Advice About LED and Flood Lights

Reggie

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Last Fall I came to the Forum and received great help with setting up one of our bedrooms as an enclosure for our 6 year old Leopard tortoise, Reggie. We are heating the room with a oil filled heater. The temp averages 79 - 84 in various parts of the room. The room is 10' x 11' and we have 24" UV T5 HO lights set up on two opposing sides of the room, along with a 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs close to the UVB bulbs. The floods are only warming the basking area to around 85-86. I tried grouping two flood bulbs together but that didn't increase the temp. I'm concerned about lowering it too close. Any thoughts on how I can improve that?

I've read on the Forum the importance of the right light for tortoises. The room needs more ambient light and am looking for your advice. In addition to the two UVB bulbs, we have a ceiling light and a regular house lamp with a 100 watt bulb in the room, which was meant to be temporary until I figured it out. I guess that's where I am now. I've read here about using a 5000 LED light with a CR of above 90. What do these lights look like? What type of fixture is needed? How do I determine the right size and how many lights I need? Judging by the way the light from the UVB and floods shed their light, I am guessing we need to supply the light at about that same level for Reggie to benefit from the brightness.

I have appreciated all the help you have been. Looking forward to your suggestions.
 

jaizei

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I've read here about using a 5000 LED light with a CR of above 90. What do these lights look like? What type of fixture is needed?

You can find LED lights that fit this criteria in just about any form you want. The 90+ CRI will probably be the more difficult one to match because the cheaper/off brand LED are often in the 70-80s if they list a CRI at all.
 

Tom

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Last Fall I came to the Forum and received great help with setting up one of our bedrooms as an enclosure for our 6 year old Leopard tortoise, Reggie. We are heating the room with a oil filled heater. The temp averages 79 - 84 in various parts of the room. The room is 10' x 11' and we have 24" UV T5 HO lights set up on two opposing sides of the room, along with a 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs close to the UVB bulbs. The floods are only warming the basking area to around 85-86. I tried grouping two flood bulbs together but that didn't increase the temp. I'm concerned about lowering it too close. Any thoughts on how I can improve that?

I've read on the Forum the importance of the right light for tortoises. The room needs more ambient light and am looking for your advice. In addition to the two UVB bulbs, we have a ceiling light and a regular house lamp with a 100 watt bulb in the room, which was meant to be temporary until I figured it out. I guess that's where I am now. I've read here about using a 5000 LED light with a CR of above 90. What do these lights look like? What type of fixture is needed? How do I determine the right size and how many lights I need? Judging by the way the light from the UVB and floods shed their light, I am guessing we need to supply the light at about that same level for Reggie to benefit from the brightness.

I have appreciated all the help you have been. Looking forward to your suggestions.
65 watt floods are good for starting babies in relatively small enclosures. For a room sized enclosure, you need at least a couple of much higher wattage bulbs. Probably 150s at least and maybe 250s. Be sure to carefully set the height for the correct temperature at tortoise carapace height. The extra heat generated by these bulbs should make your oil heater run less, so it should be a wash as far as electricity usage.

You can buy LED strips that are ready to plug in and use at Home Depot or Walmart. Or you can buy screw in bulbs for use in any normal light fixture. You can buy fixtures at Home Depot too, if needed.
 

Reggie

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Thank you both very much. It's a huge help. You are the best!

Tom, congratulations on your new falconry apprenticeship. I look forward to watching your stories.
 

Tom

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Thank you both very much. It's a huge help. You are the best!

Tom, congratulations on your new falconry apprenticeship. I look forward to watching your stories.
Thank you for the congratulations. That is an old thread. The apprenticeship ended in 2018. I will officially be a "Master Falconer" next year.
 

Reggie

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Oh wow! I was not very observant! Thanks for taking the time to set me straight. You are an ambitious guy!
 

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