judkins01808
New member
Currently working on a custom enclosure. I’m literally at the VERY beginning (just finished stripping old paint and disassembling), but planning ahead for the rest. Once finished, the tank will be around 37x18x23.5 (this is a guesstimate Bc I’m gonna make custom rock walls, but the walls under the fake rock will be this). This makes it about a 67gal tank (approximately).
Now I have these lights I’m going to use, one for the CHE, and one for a basking (flood) type light). There’s gonna be an electrical compartment in the top with Quad GFCI outlets (junction box (grounded of course)for everything to plug into (with timers for day/night cycles). Also putting my vents on bottom of cool side, and top of basking side (might put top and bottom on both sides, I’ll just use vents I can close in case we or my beardie prefer one side over the other or whatnot). The cables will be hidden behind the “rock” walls and go into the top to the junction box. This way there’s only one cable coming out of the enclosure to plug into the outside.
Now my issue....for my uvb I’m looking at writhed the Arcadia 10%/12%/14% UVB T5 HO light in a T5 fixture (of course) with reflector.
All my lighting (UVB tube, CHE, Basking) will be inside the enclosure (and yes, I will ensure that my little friend can’t get close enough to touch them)
Now my questions:
1) What length fixture/bulb? Do I need (37” wide)? I’m thinking the 24” fixture with 22” bulb. And what percent (10%/12%/14%)?
1a) Also torn between the bulb I mentioned (10%/12%/14% UVB T5 HO) and the Arcadia Arcadia D3 12% UVB T5 Bulb - 22". Which one would be better for my little one?
2) Is the T5 too strong with the small height of 23.5” floor to ceiling?
-If it is then I can go to T8 and mount inside as planned
also. I could also (if needed) recess the T5 into the top
space to gain a few extra inches for it to be further
away. I can build up the fake rock to put him in the
“sweet spot” if needed for basking.
3) If I have to go to a T8, what fixtures or bulbs are good?
4) What Watt CFE and spot light for basking do you think I might need?
-they will both be on dimmers also so I can turn down to
get my temps right if needed
Any other suggestions would be great. Everything will be sealed inside and given plenty of time to air out and I’ve done extensive reading on types of paint/sealer/etc to use and I’m prob gonna do 1.5-2x the airing out time to ensure no harshness is still in the air before I even think of him going in there.
I don’t have any pics of the enclosure so far, as it’s all taken apart. I’m also going to go with a Grand Canyon theme inside. All three walls will be fake rock almost all the way up (if not all the way up).
Now I have these lights I’m going to use, one for the CHE, and one for a basking (flood) type light). There’s gonna be an electrical compartment in the top with Quad GFCI outlets (junction box (grounded of course)for everything to plug into (with timers for day/night cycles). Also putting my vents on bottom of cool side, and top of basking side (might put top and bottom on both sides, I’ll just use vents I can close in case we or my beardie prefer one side over the other or whatnot). The cables will be hidden behind the “rock” walls and go into the top to the junction box. This way there’s only one cable coming out of the enclosure to plug into the outside.
Now my issue....for my uvb I’m looking at writhed the Arcadia 10%/12%/14% UVB T5 HO light in a T5 fixture (of course) with reflector.
All my lighting (UVB tube, CHE, Basking) will be inside the enclosure (and yes, I will ensure that my little friend can’t get close enough to touch them)
Now my questions:
1) What length fixture/bulb? Do I need (37” wide)? I’m thinking the 24” fixture with 22” bulb. And what percent (10%/12%/14%)?
1a) Also torn between the bulb I mentioned (10%/12%/14% UVB T5 HO) and the Arcadia Arcadia D3 12% UVB T5 Bulb - 22". Which one would be better for my little one?
2) Is the T5 too strong with the small height of 23.5” floor to ceiling?
-If it is then I can go to T8 and mount inside as planned
also. I could also (if needed) recess the T5 into the top
space to gain a few extra inches for it to be further
away. I can build up the fake rock to put him in the
“sweet spot” if needed for basking.
3) If I have to go to a T8, what fixtures or bulbs are good?
4) What Watt CFE and spot light for basking do you think I might need?
-they will both be on dimmers also so I can turn down to
get my temps right if needed
Any other suggestions would be great. Everything will be sealed inside and given plenty of time to air out and I’ve done extensive reading on types of paint/sealer/etc to use and I’m prob gonna do 1.5-2x the airing out time to ensure no harshness is still in the air before I even think of him going in there.
I don’t have any pics of the enclosure so far, as it’s all taken apart. I’m also going to go with a Grand Canyon theme inside. All three walls will be fake rock almost all the way up (if not all the way up).