# Tropical terrarium is too hot! help!



## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

So here is my situation, I currently own a 36x18x36 exo terra. I used a 36 inch reptisun t5 fixture across the top originally with a 10.0 uvb. I just recently aquired 2 japalura splendida that ive read like temps between low 70s to mid 80s. This was fine, but then i noticed my plants were dying, they are just not getting enough light. SO i bought an exo terrra compact top that fits on top and added it towards the front of the tank. It currently holds 4 13watt jungle dawn leds. humidity dropped and temps rose to high 90s about an inch from the top. Too high! I then removed the reflector panels from the compact top to let more heat out through the vents of the top. Then i laid packing tape under the front half of the terrarium right under the compact top as to let light though but not the humidity. Its still not cool enough. I have 2 pc fans that i moved under the compact top to try to push the heat out the vents. still to warm. 

My temps at the bottom half of the viv are ideal around 80 degrees, yet the 2 lizards stay at the top were its way above their ideal temp. Do they not know to head to the bottom half of the viv? anyways, do i need to ditch the led jungle dawns and maybe get a dual florescent light fixture? one uvb and one regular light?

its hard getting enough light to hit the bottom of the terrarium without cooking my japaluras!


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## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

mac2284 said:


> So here is my situation, I currently own a 36x18x36 exo terra. I used a 36 inch reptisun t5 fixture across the top originally with a 10.0 uvb. I just recently aquired 2 japalura splendida that ive read like temps between low 70s to mid 80s. This was fine, but then i noticed my plants were dying, they are just not getting enough light. SO i bought an exo terrra compact top that fits on top and added it towards the front of the tank. It currently holds 4 13watt jungle dawn leds. humidity dropped and temps rose to high 90s about an inch from the top. Too high! I then removed the reflector panels from the compact top to let more heat out through the vents of the top. Then i laid packing tape under the front half of the terrarium right under the compact top as to let light though but not the humidity. Its still not cool enough. I have 2 pc fans that i moved under the compact top to try to push the heat out the vents. still to warm.
> 
> My temps at the bottom half of the viv are ideal around 80 degrees, yet the 2 lizards stay at the top were its way above their ideal temp. Do they not know to head to the bottom half of the viv? anyways, do i need to ditch the led jungle dawns and maybe get a dual florescent light fixture? one uvb and one regular light?
> 
> its hard getting enough light to hit the bottom of the terrarium without cooking my japaluras!


 Here is my exo terra 36x18x36









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## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

mac2284 said:


> Here is my exo terra 36x18x36 image
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk












Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Jungle dawn does not need a canopy and it is that that is trapping the heat in you want the heat out the back of the extrusion and away. 

remember, heat great reduces the life of LEDs

So, Simply use E27 lamp holders and rest the JD on the mesh

having said that the usual method of lighting a 3' wide with JD is to use x2 22w lamps

you can see me do just this in our 'live' "Big Bio" build in Practical reptile keeping magazine. Part 4 or 12 has just been published

problem solved

good luck!


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## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

I had a problem with UVB getting through the mesh on my Exo, bought an Arcadia vivarium canopy IMO the Exo ones are crap, anyway I only have a 60 x 45 x 45 but the new canopy fills it with plenty of light and shadow and my plant have exploded, will have to get in there soon to cut it all back. T5's get really hot I had a 30" & 20" app in my first tall viv and they cooked it, I took out the shorter in the end to get the viv's heating under control, my heat bulbs hardly light up due to the T5. They are good lights but they just get far too hot, the Arcadia has a 24w D3 compact lamp which have a 12 month life which is double the life of an Exo light. 
If your Reptiles were too hot they would move to a cooler area in your viv.


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## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

Thank you for the advice! seriously! So, im going to go ahead and lose the canopy then. A shame since it looks really clean with it on. I was looking at your part 2 video of the big bio video. I really like that canopy you have there. WHat model is that? Would it be adequate for a 36 tall? I think the exo terra in that vid was a 2ft tall. You also say the t5s are too hot, what should i be using for uvb then?

My problem is that they need uvb and enough light to keep the plants growing. Another concern is losing humidity when these types of reptile need 60% and up. Should i be sealing part of the top off with maybe clear packing tape or glass fitting? that would probably just trap more heat huh? 

My 36 in reptisun is in the back of the viv, i think i am supposed to move it to the front of the viv now, ditch the exo compact top, and add the jungle daws also closer to the front. then maybe just seal off half of the back top up with clear packing tape to keep in some humidity?

I am going to watch the rest of your videos, good stuff. I do actually own a 20 watt grow and glow JD and a 22 watt Jd, that are on some other vivs of mine, maybe i can move some stuff around and bring them to the 36x18x36

Thanks john!


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## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

Arcadiajohn said:


> Jungle dawn does not need a canopy and it is that that is trapping the heat in you want the heat out the back of the extrusion and away.
> 
> remember, heat great reduces the life of LEDs
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice! seriously! So, im going to go ahead and lose the canopy then. A shame since it looks really clean with it on. I was looking at your part 2 video of the big bio video. I really like that canopy you have there. WHat model is that? Would it be adequate for a 36 tall? I think the exo terra in that vid was a 2ft tall. You also say the t5s are too hot, what should i be using for uvb then?

My problem is that they need uvb and enough light to keep the plants growing. Another concern is losing humidity when these types of reptile need 60% and up. Should i be sealing part of the top off with maybe clear packing tape or glass fitting? that would probably just trap more heat huh? 

My 36 in reptisun is in the back of the viv, i think i am supposed to move it to the front of the viv now, ditch the exo compact top, and add the jungle daws also closer to the front. then maybe just seal off half of the back top up with clear packing tape to keep in some humidity?

I am going to watch the rest of your videos, good stuff. I do actually own a 20 watt grow and glow JD and a 22 watt Jd, that are on some other vivs of mine, maybe i can move some stuff around and bring them to the 36x18x36

Thanks john!


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## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

mudskipper said:


> I had a problem with UVB getting through the mesh on my Exo, bought an Arcadia vivarium canopy IMO the Exo ones are crap, anyway I only have a 60 x 45 x 45 but the new canopy fills it with plenty of light and shadow and my plant have exploded, will have to get in there soon to cut it all back. T5's get really hot I had a 30" & 20" app in my first tall viv and they cooked it, I took out the shorter in the end to get the viv's heating under control, my heat bulbs hardly light up due to the T5. They are good lights but they just get far too hot, the Arcadia has a which have a 12 month life which is double the life of an Exo light.
> If your Reptiles were too hot they would move to a cooler area in your viv.



If i check the temps directly under the t5 its like at 95 degrees! Yet the female sits right under it and lays down, she very rarely moves to the bottom of the terrarium. I dunno why she is cooking herself! The male pretty much leavers her alone. 

are you referring to the D3+ UV Flood Lamp?

that looks interesting, you say its much cooler than the t5?


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## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

Hi mac2284, the temperature below the light,about 6" in old money is 27c that's with a heat bulb set at 26.5c above in the top left corner. I have a piece of acrylic fitted into the top right on mesh to help with humidity, it really makes a difference. In my day Gecko viv I have a T5 D3 forest tube about 30" long, the temperature 4" to 5"or there abouts below that, bamboo is at a slight angle, is 32c and both 75w heat bulbs are off. When I had both lamps running my temps were over 35c.
My room temperature is about 23c.

You could ask John at Arcadia if he would take the temperature below the compact lights b4 you have the additional cost of buying them. Sorry John.


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## mac2284 (Jul 6, 2016)

mudskipper said:


> Hi mac2284, the temperature below the light,about 6" in old money is 27c that's with a heat bulb set at 26.5c above in the top left corner. I have a piece of acrylic fitted into the top right on mesh to help with humidity, it really makes a difference. In my day Gecko viv I have a T5 D3 forest tube about 30" long, the temperature 4" to 5"or there abouts below that, bamboo is at a slight angle, is 32c and both 75w heat bulbs are off. When I had both lamps running my temps were over 35c.
> My room temperature is about 23c.
> 
> You could ask John at Arcadia if he would take the temperature below the compact lights b4 you have the additional cost of buying them. Sorry John.



Yeah that sounds like the same kinda temps im getting from the same distances. That sounds perfect for your day geckos. Im starting to think i just have a sick or stressed female. The male utilizes all the space in the viv, from bottom to top. She wont stay away from the top of the viv. Ive been off all week from work and have them in my office where i can observe from my desk. I never see any aggression. The humidity is perfect, with the jungle dawns im getting enough light, just still not happy with the temps. I might try raising the t5 higher away from the tank and switching to a 10.0 uvb instead of 5.0. Ive been meaning to try out those arcadia t5 ho fixtures though.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

can you post up a picture of the viv and gear and ill have a look for you


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