New Enclosure

[Dee O Gee]

Hi everyone.. New to the forum, sort of new to the BD kingdom. I'd like some opinions on the setup I am for my beardie. I've done a bit of research, but I'd like to hear from the masses if I should change anything before I build the front. Not installed yet, but I have an exo terra light cycle controller with reptisun 2.0, and 10.0 tubes. I am also building a custom reflector that will house 2 75 watt small halogen bulbs For basking spot, and heat. First pic is my juvenile cage. Second is the new enclosure which works out to roughly a 75 Gal tank volume.

Opinions appreciated

...

 

[PatsyB]

Coil bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs are very bad for bearded dragons. Compact fluorescents are okay to use for a hospital or temporary type of tank but for the long run you want to get a tube UVB bulb. ReptiSun 10.0 bulbs and Arcadia 12% are the most popular once people use. Make sure your UVB and your heat bulb overlaps and that the halogen flood bulb gets your basking spot to the proper temps.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Ditto ^^^ the coil bulbs focus the majority of light straight down and it has been known to damage their eyes, the company says things have been fixed but I don't/can't trust those type bulbs..

 

[Dee O Gee]

Definitely staying away from the coils. My uva/uvb setup is 36" 2.0 and 10.0 Reptisun bulbs on a light cycle controller. had to come up with a new heat solution, as the bases I bought for the halogens were the wrong ones. Ended up building this setup. 4 40 watt incandescent bulbs in a custom reflector. Heat seems to be good, With the front plexiglass in place the basking spot direct rock temp is 110-115 in the middle, and 95-100 on the outer portions of the platform. temps on the wood platform are around 80, and the outer portions of the enclosure hover in the 70's.

 

[PatsyB]

So these four bulbs are your heat?

I would do away with the 2.0 Reptisun bulbs, you should only use bulbs like that for a short period of time. I think the 36" 10.0 Reptisun is going to give you plenty of coverage in a tank like that.

 

[Dee O Gee]

Yes.. This fixture is for heat/basking. with the 4 bulbs, its a total of 160 watts. Basking spot direct rock temp is 110-115 in the middle, and 95-100 on the outer portions of the platform. temps on the wood platform are around 80, and the outer portions of the enclosure hover in the mid 70's. have a metal mesh screen that I am going to surround the the above fixture with for safety. I don't think there is any chance of contact, but why chance it. What is the concern of using the 2.0 bulb? The controller I have controls 2 30 watt tubes. One of the tubes will be the 10.0 bulb. What would you recommend for the second tube?

 

[PatsyB]

The only 2.0 bulbs I know of are compact fluorescent, not a long tube but a light bulb type of bulb. Those bulbs only really concentrate your UVB only in the area that they are over. So they are good for like a hospital or sick tank but for a long term living arrangement not the best option. I think you will have plenty of UVB coverage with your 10.0 tube bulb.

The basking area temp is way too high. For babies you should have it 105-110 with 107 being the sweet spot. 110-115 is too much.

 

[Dee O Gee]

Final product with Little D in it. Knocked the heating fixture down to two bulbs at 25 watts each. Keeps his basking area at 95 degrees. 2 linear bulbs, one is a 5.0 (switched from a 10 because of distance to basking area, and the other is a 2.0. All lights on a 14 hour cycle for summer, and a 12 hour cycle for winter. Three 3" vent holes with an 80mm cpu fan in a draw out configuration. He took his first meal within 10 mins of intro so I'm guessing he's not too stressed.

 

[woodson28]

This is beautiful. Very very nice job. Your dragon is a lucky one!

 

[jeb]

Wow looks amazing

 

[Dee O Gee]

Thanks. He's been in there for a few months now and he is doing really well. No glass surfing, he's active, and he's shed twice.