Lighting help pleease!? :)

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lauren43201

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Hey guys! As you may have seen my other post after alot of debating im going to get a hermann tortoise! :p I've already built his enclosure and it is a 4ft by 2ft tortoise table. Since im still a noob at this whole thing, i have no idea where to place the lights, how high up to put them, or what lights to buy of that such. With my enclosure size what wattage do i get and all that jazz? I know you need to have a UVB light and also a heat lamp, but with my tortoise table size what ones are recommended?
Thanks bunches! -Lauren. :D
 

Madkins007

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There are a million variables that can affect your choices, including simple matters of taste and preference.

My choice would be to:
1. Hang a long low-output fluorescent UVB bulb about 12" (or whatever the bulb recommends) about the habitat- probably a 36" bulb so it covers most of the space. Put it on a timer for about 6-8 hours a day.

2. Hang another light to run 10-14 hours a day (depending on the season) and to provide a better white balance. This one should be an incandescent or two (fairly low wattage- a 75 or a couple 40's hung high enough to evenly cover the whole place) OR a 24-36" 'superwhite' fluorescent (deluxe white, super white, daylight, etc.)- again, high enough to cover everything.

3. Heat with whatever works for you- 2-4 ceramic heat emitters, a small space heater, substrate heating, etc. This will depend in part on the room the table is in. If the room is fairly warm, you won't need as much. If it is kind of cool, you might be best off making a tent over it and using a small space heater.
 

lauren43201

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Madkins007 said:
There are a million variables that can affect your choices, including simple matters of taste and preference.

My choice would be to:
1. Hang a long low-output fluorescent UVB bulb about 12" (or whatever the bulb recommends) about the habitat- probably a 36" bulb so it covers most of the space. Put it on a timer for about 6-8 hours a day.

2. Hang another light to run 10-14 hours a day (depending on the season) and to provide a better white balance. This one should be an incandescent or two (fairly low wattage- a 75 or a couple 40's hung high enough to evenly cover the whole place) OR a 24-36" 'superwhite' fluorescent (deluxe white, super white, daylight, etc.)- again, high enough to cover everything.

3. Heat with whatever works for you- 2-4 ceramic heat emitters, a small space heater, substrate heating, etc. This will depend in part on the room the table is in. If the room is fairly warm, you won't need as much. If it is kind of cool, you might be best off making a tent over it and using a small space heater.

Thank you so much! Your response answered my question perfectly and was very helpful! :D
 
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