once you get passed 12-15 inches it is virtually nothing for UVI.

For example 1 inch below the screen I get a 15.5, 3 inches below the screen I get a 10.2. Then I have my branches exactly 8.5 inches down. This gives me a 3 at the branch and a 4UVI at the top of the back. Now if I go 14 inches down I pull a 0.5 UVI level.
I run single bulb t5 fixture with a 6% Uvb bulb. Of course fixture type, bulb strength and even the material that the screen is will give you different UVI readings then the next person. So this is why we say for what your using your looking at the 8-9 inch distance for the sweet spot.

So it is an extreme unsafe high level to drastic reduction to nothing.

I am using these daylight bulbs. I really like them and they put out great light. I would recommend them over others if you want to replace that front UVB bulb with a daylight bulb. https://www.bigalspets.com/zoo-med-ultra-sun-6500k-super-daylight-t5-ho-lamps.html

 

[Sonny13]

Yes, you have done a wonderful job with the enclosure.

The highest UVB that a Veiled has been raised under is a 6 UVI level. So we know that up to 6 UVI is still safe. Your levels jump really fast though moving toward the fixture. If you had a solarmeter 6.5 you would be shocked at how high they get a few inches down. And vise versa they reduce quite fast moving away from the fixture once you get passed 12-15 inches it is virtually nothing for UVI.

For example 1 inch below the screen I get a 15.5, 3 inches below the screen I get a 10.2. Then I have my branches exactly 8.5 inches down. This gives me a 3 at the branch and a 4UVI at the top of the back. Now if I go 14 inches down I pull a 0.5 UVI level.
I run single bulb t5 fixture with a 6% Uvb bulb. Of course fixture type, bulb strength and even the material that the screen is will give you different UVI readings then the next person. So this is why we say for what your using your looking at the 8-9 inch distance for the sweet spot.

So it is an extreme unsafe high level to drastic reduction to nothing.

I am using these daylight bulbs. I really like them and they put out great light. I would recommend them over others if you want to replace that front UVB bulb with a daylight bulb. https://www.bigalspets.com/zoo-med-ultra-sun-6500k-super-daylight-t5-ho-lamps.html

Check, this is useful information. Gonna rise it 3” , it‘s easy done. Also going to try and get my hands on a solarmeter 6.5, because now I’m really curious about the actual values.

Order an ultra sun 6500 directly

Cheers

 

[Beman]

Check, this is useful information. Gonna rise it 3” , it‘s easy done. Also going to try and get my hands on a solarmeter 6.5, because now I’m really curious about the actual values.

Order an ultra sun 6500 directly

Cheers

Your welcome.