4x2x2 Lighting Setup

[Zaphyrus]

Hi all,

So I've finally taken the plunge and purchased a 4x2x2 enclosure (Zen Habitats) for my little guy that'll be coming this week. As I prep to move him from his current 40 gallon breeder into it, I wanted to make sure I've got everything I need for this larger setup in regard to lighting/heat.

His current lighting setup:
34" Arcadia 12% T5 UVB strip on top of 40 gallon breeder going through a screen (currently 8ish inches from basking ledge)
100w Zoomed Basking bulb
Current temps: 86-90 (air), 105-110 surface basking temp, 75-80 cool side.

New equipment:
34" Arcadia 14% T5 UVB strip (planning to have this hang inside the new enclosure)
100w Arcadia Halogen bulb for basking area
80w Arcadia Deep Heat for middle of enclosure (been reading up and some diagrams of a 4x2x2 setup have an optional one in the middle of the enclosure).

My main concerns at the moment are:
Will I need to get a 48" long UVB strip or can I get by with this 34"?
If so, does the strip need to be shifted more to the basking side or so I just have it centered in the enclosure?
For the Deep Heat bulb, I assume this is mainly for a less drastic gradient?

Also, any recommendations for in-enclosure mounting? I was planning to zip-tie the UVB in to the provided bars under the screen, but not sure how to go about the halogen deep heat.

Any insight or feedback is appreciated!

 

[hdochow]

your current 12% uvb will be fine for a 4'x2'x2'. it's what i use. it is inside the tank with a long grape vine under it so he has a good range of options for basking (pictures in my profile). inside the tank you want it 12"-15" above the basking spot.

 

[Zaphyrus]

your current 12% uvb will be fine for a 4'x2'x2'. it's what i use. it is inside the tank with a long grape vine under it so he has a good range of options for basking (pictures in my profile). inside the tank you want it 12"-15" above the basking spot.

Thanks for the response! Gotcha on the distance - I figured it'd need to be further away since there's no mesh cutting down the UV-B but I'll definitely go off those measurements. It seems like Arcadia is pushing the 14% Dragon bulb for larger enclosures. With that said, I did already pick one up to replace the current 12% bulb that probably is due to be swapped out in a couple months anyway. Should I just make sure the distance is even further? (18" or more from basking spot if I'm putting it inside?)

 

[hdochow]

i believe that around 18" is correct for the 14% but i'm not 100% sure. there will be others on at some point today that can verify. the nice thing about the arcadia bulbs is they only need to be replaced once a year instead of twice.

 

[Claudiusx]

18-24 inches is the recommended distance. 18 being the absolute closest. I'd stick to the 20-22 range for the 14%. It's a strong bulb.

-Brandon