So I'm going to use this as a build/ question thead.

[dshuld]

@jamest0o0 , I figured I would carry on with my questions here rather then side track the other thread more. As far as the hibiscus, I have a East facing window in the bedroom that I'm going to put the cage in front of once I'm finished. Do you think between the light coming through the window, 6 t5ho bulbs ( 2 5.0, 2 ge star coat and 2 true lumen flora or 2 5.0 and 4 ge star coat or 1 5.0, 1 flora and 4 ge star coat) plus light from a basking bulb if I go bulb instead of ceramic emitter would suffice?

I'm planning on this being bio-active but not sure what I want to run with yet entirely though. I've read you and @Andee are fantastic minds to pick in this area. I think I want armadillidium vulgare and collembola but if either of you have other suggestions I'm all ears, or eyes I suppose . Would earthworms be ok as well?

Here is where I'm at in the cage design/ build so far. Any and all recommendations on changes are always welcome . I still need to put another coat or two of poly on the base yet before I move further with adding the cleats. I'll be using cedar shims under the liner to help direct any excess water towards the two drain ports. Ignore my crappy caulk job too, figured it would be hidden under the liner so wasn't concerned with how it looked . On the door side I think I want to split the 4' span with four doors. Two for general access in the center and have the ability to swing the entire front open for maintenance.

 

[Longhorn1234]

How is your project coming along?

 

[dshuld]

Besides doing a final "blueprint" of the upper section last week and grabbing some nerve plants and dark mystery pilea from Walmart, not very far. Sadly for me, my a/c blower motor went out last Wednesday night/ Thursday morning for the house and still dealing with figuring out what's going on. Got the new motor in last night, ran for 10 minutes and stopped running again. Checked power and signals and both checked fine. Supposed to pick up another module (x13 motor) on my way home tonight and try again. Anyway, hoping to get that squared away this week and work on the enclosure some more, weather permitting, this weekend.

 

[dshuld]

Here's the final drawings of the top section, minus the stand offs for my sunblaze to rest on.

 

[Longhorn1234]

Ahh that sucks. Hopefully you can get it up and running.

The nerve plant is beautiful! What are the dimensions of your enclosure?

 

[dshuld]

4w x 2 d x 4h. for blue's living space. The base I used 1x10 for the sides and 3/4 plywood for the bottom.

Edit: I love the nerves too. I wasn't sure on the pilea at first but the little rust/ chocolate brown fern looking babies have grown on me since looking at them waiting on their home everyday lol.

 

[Longhorn1234]

That's plenty of space, I'm sure your cham will enjoy all of that.

Both are good looking plants! Have you decided what other plants you will be using?

 

[dshuld]

After talking with @Extensionofgreen on plants he (? I apologize if you're a she!!) thought would work with the light I'm using I'm going to try coleus too. Would like a different type of bush, really wanted either sea grape or hibiscus, but since my light won't be enough for either of those without rotating them out I decided to go with a bleeding heart in the center of the 2 umbrellas. But, until I can get the bleeding heart, I may just use the ficus I got for in the center. For other railways I found 25' of grape vine for $10 and some wire cored rope to make some diy vines for $7 for 75'. The rope is thin (4mm) but, for the price and length I'll twist some together to make it thicker before coating with anything.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Make sure it’s the cleradendron vine and not the perrenial that is often planted in the North. Check online for sellers. It’s also called Glory Bower.

I am indeed a he, but I’d take no offense to be called a she, as females are awesome too and obviously, you don’t know me through just my presence on the forums.

 

[Longhorn1234]

Have you had any luck with keeping hibiscus indoors without rotating them in and out? If so, would you mind sharing how you did it?

 

[Longhorn1234]

@dshuld where did you find those grape vines?
I like your idea about diy vines, let us know how they came out!

 

[dshuld]

@Extensionofgreen Lol cool, some people a bothered by it though so figured I'd toss that in just in case. Either way, you've been a tremendous help with my plant picking for the light I have.

Side note so I don't side track the kessil thread. Should I not use my truelumen floras then? 6700k bulb but skewed to the red side for a pinkish white glow. I may have over looked your reply on them in pm (?). I know we had discussed possibly running 2 5.0 bulbs spread to give move uvb area front to back. So I had thought of one of these two configurations.

Ge starcoat 6500k
Flora 6700k
Ge starcoat 6500k
Flora 6700k
5.0
Ge starcoat 6500k

Or

Ge starcoat 6500k
5.0
Flora
Ge starcoat 6500k
Flora
5.0

I do have some spectralux 6500's I can use too. They are heavy blue though and didn't care for how they made my tanks looked when I first got them so they've been in my closet lol.

@Longhorn1234
http://www.craftoutlet.com/25-natur...MI_OW96_v41gIVFLXACh2h-AOIEAQYAiABEgKNz_D_BwE

This the place for the grape vine and the rope too. There is an ad on etsy for 100' of grape vine but it's single strand vs the garland type. I liked the garland type cause it's bunched up smaller strands together already. The rope is jute and while I like the moss green color itself, I do want to do them diy vine style to seal the wire in a silicone casing to keep the water off it. They also have a moss vine I liked but after further inspection is faux moss lol.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

6,700k is not perfect, but, coupled with a couple basking halogens, it will “balance” the spectrum and help cancel out the extra blue in the 6,700s.

 

[dshuld]

That's the thing, there is no blue to them visually. Atm, i have 4 of the ge and 2 of the flora for a perfect white light. By themselves the flora are a pink white. They are great example of kelvin not representing spectral output lol.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I think hibiscus can work, but it depends on the variety of hibiscus. Many common patio varieties are not easily kept, without insect problems and weak growth, as are gardenias. You could ask an online seller which varieties that recommend for best results. Something more compact.

 

[dshuld]

The pink at the bottom is the one I'm referring to. It's rated at 6700k but is skewed red. If you think I shouldn't run it due to messing with his eyes I won't of course. Just curious really as I'm more used to lighting for aquarium plants as I'm sure you may have picked up from my baby tears question lol. I'm trying to soak up your knowledge on this side of the plant world truly lol.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Looking from top to bottom of that photo, I’d see what the overall look was by having the order of the bulbs be ( on visible color of the bulbs above ) white, blue, red, purple, white. If it doesn’t look too red or blue, see how the chamelon behaves.

 

[dshuld]

Ok, maybe I'll try 1 then and see how he does. I'll pair it next to a spectralux to help cancel the blue I see from it.

 

[dshuld]

@Extensionofgreen , in our pm you mentioned philodendron being a possibility. Would a xanadu be ok/ best fit for my enclosure and light combo?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

It should do fine. Just as an FYI, many lists state the philodendrons are toxic, but they just have oxalate crystals that cause nausea and mouth irritation, same as pothos and many other plants. If the chamelons were eating large amounts of it, I may be concerned, but @jpowell86 and myself, and I’m sure many other keepers have used them successfully.