Heating/Lighting Schedule

[Mrgeez]

After researching the heck out of this forum, I decided on my heating/lighting daily schedule.

Heating - Heat is produced from 12 CHE’s on the ceiling of my enclosure, each emitting 150 Watts. Heat is controlled by a Meross Smart Temperature Controller with WIFI. To best simulate daily temps, it will ramp up and down from 68 - 80 degrees daily. This controller is working flawlessly during my current testing phase.

Lighting - Lighting is controlled by (2) Kasa Smart Power Strips with WIFI. These provide the enclosure with 12 programmable receptacles. Again I am trying to simulate a natural lighting scenario the best I can. 1st the room lights (outside my enclosure) come on. Next to illuminate the actual enclosure I have 2 separate groups of LED UVA lights that illuminate 2 hours apart.

LED T5 Integrated Single Fixture, 4FT, 2200lm, 6500K (Super Bright White), 20W, Utility Shop Light, Ceiling and Under Cabinet Light, ETL Listed, Corded Electric with ON/Off Switch, 8 Pack​

These are by far the nicest lights I have ever purchased! Last, after all enclosure lighting goes off for the day, I have (8) mini 1 watt LED’s that dimly light the pitch black enclosure.
Basking and soaking lights are either Arcadia floods or Fluker Reptile Spots.
My 3 UVB lights are Arcadia Pro T5 Desert.
The Kasa smart strips are extremely easy to program and they also are working flawlessly.

Below is the schedule I have decided on. As usual, if anyone notices anything wrong, PLEASE respond.

 

[zovick]

After researching the heck out of this forum, I decided on my heating/lighting daily schedule.

Heating - Heat is produced from 12 CHE’s on the ceiling of my enclosure, each emitting 150 Watts. Heat is controlled by a Meross Smart Temperature Controller with WIFI. To best simulate daily temps, it will ramp up and down from 68 - 80 degrees daily. This controller is working flawlessly during my current testing phase.

Lighting - Lighting is controlled by (2) Kasa Smart Power Strips with WIFI. These provide the enclosure with 12 programmable receptacles. Again I am trying to simulate a natural lighting scenario the best I can. 1st the room lights (outside my enclosure) come on. Next to illuminate the actual enclosure I have 2 separate groups of LED UVA lights that illuminate 2 hours apart.

LED T5 Integrated Single Fixture, 4FT, 2200lm, 6500K (Super Bright White), 20W, Utility Shop Light, Ceiling and Under Cabinet Light, ETL Listed, Corded Electric with ON/Off Switch, 8 Pack​

These are by far the nicest lights I have ever purchased! Last, after all enclosure lighting goes off for the day, I have (8) mini 1 watt LED’s that dimly light the pitch black enclosure.
Basking and soaking lights are either Arcadia floods or Fluker Reptile Spots.
My 3 UVB lights are Arcadia Pro T5 Desert.
The Kasa smart strips are extremely easy to program and they also are working flawlessly.

Below is the schedule I have decided on. As usual, if anyone notices anything wrong, PLEASE respond.

View attachment 386458

Schedule looks very well thought out and planned. Have you decided upon the species of tortoise you will be getting yet?

 

[Mrgeez]

Schedule looks very well thought out and planned. Have you decided upon the species of tortoise you will be getting yet?

1st choice is hermanns
2nd is russian
Hopefully someone

Schedule looks very well thought out and planned. Have you decided upon the species of tortoise you will be getting yet?

hermanns or russian. Hopefully someone would have one to rehome within driving distance.

 

[zovick]

1st choice is hermanns
2nd is russian
Hopefully someone

hermanns or russian. Hopefully someone would have one to rehome within driving distance.

Not sure where you are located in PA, but there is a fellow named Randy Betz in DE who has good quality, well-started animals. He doesn't give them away, but his prices are very reasonable for what you get. He has both E. Hermann's and Russians available now at $250 each. You can even purchase a ready to hatch egg and hatch your own baby if you are so inclined. Check out his web site here: https://tortstork.com/

You won't be disappointed if you get a tortoise from Randy. Tell him I sent you and he'll charge you extra (LOL).

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

After researching the heck out of this forum, I decided on my heating/lighting daily schedule.

Heating - Heat is produced from 12 CHE’s on the ceiling of my enclosure, each emitting 150 Watts. Heat is controlled by a Meross Smart Temperature Controller with WIFI. To best simulate daily temps, it will ramp up and down from 68 - 80 degrees daily. This controller is working flawlessly during my current testing phase.

Lighting - Lighting is controlled by (2) Kasa Smart Power Strips with WIFI. These provide the enclosure with 12 programmable receptacles. Again I am trying to simulate a natural lighting scenario the best I can. 1st the room lights (outside my enclosure) come on. Next to illuminate the actual enclosure I have 2 separate groups of LED UVA lights that illuminate 2 hours apart.

LED T5 Integrated Single Fixture, 4FT, 2200lm, 6500K (Super Bright White), 20W, Utility Shop Light, Ceiling and Under Cabinet Light, ETL Listed, Corded Electric with ON/Off Switch, 8 Pack​

These are by far the nicest lights I have ever purchased! Last, after all enclosure lighting goes off for the day, I have (8) mini 1 watt LED’s that dimly light the pitch black enclosure.
Basking and soaking lights are either Arcadia floods or Fluker Reptile Spots.
My 3 UVB lights are Arcadia Pro T5 Desert.
The Kasa smart strips are extremely easy to program and they also are working flawlessly.

Below is the schedule I have decided on. As usual, if anyone notices anything wrong, PLEASE respond.

View attachment 386458

That's a good schedule! Just a few suggestions:
1. Tortoises need some period of full darkness - e.g. from 10PM to 5AM. I would keep night lights off during this time (I understand that they are dim like moonlight).
2. Summary wattage for all thermostats is 1800 watts, that should be pretty close to the nominal wattage of the thermostat. I would think about some redundancy here. I guess you can get the second identical thermostat, with the same schedule and hook half of the CHEs on it.

 

[Mrgeez]

Not sure where you are located in PA, but there is a fellow named Randy Betz in DE who has good quality, well-started animals. He doesn't give them away, but his prices are very reasonable for what you get. He has both E. Hermann's and Russians available now at $250 each. You can even purchase a ready to hatch egg and hatch your own baby if you are so inclined. Check out his web site here: https://tortstork.com/

You won't be disappointed if you get a tortoise from Randy. Tell him I sent you and he'll charge you extra (LOL).

Thank you. I will be looking at this.

 

[Mrgeez]

That's a good schedule! Just a few suggestions:
1. Tortoises need some period of full darkness - e.g. from 10PM to 5AM. I would keep night lights off during this time (I understand that they are dim like moonlight).
2. Summary wattage for all thermostats is 1800 watts, that should be pretty close to the nominal wattage of the thermostat. I would think about some redundancy here. I guess you can get the second identical thermostat, with the same schedule and hook half of the CHEs on it.

Yes, I will take your recommendation and adjust my schedule accordingly. Can tortoises see in total darkness? I guess i assumed they can’t, hence my decision for a few 1 watt spots.
With all 12 CHE’s on, the wattage draw is about 1720. I unscrewed one that was to close to a window which decreased wattage accordingly. The 11 remaining have no problem whatsoever maintaining the desired 80 deg. I will be removing one at a time until i get to a point where the CHE’s don’t have to cycle on/off so quickly.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Yes, I will take your recommendation and adjust my schedule accordingly. Can tortoises see in total darkness? I guess i assumed they can’t, hence my decision for a few 1 watt spots.
With all 12 CHE’s on, the wattage draw is about 1720. I unscrewed one that was to close to a window which decreased wattage accordingly. The 11 remaining have no problem whatsoever maintaining the desired 80 deg. I will be removing one at a time until i get to a point where the CHE’s don’t have to cycle on/off so quickly.

The complete darkness is what encourages regulation in their circadian rhythms, the darkness will encourage them to go and hunker down for the night to sleep, they won’t need to be seeing, they aren’t nocturnal animals

 

[Mrgeez]

The complete darkness is what encourages regulation in their circadian rhythms, the darkness will encourage them to go and hunker down for the night to sleep, they won’t need to be seeing, they aren’t nocturnal animals

So, I’ll assume they can’t see in total darkness. As the last resemblance of evening light, I will let the 1 watt spots on for an hr. Then I will guess they will know to find a place to “hunker down” before total darkness.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

So, I’ll assume they can’t see in total darkness. As the last resemblance of evening light, I will let the 1 watt spots on for an hr. Then I will guess they will know to find a place to “hunker down” before total darkness.

They can’t see in total darkness no, that sounds great though, you’ll be mimicking a nice natural cycle

 

[Mrgeez]

Thanks all for the help! I am pleased now with my heat/light schedule and parameters.
I am starting now on plumbing my automatic drink and soak water setup. I will post an update when finished.
I am shooting to be ready for a tort by the upcoming reptile show in Morgantown, PA inFeb.
A vendor by the name “Good Guys Reptile Family” out of Phila. months ago told me they will be there. They haven’t replied to any of my messages this week, but they have several 5-7” Hermanns listed on Morph Market. Anybody ever hear of them?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Anybody ever hear of them?

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