Lighting setup

timus

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I figured I’d make another post and hope that someone could offer some recommendations on the lighting. Here is what I have for each 4x2 section of the 8 foot chamber. An Arcadia 3 foot jungle dawn led bar, a 3 foot Arcadia 12% uvb fixture, and a 65 watt flood bulb. I’m hoping to have good ambient lighting that can keep plants growing well. I don’t want all the lighting to come on at one time though. And I don’t know how I’d go about doing them at different times as I planned to put a basking bulb at each end and then the Arcadia set ups running the rest of the distance. I have the line in the middle I’d like to keep all the lighting on. I have two apc surge protectors that have 4 timed outlets and one always on. I also have a ve thermostat I’d like to keep the basking bulbs on but just am unsure of how to get it all set up. And I’m sure that racking my brains at bit more I may come up with something but there’s got to be someone who has already done the brain racking? I’m so sorry for all the long posts as well?
 

Tom

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I figured I’d make another post and hope that someone could offer some recommendations on the lighting. Here is what I have for each 4x2 section of the 8 foot chamber. An Arcadia 3 foot jungle dawn led bar, a 3 foot Arcadia 12% uvb fixture, and a 65 watt flood bulb. I’m hoping to have good ambient lighting that can keep plants growing well. I don’t want all the lighting to come on at one time though. And I don’t know how I’d go about doing them at different times as I planned to put a basking bulb at each end and then the Arcadia set ups running the rest of the distance. I have the line in the middle I’d like to keep all the lighting on. I have two apc surge protectors that have 4 timed outlets and one always on. I also have a ve thermostat I’d like to keep the basking bulbs on but just am unsure of how to get it all set up. And I’m sure that racking my brains at bit more I may come up with something but there’s got to be someone who has already done the brain racking? I’m so sorry for all the long posts as well?
Sounds like too much to me.

You only need one basking lamp on one end. Set it on a timer for about 12 hours.

LEDs on each half will light it up nicely during the day. These can be on the same timer as the basking bulb, or you can stagger them to make a dawn and dusk if you like.

You only need one UV tube. I'd set this on a timer for 1-3 hours mid day only. This will simulate the mid day UV spike that happens outside every day. No need for indoor UV if your tortoise is getting some sunshine in the warmer months.

What about ambient heat? What species are you housing and what is the room temp?
 

timus

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May 19, 2015
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There will be 4 hatchling western hermanns going on the chamber. My original plan was to have it cut off for awhile while they are still very young as the breeder recommended smaller while younger and I thought I read somewhere on the forums here that smaller may be better at first as well. From what I gather though the smaller when younger was only recommended to be able to locate and check on them more easily. I’m not concerned with things being easier though so I’d really really love to just give them full run of the full 8 feet right away. In thinking of the full a foot being open to them right away I did think that the two basking bulbs and 2 uvb would be a bit much. I also wanted to be prepared if a situation were to arise with any of them bullying so I didn’t mind having extra lighting lol. I do plan on keeping them outdoors most of the year once they are a bit older. We are looking to purchase a home soon and I don’t want to sink a bunch of money into an outdoor enclosure where we are currently renting. We are approved for the home loan but just haven’t found that perfect or close to it yet house. I need at least an acre. Preferably more lol. We run a big garden every year, have lots of outdoor stuff for our two daughters and I will be looking to go rather spacious on the outdoor pens. Anyways the room temps are generally no higher than around 74-78 in the summer and no lower 65 in the winter.
 

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