- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 310
Hi everyone! I finally got my tortoise's new enclosure delivered after several months of waiting. It's 6'x3', which I know is still below the minimum recommended dimensions, but that is the size I can accommodate in my home right now and it's a hell of a lot bigger than what she's been living in.
That said, I am running into a problem: I don't know what to do about lighting. The guy that built the enclosure put 3 hood lamps on the top, and I was hoping to find one bulb for UV, one for daytime heat (regular incandescent) and something for at night, which I might just leave empty, we'll see what happens.
I am pretty sure that the MVB that I am using currently is going to be far too hot in there, but I don't actually know?? If nothing else I feel like the fixtures he stuck on there aren't going to be sufficient for an MVB. And the compact fluorescent UV lights are all bad for their eyes, right? So what the heck do I do? I could get a grow light but I wasn't sure which one to get so I didn't buy one when I went to the hydroponics place.. (I did however get a butt-load of the clay balls for the bottom layer of the bioactive substrate I'll be using).
One other thing.. I need to line the bottom of the enclosure with something. It is sealed against water damage, but the three sections are not sealed together. I asked for it to be made in 3 pieces so I can move it if I need to. I haven't had any luck finding something that will work! I've seen people using pond liners, but I don't need a whole one.. and they're expensive! Same with the linoleum.. I don't know any contractors with scrap linoleum lying around or I would ask. If this wasn't going to be a bioactive setup I wouldn't be concerned about it.
That said, I am running into a problem: I don't know what to do about lighting. The guy that built the enclosure put 3 hood lamps on the top, and I was hoping to find one bulb for UV, one for daytime heat (regular incandescent) and something for at night, which I might just leave empty, we'll see what happens.
I am pretty sure that the MVB that I am using currently is going to be far too hot in there, but I don't actually know?? If nothing else I feel like the fixtures he stuck on there aren't going to be sufficient for an MVB. And the compact fluorescent UV lights are all bad for their eyes, right? So what the heck do I do? I could get a grow light but I wasn't sure which one to get so I didn't buy one when I went to the hydroponics place.. (I did however get a butt-load of the clay balls for the bottom layer of the bioactive substrate I'll be using).
One other thing.. I need to line the bottom of the enclosure with something. It is sealed against water damage, but the three sections are not sealed together. I asked for it to be made in 3 pieces so I can move it if I need to. I haven't had any luck finding something that will work! I've seen people using pond liners, but I don't need a whole one.. and they're expensive! Same with the linoleum.. I don't know any contractors with scrap linoleum lying around or I would ask. If this wasn't going to be a bioactive setup I wouldn't be concerned about it.