Lighting Check

[QueenKT]

Hello!
Don't worry, I don't have a chameleon yet! I'm just wanting to check everything before I get the lighting for him. Background: I have a 24x24x48 Exo Terra XL, and am planning on getting a Veiled or Panther chameleon soon. I've posted before about lighting questions, however, coming back and doing more research and a lot more time googling I found a list of specific lights to get that seem more easily accessible, which is very helpful! And honestly, I used the suggestions from my previous thread to piece together my own list, and I'm not super confident about it. It was approved but I honestly feel more comfortable working off of a set list with specifics.
However, I feel like I'm missing something, so I want to double check that everything on here will work, since it came from just one article without comments so I couldn't tell if anyone corrected it or anything. I'd rather look stupid thinking of getting these, than actually get them and mess up a poor little chameleon.
Thank you so much!

Zoo Med T5 HO Reptisun Terrarium Hood 24"

OMAYKEY 50W 6-Pack UVA + UVB Full Spectrum Sun Lamp

Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp 8.5-Inch Ceramic with Dimmable Switch

If my plants need more lighting, I found these two listed as perfect grow lights. Would it be best to specifically get these, or are grow lights pretty generically okay?

Exo Terra Compact Incandescent Fixture

Jungle Dawn 13 Watt LED Terrarium Light Bulb

 

[CasqueAbove]

This is just me, but from what I have been finding out is that on my next build, I will start with a minimum duel fixture, and quad if affordable. Adding the extra light for the plants, and his vision will make a big difference. Especially to the plants. You are going to end up wanting it so just start that way. I think this is where a lot of failures start, is only worrying about the minimum for the Cham, but he needs the plants for cover and to help with humidity, so they are just as important. Address your plants as well as the animal. Plants are first to get neglected, but their importance is underestimated. IMHO

Plus the extra light shows him better. Single light gets kinda dark and shadowy

 

[QueenKT]

Thank you so much, that's a good point! I don't really have a green thumb, the only plants I've managed to keep going are a pair of aloes in with my leopard geckos. Those seem to thrive!

 

[QueenKT]

This is just me, but from what I have been finding out is that on my next build, I will start with a minimum duel fixture, and quad if affordable. Adding the extra light for the plants, and his vision will make a big difference. Especially to the plants. You are going to end up wanting it so just start that way. I think this is where a lot of failures start, is only worrying about the minimum for the Cham, but he needs the plants for cover and to help with humidity, so they are just as important. Address your plants as well as the animal. Plants are first to get neglected, but their importance is underestimated. IMHO

Plus the extra light shows him better. Single light gets kinda dark and shadowy

I found a lot of other options for the light fixture, they all seem to hold either only one bulb or like four! These seem to be the most reasonable ones I've been able to find off a cursory search. With each of these, I would switch out one of the grow lights for a Zoo Med T5

Sunblaster 2ft The big downfall here is that I cannot for the life of me find one from them that holds two lamps. In the comments a bunch of people mentioned it fits the Zoo Med and works perfectly for them

Durolux This one seems like it might be too strong, in my opinion

Maxxima 20 Watt The reasonable price automatically makes this a bit sketchy tbh. Also, would the Zoo Med bulb even be able to plug into it correctly?

Vivosun Someone in the comments mentioned they use it for a chameleon, but no mention of if a Zoo Med bulb would work in it

 

[CasqueAbove]

I found a lot of other options for the light fixture, they all seem to hold either only one bulb or like four! These seem to be the most reasonable ones I've been able to find off a cursory search. With each of these, I would switch out one of the grow lights for a Zoo Med T5

Sunblaster 2ft The big downfall here is that I cannot for the life of me find one from them that holds two lamps. In the comments a bunch of people mentioned it fits the Zoo Med and works perfectly for them

Durolux This one seems like it might be too strong, in my opinion

Maxxima 20 Watt The reasonable price automatically makes this a bit sketchy tbh. Also, would the Zoo Med bulb even be able to plug into it correctly?

Vivosun Someone in the comments mentioned they use it for a chameleon, but no mention of if a Zoo Med bulb would work in it

Great, headed in the right direction so fast you passed me. lol I am going to try an tag some folks that are far more versed than I.
@cyberlocc I think you are a light plant person ?
@Beman

 

[cyberlocc]

Ya the zoomed T5s will work in any T5 fixture.

Ideally you want a indivually reflected fixture (even if its a double, look for one with a W shape reflector).

Honestly, what I would do (and am about to on a very large scale lol)

Is run 2 sunblasters, that way you can space the lights out better to get more even coverage of light.

I would do like UVB in the back, Basking in the middle, then the 6500k or something.

 

[QueenKT]

Perfect! I'm glad I was at least on the right track lol

So just to make sure I got this, you would recommend getting two of the sun blasters, switching out of of those bulbs for a T5 Zoo Med and keeping one of the bulbs as a grow light, and adding just a regular ceramic heater as a basking spot?

Sunblaster, Zoo Med, and a heater. What wattage would you recommend for the heater for basking? Or does that more depend on the age of whatever little guy I get?

 

[cyberlocc]

Perfect! I'm glad I was at least on the right track lol

So just to make sure I got this, you would recommend getting two of the sun blasters, switching out of of those bulbs for a T5 Zoo Med and keeping one of the bulbs as a grow light, and adding just a regular ceramic heater as a basking spot?

Sunblaster, Zoo Med, and a heater. What wattage would you recommend for the heater for basking? Or does that more depend on the age of whatever little guy I get?

Yes, except, not a Ceramic heater, use a standard Lightbulb, or a Halogen Flood, they are cheaper and provide IRA, which provide the deep heating of internals, that sun provides, and the ceramic doesnt.

Only use a Ceramic or Arcadia Deep heat, IF you need it for night heat, which you likely dont. (still use the halogen for day basking, and the heater, on a stat for night heat)

As to the wattage, depends on cage, the temps in your house, type of bulb you use, how high from the screen its mounted, if its setting on the screen ect. 65 is a good middle point, you may need 75 and 50 may be enough, really all you can do is experiment. Depending how you handle summer vs winter temps, you may need all 3 at different times of the year. Its better to go a little lower than needed, than to go higher IMO, if its a little lower they will bask longer, no harm, no foul, if its too high, it can cause issues like burns, overheating ect.

 

[QueenKT]

Perfect, keeps it even simpler for me! In that case, would a simple cheap clamp light like from Walmart work as enough of a reflector? (Example)
I live in the midwest and honestly I almost always keep my apartment pretty toasty. Low 70s range. So I'd probably start with the 65 or 50 then? I have a heat gun for my other reptiles which will be very helpful for this!

 

[cyberlocc]

Perfect, keeps it even simpler for me! In that case, would a simple cheap clamp light like from Walmart work as enough of a reflector? (Example)
I live in the midwest and honestly I almost always keep my apartment pretty toasty. Low 70s range. So I'd probably start with the 65 or 50 then? I have a heat gun for my other reptiles which will be very helpful for this!

It would, BUT.

I would just buy the reptile version, they are stupid cheap, and better quality with ceramic light fixture and better for sitting on screen.

At 6.74 its actually cheaper than the one you linked. https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Rept...p&qid=1587177721&s=electronics&sr=1-2-catcorr

amazon appears to consider it essential too! Thats been a pain, I broke my on the 7th, got a Samsung Galaxy S20+ so 1200 dollar phone, and I am still waiting for the case, because amazon doesnt feel my case for a 1200 dollar phone is essential, we are going to have words, if I break my new phone... Stupid thing is solid glass, ya I would say a case is pretty darn essential.

 

[QueenKT]

Oh sweet, they're probably a bit lighter too so it wouldn't strain the screen as much. I had a screen pull out from the top of my Ball Python cage from the light fixtures weight. Walked past the room and the snake was completely out of the cage trying to work his way up my curtains!

Everyone has such weird definitions of essential! I'm glad they at least consider reptile things essential I suppose. But at the same time all the reptile lights themselves weren't marked as essential? So who knows what the thought process is there!
I am suddenly so glad I got a case for my new phone before all this! I would also be very concerned about breaking it. I drop my phone constantly.