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Exo terra 36 terrarium lighting question /other questions

ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
Just recently I found a Exo terra 36 terrarium on craigslist with a adult female dragon. It came with the coil Exo terra uvb and a zoo med mini dome fixture. I have researched and have learned that these spiral lights aren't the best for uvb?. I was wondering would the dual top flourescent 36 inch hood that exo terra makes be a good choice ? It would provide more uvb being a tube style light? I think the fixture would really look nice also with my terrarium . The exo terra terrarium 18 inches tall also. I was wondering would ceramic tile be ok for the substrate? I have it in my exo terra geckos terrarium and looks nice so I thought id see if that would be a good choice? Also how often should i be dusting with vitamin d3? And regular calcium?Im concerned the people i got her from didn't do any dusting because When i picked her up they didn't give me any calcium with her. How often to bath? Thanks in advance im sure ill have alot more questions
 

PatsyB

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I have an Exo Terra 36x18x18 tank. I use a 36inch T5 light and I use a dome light for a basking bulb. I love having a whole tank that is bright. I offer multiple hiding spots so they can get away from the UVB when they want to. Ceramic tile is perfect for a tank like that, I use shelf liner in one tank and repticarpet in my other two. As far as dusting goes, I always feel like if you have a good UVB source then you should only need to dust one meal a day with calcium without D3 and on the weekends use a multivitamin with D3. I use Repashy calcium plus that has a little of everything in it and is safe to use every day giving them one day off completely. I know some people have done a schedule of one day calcium w/D3, one day without, one day multivitamin, one day nothing and then start over again. The important thing with your UVB light is to make sure that your basking light overlaps with it. The UVB light supplies the D3 but the basking light helps the D3 synthesize calcium.
 

PatsyB

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I bathe mine once a week, more if they are having a tough time shedding or looking dehydrated, but once a week is good enough.
 

ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
I have an Exo Terra 36x18x18 tank. I use a 36inch T5 light and I use a dome light for a basking bulb. I love having a whole tank that is bright. I offer multiple hiding spots so they can get away from the UVB when they want to. Ceramic tile is perfect for a tank like that, I use shelf liner in one tank and repticarpet in my other two. As far as dusting goes, I always feel like if you have a good UVB source then you should only need to dust one meal a day with calcium without D3 and on the weekends use a multivitamin with D3. I use Repashy calcium plus that has a little of everything in it and is safe to use every day giving them one day off completely. I know some people have done a schedule of one day calcium w/D3, one day without, one day multivitamin, one day nothing and then start over again. The important thing with your UVB light is to make sure that your basking light overlaps with it. The UVB light supplies the D3 but the basking light helps the D3 synthesize calcium.
Thank you for the help I really appreciate that . I have two beardies the other is a small little guy. I will get some pictures up eventually. I purchased a zoo med T5 strip light fixture that comes with a 5.0 bulb. Everything ive read says i need the 10.0 uvb tube so I purchased that as well. Now I have to purchase another fixture for my other terraium. I am currently using those spiral uvb bulb types on my setups i should have checked into all this lighting before purchasing the spiral types. I will be buying the other terraium fixture soon for the exo terra terraium but im not sure if its t5 or t8 fixture ? I kind of want to go with the exo terra top because it goes to that terraium and would look best on it. Any idea on where i could get something for the dragon to climb on? Something looks natural and would fit in a 40 gallon breeeder size aquarium ? The guy i got the exo terra terraium from he included a really nice size artificial driftwood piece and it would hold a nice adult on it good plus looks really nice in my setup. Anyway thank you for answering my questions im sure ill have a lot more .
 

PatsyB

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Keep the 5.0 bulb though. It comes in handy if you need an emergency spare for a short period of time. I gambled and bought grapevine decor off of Amazon. I either picked large or extra large and then they sent me a random piece that always seemed to work in the tank. A few times I did have to cut a small piece off to make it fit but they were all good pieces. I've also bought large stone bricks from a garden center by the house. Just soaked them real good in bleach and water to kill any bugs that may have been living in them.
 

ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
Okay thanks patsy. I ended up purchasing some small bricks at lowes for her. I plan to do the same for this exo terra setup. Currently the exo terra setup has a driftwood decoration it came with and the baby dragon enjoys basking on that. What is the height on your exo terra setup ?This one is 18 inches tall and im hoping that exo terra hood will be able to reach down towards the bottom with the uvb pretty good? I purchased a screen top for the 40 gallon breeder and its not a hinged style and its getting frustrating having to remove the top every time to get in to the dragon. I looked and noticed they dont make hinged screen tops for these tanks except exo terra which that still wont work because how they made it open so only thing i know to do is cut the screen top so ill be able to get in the thing.
 

PatsyB

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My tank is 18" high and the T5 UVB sits on top of the tank and penetrates pretty far down into the tank ( I have a meter).

When I rescued my girl Dolly I had her in a 20g tank until I got her the proper tank, and it had a metal screen top and it was such a PITA to remove the lights to get into her tank. I have a rack shelf unit so I attached her basking bulb to the under side of the shelf above her so all I had to do was remove her UVB. I was so happy when I finally got her a front opening tank.
 

ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
Are you using the Zoo med T5 36 inch light fixture brand? I already purchased the Zoo med T5 36 inch light fixture and its a real pain to have to remove the thing from screen top so I kind of spent a good bit and purchased the Zoo med T5 36 uvb/led combo fixture. It has red leds,moon and daylight but guess the red is usesless not sure on the moon light or the daylight ? I purchased it mainly for the cable hang feature so Now I wont have the hassle of having to remove the whole light fixture every time i need in the cage. Kind of expensive but also should look really really nice hanging above.
 

PatsyB

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Are you using the Zoo med T5 36 inch light fixture brand? I already purchased the Zoo med T5 36 inch light fixture and its a real pain to have to remove the thing from screen top so I kind of spent a good bit and purchased the Zoo med T5 36 uvb/led combo fixture. It has red leds,moon and daylight but guess the red is usesless not sure on the moon light or the daylight ? I purchased it mainly for the cable hang feature so Now I wont have the hassle of having to remove the whole light fixture every time i need in the cage. Kind of expensive but also should look really really nice hanging above.


The UVB/LED combo is overkill for beardies because they don't need the red light or the moonlight setting, they are both not good for them. I do have those lights on my planted tanks, for my frogs and my chams because the LED lights are supposed to support plant growth. I just can't use the moonlight because my lights are on a timer. I have seen some people put shelf brackets on the wall behind their tank and set their UVB bulb on that.
 

ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
Yeah kind of a waste as far as the leds go I guess. I got it just because of it hangs from the cable system and the uvb part. Can I use the regular led white daylight tho? Why cant you use red or moon light for them though ? I keep leopard geckos and use both for them ?Evidently bearded dragon can see that some how ? No worries tho im not using them ever but curious about them is all. What kind of chamelons do you have ?Ive got two veiled chamelons.
 

PatsyB

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Bearded dragons have a gland on top of their head that people call the 3rd eye. At nght the colored lights cast a shadow that they can see even with their eyes closed. While they are awake, any color of light whether red, blue, green, it hurts their pupils because their eyes don't constrict and dilate properly.

I think red light is fine for Leo's I know I use them for my frogs.

I have a grumpy male chameleon. He just turned 2, his name is Bumble.

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ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
Wow that is intresting on the gland of the dragon guess you always learn something new. I set up the hood uvb hanging fixture but was wondering how far above the screen top ill be good with that so the dragon gets her proper uvb penetration. According to the Zoo med box it says that the light is good up to 30 inches using the 10.0 bulb. I also know the screen top will filter some of the uvb penetration out. From the bottom of the terrarium floor to the bottom of the hanging uvb fixture mine is close to 21 inches. I kind of dont want to lower the fixture to much though for the removal of the screen top. That is a beautiful Chameleon you have :) how long have you had? one of these days ill get around to taking some pictures of mine and put on. I currently have one of mine in the Zoo med screen cage with the leds built in the top its pretty awesome im wanting to buy another for my other chameleon.
 

PatsyB

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I know the T5 bulb can be put in top of the mesh and still penetrate the mesh to provide adequate UVB. I just don't know how high above the tank you can hang it and still get good UVB. On a T8 bulb the mesh blocks about 35% of the UVB.

I actually have 2 of the UVB/LED combo fixtures. I bought a 14" when I fist got my cham but then we had to quickly upgrade his tank so we had to get a 24". I have plants in my frog tank so the smaller fixture works for them.
 

ReptileCraze81

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
39
Hmmmm ok I think im going to try to lower it down a couple of inches but I cant go to close or ill be hitting it with the screen every time i take it off. I thought about getting a strip for my chameleon setup eventually. What brand uvb meter do you have ?Thinking about getting one. What kind of frogs do you have ?
 

PatsyB

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I have a Solar Meter6.2 but I hear the 6.5 is better. I have 5 White's tree frogs and one ornate pacman.
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