New Dragon Strand Hybrid Large Atrium for my Beman <3

[KellyRose12]

For your Tall screen enclosure you want a 24 inch fixture and your bulbs will be 22 inches for it. If you have plants though you want lighting for them too. I use these... They come with the daylight bulbs and you can daisy chain them together or run them on separate timers. I run 3 total. 2 for plants and 1 for UVB.

https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html
They are out of the arcadia 6% but they have the 5.0 bulbs https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-5.0-uvb-t5-ho.html

Thank you so much for those links! I was struggling to find exactly what I needed.

I will order 3 fixtures, 2 for plants and the t5 5.0 bulb to use in the third.

Thank you again! I really appreciate it.

 

[Beman]

Thank you so much for the links!

Just to be clear, you use 3 of the fixtures total (not including basking fixture)... 2 of which come with the daylight Bulbs that you use for plants, and in one fixture you plug in the t5 5.0?

Correct... Puts out quite a bit of light... Temps sit at about 76, 9 inches down from 3 T5 fixtures. Basking in the back corner.
The fixtures all will come with the daylight bulbs so you will have an extra in case one burns out when you replace it with the UVB bulb. I have mine positioned so that the uvb is over a branch 9 inches down and I get a 3-3.2 UVI level.

 

[KellyRose12]

Correct... Puts out quite a bit of light... Temps sit at about 76, 9 inches down from 3 T5 fixtures. Basking in the back corner.
The fixtures all will come with the daylight bulbs so you will have an extra in case one burns out when you replace it with the UVB bulb. I have mine positioned so that the uvb is over a branch 9 inches down and I get a 3-3.2 UVI level.

View attachment 279270

Awesome! Thank you

 

[Beman]

Awesome! Thank you

Your welcome hun.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thank you so much for those links! I was struggling to find exactly what I needed.

I will order 3 fixtures, 2 for plants and the t5 5.0 bulb to use in the third.

IMO, T5s are the best option for UVB, but can be an expensive way to go for plant lights.
LEDs cost about the same initially, but last 5X as long before replacing, so they're far less expensive over the long haul. There are other potential advantages, but that has to be compared on an individual basis.
LEDs also don't contain mercury like T5 fluorescents. That and the longer lifespan make for a "greener" alternative.

Here are some LED plant light options; there are more from other vendors.
https://www.sansiled.com/led-grow-light.html

 

[KellyRose12]

Thank you

 

[KellyRose12]

IMO, T5s are the best option for UVB, but can be an expensive way to go for plant lights.
LEDs cost about the same initially, but last 5X as long before replacing, so they're far less expensive over the long haul. There are other potential advantages, but that has to be compared on an individual basis.
LEDs also don't contain mercury like T5 fluorescents. That and the longer lifespan make for a "greener" alternative.

Here are some LED plant light options; there are more from other vendors.
https://www.sansiled.com/led-grow-light.html

Thank you!

I’ll browse around, is the mercury thing a big deal?

My main interest is whats best for banjo

 

[KellyRose12]

@Beman

I’m trying my best lol, how does his look so far? I’ve decided not to use my umbrella plant because I think it’s too thick. I’m thinking about picking up a plant from Lowes tomorrow, I know they are not “clean” plants. But you think rinsing them with the hose will eliminate the chance of pesticides/fertilizers?

Also I measured 9 inches from the top screen to the top of my support branches.

Does this look okay so far?

 

[Beman]

@Beman

I’m trying my best lol, how does his look so far? I’ve decided not to use my umbrella plant because I think it’s too thick. I’m thinking about picking up a plant from Lowes tomorrow, I know they are not “clean” plants. But you think rinsing them with the hose will eliminate the chance of pesticides/fertilizers?

Also I measured 9 inches from the top screen to the top of my support branches.

Does this look okay so far?

looking good! Too think is not a bad thing... you can always trim it if you need to. As long as you rinse the plant and strip the soil replanting into new soil your good. With your drip pan it should have a round spot in the center that is raised you can place a plant there just make sure you can wet vac without lifting the screen floor panel.

 

[KellyRose12]

looking good! Too think is not a bad thing... you can always trim it if you need to. As long as you rinse the plant and strip the soil replanting into new soil your good. With your drip pan it should have a round spot in the center that is raised you can place a plant there just make sure you can wet vac without lifting the screen floor panel.

Awesome!

 

[KellyRose12]

Once it's all setup will you post pictures?

Okay so I caved and used one fake plant. I think I’ll keep it this way until he’s a little bigger then I’ll upgrade him to all real..
this took me forever but I tried my best lol

I still have to put rocks on the soil and clean the leftover debris on the bottom, but hopefully tomorrow we can make the switch!

I have two new hydrometer and thermometer probes that should be here tomorrow and that’s the last step

 

[KellyRose12]

Okay so I caved and used one fake plant. I think I’ll keep it this way until he’s a little bigger then I’ll upgrade him to all real..
this took me forever but I tried my best lol

I still have to put rocks on the soil and clean the leftover debris on the bottom, but hopefully tomorrow we can make the switch!

I have two new hydrometer and thermometer probes that should be here tomorrow and that’s the last step

Is the fake plant a mistake? I can cut it out before I put him in and run up to Lowes...

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thank you!

I’ll browse around, is the mercury thing a big deal?

My main interest is whats best for banjo

What's best for banjo is natural sunlight. What's reasonable for captivity (artificial UVB) is different, and usually involves mercury, whether a T5 fluorescent bulb, CFL, or mercury vapor bulb. It's not about the minuscule amounts in individual bulbs; it's about millions (or more) bulbs containing mercury being buried in landfills every year. Ideally, they should be recycled, but how many people, businesses, and localities actually do that?

ramifications of mercury in light bulbs (Search of articles)

ramifications of mercury in light bulbs (Search of scholarly articles)

But above I was talking about plant lights. T5 plant lights still contain mercury; LED plant lights do not.
IMO, based on economic, environmental, and performance factors, LEDs are a better option for plant lights.

 

[Beman]

Okay so I caved and used one fake plant. I think I’ll keep it this way until he’s a little bigger then I’ll upgrade him to all real..
this took me forever but I tried my best lol

I still have to put rocks on the soil and clean the leftover debris on the bottom, but hopefully tomorrow we can make the switch!

I have two new hydrometer and thermometer probes that should be here tomorrow and that’s the last step

This is a wonderful start. I would make a few changes though. I would pull the mat bridge out of the bottom... This is just going to hold fecal and grow bacteria in the strings of it. Baby will not fall so you do not need that. I really prefer live plants. They balance your humidity levels hold water longer for them to drink from and clean the air. So I would consider pulling that out and replacing with a live plant.

 

[KellyRose12]

What's best for banjo is natural sunlight. What's reasonable for captivity (artificial UVB) is different, and usually involves mercury, whether a T5 fluorescent bulb, CFL, or mercury vapor bulb. It's not about the minuscule amounts in individual bulbs; it's about millions (or more) bulbs containing mercury being buried in landfills every year. Ideally, they should be recycled, but how many people, businesses, and localities actually do that?

ramifications of mercury in light bulbs (Search of articles)

ramifications of mercury in light bulbs (Search of scholarly articles)

But above I was talking about plant lights. T5 plant lights still contain mercury; LED plant lights do not.
IMO, based on economic, environmental, and performance factors, LEDs are a better option for plant lights.

Thank you!

 

[KellyRose12]

This is a wonderful start. I would make a few changes though. I would pull the mat bridge out of the bottom... This is just going to hold fecal and grow bacteria in the strings of it. Baby will not fall so you do not need that. I really prefer live plants. They balance your humidity levels hold water longer for them to drink from and clean the air. So I would consider pulling that out and replacing with a live plant.

Ok I will pull the bridge out. My boyfriend got it for me as a surprise lol I wasn’t too fond about it from the start because of the little strings that he could get his nails caught in. Now that I have support against it, I will take it out lmao.

And I’m about to head to Lowes, luckily they have a money tree and a few pothos available, I’m going to take that fake plant out.

Thank y’all again for all the help. I’ll post the finished project in a couple hours.

 

[MissSkittles]

Ok I will pull the bridge out. My boyfriend got it for me as a surprise lol I wasn’t too fond about it from the start because of the little strings that he could get his nails caught in. Now that I have support against it, I will take it out lmao.

And I’m about to head to Lowes, luckily they have a money tree and a few pothos available, I’m going to take that fake plant out.

Thank y’all again for all the help. I’ll post the finished project in a couple hours.

Just an idea to save bf’s feelings...that little bridge would look nice against a wall if you were to create a free range area.

 

[KellyRose12]

Just an idea to save bf’s feelings...that little bridge would look nice against a wall if you were to create a free range area.

Great idea!!

 

[KellyRose12]

This is a wonderful start. I would make a few changes though. I would pull the mat bridge out of the bottom... This is just going to hold fecal and grow bacteria in the strings of it. Baby will not fall so you do not need that. I really prefer live plants. They balance your humidity levels hold water longer for them to drink from and clean the air. So I would consider pulling that out and replacing with a live plant.

Okay I think I’m basically finished. Just waiting on these temp and humidity probes to arrive... check it out.

 

[KellyRose12]

Okay I think I’m basically finished. Just waiting on these temp and humidity probes to arrive... check it out.

@Mrjamwin @Beman

Added a golden pothos and a smaller umbrella plant