Is there a dual light?
- Thread starter Andee
- Start date
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
Its because you dont have enough light. They are full sun plants. Min is going to be 15-20 watts of florescents with reflectors per square foot of cage floor. You might get away with having a 75 watt halogen wide flood basking bulb in the middle of it.
KLowery88
Avid Member
There's definitely fixtures out there that have room for more than one bulb. I have a quad fixture from Light Your Reptiles that has two daylight 6500k bulbs, the Arcadia 12%, and a bulb specifically for plants. My schefflera is doing well under it, as are the other plants.
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/tr...-6-5k-daylight-bulbs-and-free-plant-pro-bulb/
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/tr...-6-5k-daylight-bulbs-and-free-plant-pro-bulb/
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I will most likely go with the Arcadia design, I stay away from any sort of halogen when it comes to chameleons. Ryker's really bad burn came from a 75 watt halogen and I have lost all trust in any sort of halogen bulb. I will have to save up for the Arcadia design. Do the plant bulbs in the Arcadia need to be replaced every 6 months like the uvb will?
KLowery88
Avid Member
That would be a question for Todd at Light Your Reptiles. I don't think so though. The Arcadia bulbs also last longer, sometimes up to a year, because they're better quality. If you give Todd a run down of your cage and the plants in it, he'll be able to recommend a set up that suits you best. I think his username on the forums is @Venutus1, though you could also shoot him an email.
I've been really happy with the quad fixture, and I think it's well worth the price. Quality stuff.
I've been really happy with the quad fixture, and I think it's well worth the price. Quality stuff.
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
You could go with a LED hood with the UVB in it from Zoomed. That will give you UVB, Grow Lights, and 6500k.
As far as the halogen I think you are hating for a a bad reason. A 75w halogen bulb, is equivalent to 100w normal bulb, if it was a flood light its even more directed. That is extreme and way too much for any chameleon cage I have ever seen. I have seen people with monitors use those from 12 inches away to create a 120f basking spot.
Were you measuring the temps? and using a flood light? I would venture a guess, if you were using a thermometer and it was reading 90ish it was wrong that is a serious bulb you are taking about.
The recommendation for basking bulb *floods* I always see is 25w max, maybe 35.
That also doesn't bundle all halogens, there is non flood halogens, and I have read a few times that halogens are better not only for your wallets but for the chams (Not sure how true that is, but it was experienced people saying it)
As far as the halogen I think you are hating for a a bad reason. A 75w halogen bulb, is equivalent to 100w normal bulb, if it was a flood light its even more directed. That is extreme and way too much for any chameleon cage I have ever seen. I have seen people with monitors use those from 12 inches away to create a 120f basking spot.
Were you measuring the temps? and using a flood light? I would venture a guess, if you were using a thermometer and it was reading 90ish it was wrong that is a serious bulb you are taking about.
The recommendation for basking bulb *floods* I always see is 25w max, maybe 35.
That also doesn't bundle all halogens, there is non flood halogens, and I have read a few times that halogens are better not only for your wallets but for the chams (Not sure how true that is, but it was experienced people saying it)
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I wasn't using a flood light I don't think, but was measuring the temps, though not right away, this was way back before I even knew what halogens were and what a burned look like on a chameleon. So I wasn't measuring with a infared temp gun until I took him into a vet. Which I need to get a new one now because my last one shorted out for some reason >.< His burn was really bad. How are they better for the chameleon? Do you know?
Nicholasdeaan
Avid Member
Get the JungleDawn LED 40 Watt Floodlight. I've seen nothing but good from mine! Every single plant I put under it has grown. I'll be ordering a few more. You would be impressed.
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
Halogens put out a different type of light than iridescent is how I took it I remember it was discussed quite a bit in this one thread let me go find it, and see what they were saying. If I remeber correctly, it was more of a mood thing. They prefer that type of light over the other, again not sure if this is true or not just what I think was said.
There in lies my issue with heat guns. If you measured the heat of the branch (Heatgun can only measure surface temp) and it was 90f. then you have to realize there is a 2,3,4 inch tall chameleon on top of said branch. So yes where the branch is 90f, 4 inches above it is more like 100-110,.
So for instance with my current baby, I have a thermometer (digital) tied to the basking branch and facing upwords. It is as tall if not taller than he is, so the temperature of that probe will be the same temp the top of him will get. Where as the branch he is resting on will be less.
With my new cage that he and a bunch of other chams will be in I plan to do something slightly different. IMO the best idea is to find the gradient.
So take a probe and suspend it where the top of the chameleon will be while basking, then place a permanent probe somewhere near there. Since my cages will have a PVC back, and Basking in the back corner. I am going to drill a hole for the probe then glue it in the back wall. I will then find the difference, so if the permanent one is reading 85, while the temporary is reading 90, then I know I need the probe to read 85 and that is actually 90. (those are all example temps)
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I am not sure about this light. It sounds like it gets awful hot. Which worries me both in the starting fires bit and the burning bit. Any thoughts?
Nicholasdeaan
Avid Member
It's an LED light that is 6500k and 40 watts. It also has a built in fan inside the bulb to keep it cool. With a 44,000 hour life span! They're made with brighter and better diodes than most bulbs on the market. It gets pretty warm. But it doesn't throw off a ton of heat. It's made by Todd at LYR. It isn't going to burn your chameleon or start a fire. Your basking bulb is going to be hotter than it is. Lol It should still be kept a safe distance as a rule of thumb. To be honest, it works best if elevated off the screen top about 3 inches.
Nicholasdeaan
Avid Member
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
So for now I've changed his basking light to a 35 watt halogen and am testing it while he's in his outdoor cage under the sun today, I have a digital thermometer under his basking spot testing the temps of the 35 watt. I am still planning on getting the UVB and plant bulb combo most likely from Todd and LYR. But I will have to save up for it, so I am hoping the flood light will work to perk the schefflera into just hanging on until I can get the other lights. I am waiting to see if the temps the 35 watt flood light is too strong or not and then I will put Ryker back and feed the hungry boy.
Oh no. Just the opposite.
For 40 watts of electricity it is like you are getting almost 250 watts of what an incandescent light would produce at many times the amount of heat.
Jungle Dawn LED products grow plants amazingly well due to the the spectrum, intensity and mix of 4.5 and 6.5 kelvin High CRI diodes.
But no LED lights can produce UVB, so they all MUST ( MUST MUST) be paired up with a UVB producing bulb.
( I had a head cold and allot of sudafed when I made this ..LOL... so that is why yours truly is a bit spacey in it.
) Cheers!
Todd
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
So with my halogen bulb that I added I gauged the temp from where I was able to measure it and where Ryker basks at around 85-87 degrees. I imagine he needs it warmer, though it's already a 35 watt... I measured the temp as close to the basking area as possible and I know he's going to be a little bit closer too... I'm worried about going up to a 40 watt... should I just lower the bulb? Anyone know what I should do?
