Updating lighting

Reptilelady · May 30, 2018

Hello everyone,
This weather has been weird. Yesterday was extremely hot and today is cooler. Anyways, since I have dyno's current setup with half screen/open been noticing its more of a pain in the arse so was thinking about closing the top with a piece of plywood and screwing in the zoomed T5HO fixture. He usually basks under the megaray in the morning, once afternoon hits he avoids it and tries to go on the cooler side of the terrarium. I think he just reached the out of younger hot basking temps. He likes the temps around 90-95 but nothing really over that. I am thinking of just giving him the 36" tube + more control and mount inside so he has the proper UVB. Here is his current setup and let me know if that sounds right to you.

The extra heat bulb only on because its cooler today but I turn it off in the afternoon.
Thanks!

kingofnobbys · May 30, 2018

The UV tube needs to moved in its reflector hood so it is UNDER the mesh lid & one end is as close as possible to the basking spot.

See viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611 .
Essentially the issues are :
>> the screen blocks a big part of UVA & UVB and can actually cancel all the benefits of a reflector hood entirely.
>> the screen forces the UV source to be too far away .... aiming for about 200 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot & 100 microW UVB / sq.cm elsewhere.

Regarding upgrading the basking globe .... I'd stay with same wattage basking globe and substitute a ceramic heat emitter controlled by a dimming thermostat who's temperature probe is reading the air temperature in the warm zone ( aim is to keep it at about 35 degC during the day , while the basking spot says in the range 38 to 40 degC during the day.
If it's a hot day ,the CHE will be dimmed down so far it's essentially "OFF" , while on cooler days the CHE will add enough radiant and convective heat to hold the warm zone and basking spot at the temperatures needed.

Reptilelady · May 31, 2018

I will be mounting the 36" ZooMed Fixture under the screen and next to it a basking bulb. I will also cut out a hole for the basking lamp to be inside since having the heat lamp on top of screen cuts out the heat as well. I am also looking to get a thermostat so I will be able to plug in and use for a CHE.

Reptilelady · May 31, 2018

Almost there... having to fix a couple of things but how does it look so far?

I have the Reptisun 36" T5HO 10.0 linear bulb mounted UNDER the SCREEN MESH. I also have an adjustable inside mounted basking bulb. What is great it is a dimmable switch and so now I am testing the temperatures before putting Dyno back inside.

CooperDragon · Jun 1, 2018

I like it!

Larysa · Jun 3, 2018

Sorry, this is slightly off-topic, but, reptilelady - where did you get that amazing background?!?!

Reptilelady · Jun 5, 2018

Larysa":qj7pci9f said:
Sorry, this is slightly off-topic, but, reptilelady - where did you get that amazing background?!?!

No worries. I got the background from http://petbackdrops.com/
This is the exact one I have: https://www.petbackdrops.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=66_72&product_id=307
They have plenty of backgrounds to choose from and you can also upload your own

Larysa · Jun 6, 2018

Reptilelady":2tslpb0d said:
No worries.

Awesome, thanks.
Of course, you're in the USA... You guys have ALL the cool stuff!!!
Mind you, we have the wild beardies, but not the cool herp stuff..

Thanks, again.

CooperDragon · Jun 6, 2018

If you have a print shop near you they might be able to do a large format print of a photo for you. You can take a photo of part of their natural habitat and have a custom backdrop printed out that way. The backdrop I have is a photo I took from the hills outside of Adelaide.

Reptilelady · Jun 26, 2018

Here is the finished setup for Dynos enclosure. I put his other 24" reptisun tube on the cool side and as well as having the Megaray bulb on the far left as possible as he performs the best with this bulb = Activity + appetite

Plus he did not like the hanging bulb above his head.
How does it look overall? He just finished gobbling down a bunch of organic dandelion greens and I just happen to snap as he was yawning

P.S. Also found him a cool looking rock to lay on and he absolutely loves it <3

CooperDragon · Jun 26, 2018

Looks great! He looks like a happy camper in there too =)

Updating lighting

Reptilelady

Sub-Adult Member

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko

Reptilelady

Sub-Adult Member

Reptilelady

Sub-Adult Member

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko

Larysa

Member

Reptilelady

Sub-Adult Member

Larysa

Member

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko

Reptilelady

Sub-Adult Member

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Forum statistics

Share this page