Arborous
Member
Hi Folks I’ve been setting up a bioactive panther enclosure.
I’m pretty happy with it, with a couple caveats.
I’m still working out the door...
I posted in another thread about that.
The top has 1/2” gap screening that’s expect will have trouble keeping flying insects in, so I may have to fix that later if it’s a problem.
It’s a plexiglass 3side I built with an enclosed bottom. approx 28w x17d x42h.
It’s the best I could offer depth-wise, hopefully the width will make up for the scrimp from community accepted minimums once there is better plant coverage.
I plan to add a drain if it’s needed. I’m currently misting with the Monsoon Solo 2 minutes every 2 hours from 6pm to 9am.
So far water has been pretty balanced, but I don’t have a dripper or a fogger yet.
So that may push it over the top.
I have a 24” T8 Reptisun 10.0 and the 34w Arcadia jungle dawn running from 8AM-8:30PM.
Highest UVB perch is about 8 from the bulb, there plenty of ramp to be lower so I’m wondering if I need to drop the apex any.
Temps are averaging 82ish around the top in the day just on those fixtures.
I have a thermal controller running a 50w red basking bulb and a 5” computer fan.
You can see the probe at the top just off the side of the bask bulb.
It’s hotter 9” directly below the bulb then it is at the probe but perching distance isnt a hazard.
There’s obviously a long gradient to the denser cover 3feet down
I’m trying to dial those parameters. Right now the bulb comes on at 78* and turns off at 87*
The fan to the left will come on at 90 and blow down till the prob reaches 87.
I have a couple questions about this approach because most people time their basking to correspond with the daylight.
So I’m wondering :
1) if having a red bulb at night due to temp loss will disturb our tenant . And I need to
switch to a ceramic element.
And B) if it’s a good idea to prevent a night drop in such a way.
I’m Los Angeles in an old house and we actually get pretty uncomfortable temp swings from solstice to equinox. Central air helps but there’s a auto off feature which may get it into the high 90’s.
The Cfan would come on but maybe it needs to be pulling air up instead of pushing it down?
I was also thinking I could switch the redbulb fixture onto the day-timed uvb schedule,
and add a ceramic to the thermostat control as lower range drop backup but I’m afraid running out of lid for a dripper if I do add another hood...
Plants are still growing in, Ive got a small herd of isos from the yard digging in for the last 2 weeks also.
Thanks for your collective knowledge and your considered opinion about this system.
I’m pretty happy with it, with a couple caveats.
I’m still working out the door...
I posted in another thread about that.
The top has 1/2” gap screening that’s expect will have trouble keeping flying insects in, so I may have to fix that later if it’s a problem.
It’s a plexiglass 3side I built with an enclosed bottom. approx 28w x17d x42h.
It’s the best I could offer depth-wise, hopefully the width will make up for the scrimp from community accepted minimums once there is better plant coverage.
I plan to add a drain if it’s needed. I’m currently misting with the Monsoon Solo 2 minutes every 2 hours from 6pm to 9am.
So far water has been pretty balanced, but I don’t have a dripper or a fogger yet.
So that may push it over the top.
I have a 24” T8 Reptisun 10.0 and the 34w Arcadia jungle dawn running from 8AM-8:30PM.
Highest UVB perch is about 8 from the bulb, there plenty of ramp to be lower so I’m wondering if I need to drop the apex any.
Temps are averaging 82ish around the top in the day just on those fixtures.
I have a thermal controller running a 50w red basking bulb and a 5” computer fan.
You can see the probe at the top just off the side of the bask bulb.
It’s hotter 9” directly below the bulb then it is at the probe but perching distance isnt a hazard.
There’s obviously a long gradient to the denser cover 3feet down
I’m trying to dial those parameters. Right now the bulb comes on at 78* and turns off at 87*
The fan to the left will come on at 90 and blow down till the prob reaches 87.
I have a couple questions about this approach because most people time their basking to correspond with the daylight.
So I’m wondering :
1) if having a red bulb at night due to temp loss will disturb our tenant . And I need to
switch to a ceramic element.
And B) if it’s a good idea to prevent a night drop in such a way.
I’m Los Angeles in an old house and we actually get pretty uncomfortable temp swings from solstice to equinox. Central air helps but there’s a auto off feature which may get it into the high 90’s.
The Cfan would come on but maybe it needs to be pulling air up instead of pushing it down?
I was also thinking I could switch the redbulb fixture onto the day-timed uvb schedule,
and add a ceramic to the thermostat control as lower range drop backup but I’m afraid running out of lid for a dripper if I do add another hood...
Plants are still growing in, Ive got a small herd of isos from the yard digging in for the last 2 weeks also.
Thanks for your collective knowledge and your considered opinion about this system.
) is that they'll do fine at room temperature at night. I ruled out a Jackson's (despite their awesomeness) because multiple sources indicated they do best with a 20°F drop in nighttime temperature, and I'd have to run him down to the basement every night to achieve that.
