Help with light position

[Tinyhigg]

Hi

We are finally upgrading the enclosure of our wee marginated Master Oogway AKA Grunt. We got a zen pvc enclosure 122x61x61cm, with mesh on top. The idea is that it can have more ventilation in the summer month, and we could partially close it if required during the winter by placing some wood on top of the mesh - would this be safe?

He stays at the moment in his own room with a radiator, so his room temperature should never drop too low.

We bought 4 lights:
1. Arcadia SBF100 Basking Solar Lamp UVA Floodlight
2. Arcadia Reptile Ceramic Heater Infrared Lamp 50 Watt
3. Arcadia LumenIZE Pro T5 UVB Kit, D3+, 12% UV-B, 24 Watt
4. Arcadia LumenIZE Jungle Dawn LED Bar, 570mm (23"), 39 Watt

Could I have some input in the best way to put them? While I would like any input in how to mount/install them, I am actually wanting to know the ideal (spacial) placement.

I was thinking the floodlight and the led can just be placed on top of the mesh and the CHE and UVB mounted inside? I am not sure if the CHE should be close to the floodlight to help create the basking spot or if it should be in the middle (or even the other end?) to help keep environment temperatures at night. We live in the UK, during the summer, (s)he'll be fine, but during the winter temperatures could drop (tho still inside the house and has his own room with heating).

 

[Tom]

Hi

We are finally upgrading the enclosure of our wee marginated Master Oogway AKA Grunt. We got a zen pvc enclosure 122x61x61cm, with mesh on top. The idea is that it can have more ventilation in the summer month, and we could partially close it if required during the winter by placing some wood on top of the mesh - would this be safe?

He stays at the moment in his own room with a radiator, so his room temperature should never drop too low.

We bought 4 lights:
1. Arcadia SBF100 Basking Solar Lamp UVA Floodlight
2. Arcadia Reptile Ceramic Heater Infrared Lamp 50 Watt
3. Arcadia LumenIZE Pro T5 UVB Kit, D3+, 12% UV-B, 24 Watt
4. Arcadia LumenIZE Jungle Dawn LED Bar, 570mm (23"), 39 Watt

Could I have some input in the best way to put them? While I would like any input in how to mount/install them, I am actually wanting to know the ideal (spacial) placement.

I was thinking the floodlight and the led can just be placed on top of the mesh and the CHE and UVB mounted inside? I am not sure if the CHE should be close to the floodlight to help create the basking spot or if it should be in the middle (or even the other end?) to help keep environment temperatures at night. We live in the UK, during the summer, (s)he'll be fine, but during the winter temperatures could drop (tho still inside the house and has his own room with heating).

What size is Master Oogway/Grunt?

Having a screen top completely defeats the purpose of using a closed camber type enclosure. If it is getting too warm inside, that means you need to be using lower wattage bulbs.

All of the heating and lighting should be inside the enclosure, not on top. Having any of it outside on top creates a chimney effect, drawing all the heat and humidity you are trying to create up and out. This will dry out your enclosure and contribute to pyramiding. It will also create a need for higher wattage bulbs which dry everything out more, which makes you need to add more water, which creates more evaporative cooling, which makes you need more heat, etc... Its a vicious cycle. Close the top, put all of the heating and lighting inside, use smaller more efficient bulbs, and you will have an ideal growing environment for your tortoise.

The basking lamp might be too high of a wattage for such a small enclosure. Your thermometer will tell you, and you can adjust if needed.

Basking lamp and the UV tube should be mounted reasonably close together and both over to one side.

The LED bar should be centered over the middle to light up the whole enclosure during the day.

The CHE should also be mounted near the middle so that it warms the entire enclosure more evenly, and also run on a thermostat to keep it from overheating the whole thing. If he's in his own room with a radiator, you probably don't need this.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

 

[Tinyhigg]

What size is Master Oogway/Grunt?

Having a screen top completely defeats the purpose of using a closed camber type enclosure. If it is getting too warm inside, that means you need to be using lower wattage bulbs.

All of the heating and lighting should be inside the enclosure, not on top. Having any of it outside on top creates a chimney effect, drawing all the heat and humidity you are trying to create up and out. This will dry out your enclosure and contribute to pyramiding. It will also create a need for higher wattage bulbs which dry everything out more, which makes you need to add more water, which creates more evaporative cooling, which makes you need more heat, etc... Its a vicious cycle. Close the top, put all of the heating and lighting inside, use smaller more efficient bulbs, and you will have an ideal growing environment for your tortoise.

The basking lamp might be too high of a wattage for such a small enclosure. Your thermometer will tell you, and you can adjust if needed.

Basking lamp and the UV tube should be mounted reasonably close together and both over to one side.

The LED bar should be centered over the middle to light up the whole enclosure during the day.

The CHE should also be mounted near the middle so that it warms the entire enclosure more evenly, and also run on a thermostat to keep it from overheating the whole thing. If he's in his own room with a radiator, you probably don't need this.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

Thanks for the advise!!

I can measure him when home, but I don't imagine he's even reached 10 cm.

They have the floodlight 50w and 75w as well, which would be better?

The instructions said to not put the basking light (or at least that model) inside a close chamber as a safety issue. And researching I saw others with closed tops making a hole, putting mesh and the light on a reflector on top of that.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the advise!!

I can measure him when home, but I don't imagine he's even reached 10 cm.

They have the floodlight 50w and 75w as well, which would be better?

The instructions said to not put the basking light (or at least that model) inside a close chamber as a safety issue. And researching I saw others with closed tops making a hole, putting mesh and the light on a reflector on top of that.

You are welcome! Glad to help.

Only your thermometer can tell you what wattage will work in your enclosure. In a 121x61cm, the 50 watt will probably be enough in the warmer months, and maybe the 75 in the colder months. Make it closer to 36C under the basking lamp. Measure the temperature directly under the basking bulb by laying a digital thermometer on its back directly under the lamp and letting it cook there for an our or more. You should put a piece of 3/4 inch plywood or a flat rock that size to raise it up a little bit and get it to tortoise shell height. Adjust the height or wattage to get the correct temperature, and also watch the temperature of the entire enclosure during the day.

100 watts in a small closed chamber is likely to over heat it. That is the "safety issue" the label warns about.

At near 10cm a 121x61cm enclosure is too small. Time to start looking for a 244x122. Tortoises need a lot of space in their enclosures to roam about. Small enclosures can cause some problems, and free roaming is far too dangerous and can't be made safe. I like to have a large outdoor enclosure for fair weather, and a large indoor enclosure for night and colder days. The best of both worlds.