New Enclosure setup advice (or another shopping list :D )

[Setth]

Hey, my veiled would need new home soon and i think abaut it again and again. So i decide to create new topic and maybe get new or better ideas/advices.

This is what i have found so far

ENCLOSURE: After glass vs screen phase, i decided to go with screen. It was exoterra 60x45x90 (24x18x36) vs screen 60x60x120 (24x24x48) fight btw . I dont have time (and skill) to build something on my own, i'm from europe and i can't find any DYI cage for reasonable price here. I'm buying this:

reptibreeze xl for 130£ with shipping

LIGHTS: I was thinking over metal halide vs linear. On reptileforums uk, i got advice for arcadia d3 flood lamp with jungle dawn, but that's pricey for me with new enclosure etc.
I'll go with linear T5 HO's. I would like to buy something locally, so this is my choices:
- osram unit for 2xT5 24W cost 40£ (czech unit with german electronics)
- aqua nova unit for 2xT5 24W cost 60£ (poland unit)
Both is for reasonable price, both with reflector. I personally like more that aqua nova, but tbh i think that osram have better electronics.
Any chance someone can help me decide or have experience with similar product's?

Bulbs would be arcadia D3 6% and Full Spectrum.

Basking bulb: normal household or ... deep heat projector - any advice if there is some pros for using this projector over "classic" bulb? (also projector emits no light)

Substrate: i want to plant the plants to atleast 20cm (8inch) substrate, i still have not decided the way to do it. Either i make (although i don't have mutch time, so maybe i can think of something easier) some bottom base, or maybe i'll use plexiglass. IDK really, but i need it to be practical AND "pretty" too, enclosure would be in my living room in corner (so i'll cover 2 sides anyway because of misting)

Last words: i love my cham and i want him to be happy, but at the same time he can't ruin family budget too much (otherwise i'll rent him room for free range ), i need something to have a good feeling that i'm giving him enough, so he can have a good life

 

[RcManChild]

I just did this and my tank looks awesome...

 

[RcManChild]

It wasnt cheap though...

12 bags of hydro balls
4 cans of waterfall spray foam
2 bags of reptisoil
2 fake braches
2 pieces of grape vine
1 mist king
2 x sun ray fixture and bulb (1 50 watt 1 30 watt) for varying temps and UVB.
2x of bark for the back
the soil is about 2 inches think and the hydro balls are 3-4 inches thick..

I went with the exo terra 24x18x36

I know there are not enough foilage at the top but the bottom left is all live plants and should grow in quite quickly...

I left room on the right for a laying bin.

 

[Setth]

Holy ... very beautiful enclosure, it definitely doesn't look cheap . For female, i'll go for exoterra for sure. I'll need to save up some money though first

 

[Setth]

Little update here: i have reptibreeze XL right here next to me, i bought 2x24 T5 HO bulbs, 1 exoterra medium reflector and bif ficus tree.
About basking bulbs - i tried many bulbs on spot, where you can see 34 degrees in picture (about 20cm from bulb). Here's my results...and btw room temperature is 24.5 degrees.
- exoterra daytime heat 60w 29 degrees
- exoterra intense basking spot 75w 31 degrees
- exoterra halogen basking spot 50w 27 degrees
- normal incandescend bulb 60w 29 degrees
- normal halogen spot 50w 34.5 degrees

I realy dont know where they get theirs result numbers on package, because every exotera bulb should have 33-35 degrees on 20cm, but clearly they dont.

I NEED ADVICE from you guys about my ficus tree. Should i leave it as it is, so my cham can climb almost right under lights? Or should i crop that two tallestbranches? I am planing to make some basking branches at hight of that basking spot (where you can see 34 degrees on pic).
My T5 HO bulbs are normal 6500K bulb and arcadia d3 forest reptile lamp (6%UVB)

 

[RcManChild]

Yes I would crop those beaches you are referring too.

I have no idea where exoterra get their numbers from. That being said I have a glass enclosure from them and temperatures seem to be spot on.

Remember higher humidity drops temperature. Higher temperatures will drop humidity. It’s a constant battle.

Also screen cage do not hold moisture or heat well. Hence the problems you may be having with the basking spot.

This is again why I went to a glass enclosure.