# Lighting/heating a 7ft tall viv?



## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Hi, this is probably the first of many questions....

I'd like some suggestions on lighting and heating in a 7hx3lx2.5d (ft) vivarium. 

It's for a CWD (Daisy) so needs UV in there and I'd like to have live plants in there too. 

Things to bear in mind..There will be some background heat from a heated aquarium (about 90 litres heated at around 75f ish i think tell me if thats not right?). Which, I was thinking would also help with humidity and the fact that Daisy loves to swim:2thumb:. 

Also, the viv is made from 18mm melamine faced chipboard with approx 5ft tall glass front sliding doors. The planned insulation board fake rocks on the 3 wooden sides offer more insulation too.


I'm new to this viv building lark and new to the forum so* do *please point out any glaringly obvious stupidity on my part :bash:.

Thanks 

Matt


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## michaelsnny (Jun 4, 2016)

If it was me again I would think about levels with lighting and heating on maybe two shelfs especially if live planted you would need some serious lights to penetrate that deep I'm sure someone could give you other way but two reptile radiators with stats on two shelves is how I would go 


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

thanks for the response.

You reckon 2 x rep rads...75W?. Would that be both on one side of the back of the viv do we think? Would you think combining that with 1 or maybe 2 basking spotlights?

I was thinking of one (or 2 if thats the consensus) of those basking lamps (75W? 100W? 150W?) that sit on top of the viv with the reflector dome with a nice basking spot about 12-15" from the light and the UVB tube and reflector set in the corner above the glass where the top meets the front?

Then its a case of adding maybe LED lights for the plants? or am i missing something?

I want to get this right but obviously don't want to waste money buying the wrong things in a crappy combination or buying things that are not powerful enough and then having to rebuy. (the wife is all for doing this right but you know what it's like, if i cock it up and start wasting money then I'll probably get kicked out of the doghouse and baked in the viv:whip

Currently I just have the plain VIV and the aquarium is on order (Daisy is in the exo terra that she had when i got her). So, please fire away if you have any useful tips or know how to get the temps right in a viv this shape and size.

Any help appreciated,

Thanks

Matt


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

insulation board and a CWD :hmm:


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Yep, you know like the fake rock stuff I've seen loads of on here. 

I'm guessing you're worried about her size and weight diving around the viv?
I thought if I support the sticky out ledges with kinda like shelves inside them, screwed to the walls of the viv then shape the board/expanding foam around it before grouting/painting/sealing it. Then it should be strong enough(?). I was going to use fibre reinforced grout on the first couple of coats too.


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## el Snappo (Mar 4, 2017)

England, I'm guessing, Matt?


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Yes mate, near Manchester ?


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## el Snappo (Mar 4, 2017)

Unfortunately, my man, I'm in bloody Eire! Shame. Because I have Three, four foot, fluorescent units, complete with 'Tropical Fish' strip lights in them. No earthly use, to me. But, getting them across the water would ridiculous. 

Might have made a handy addition to a set up like yours. Sorry.

Hey; Unless, of course, ye ever have a wild urge to visit Co. Leitrim. The place even the Irish like to deny exists :2thumb:


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Thanks for the offer mate, they'd be too long I think though. Unless I mounted them vertically but that doesn't sound like a great idea and wouldn't fit with my plans really anyway. 
Nothing is set in stone yet though with the viv, except the aquarium bit, that's ordered and paid for. Hence why I'm looking for a bit of advice on here before I begin.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

HI,

I have a very similar viv for mountain horns.

I guess the tank is at the base. This will help with heat and humidity of course but will not cause a basking gradient. As such you are correct to assume over head heating is needed. You should also build in a push pull fan system or the humidity will build and could stagnate. Run on timers for 5 mins every 2 hours or so to clear the air.

I use a single 75w reptirad and digistat in mine and alongside the lighting it runs on around 30-40% power. As you can see it more than copes.

My viv is 6x5x2 so a bit longer but even at 3' wide we can build in adequate UVB projection.

Then it is up to you to decorate well. I guess this will be live planted?

In mine I use the following. A 24w D3+ 12% UVB Slimline T5 fitting seated close to the side wall of the basking zone and towards the back section. Again over basking I use a 55w D3+ UVFLOOD over the middle section. 

The basking plant and branches allow access to UVB rich light at around 12-15" from the glass to the dragons head at the shortest point. The animals then self-regulate away from the lamps downwards and across away from the heat as they have need.

UVB decreases in power the further light travels. As such the main gradient in your width viv will be vertical. Which is fine.

I have then added a 22w JungleDawn lamp to help cater for the plants and a single Arcadia Reptile LED moonlight that comes on for 2 hours after the lighting goes off.

I have mapped it out with solarmeter and temp guns and the system does indeed provide wild levels of energy in an effective and safe way.

Mine has been running for 4 years this April with no issues at all.

Hope this helps

John


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Thanks John, 
yes the tank will be at the bottom front with...he says ambitiously.....a waterfall/stream running in on the right from back to front also a yes to live planted.

Do you think my viv for a cwd should have the same wattages etc as yours have? Just wondering with yours being 2ft wider.

Thanks

Matt


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Yes, it would be the perfect choice,

CWD is a much bigger more active species.


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Do i mount the reptile radiator on the ceiling of the viv or like, half way down the back?


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Ok so here's a sneaky look at the viv, not finished by any means but thought I'd share


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

So.....you're all speechless.....not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Either way now you can see the viv I'm wondering where to position things so here goes. 

I was thinking of putting the radiator in such a way that the majority of it is over the cliff on the right with maybe a quarter of it beyond the edge with the 55w uv flood next to it/behind it across the back. This should give her the option of uv and heat levels as There will be plenty of trees/branches all up the centre from side to side and up etc. I was then going the put the 24w slimline uv across the front behind where the top plinth will be. The jungle dawn that you can see in there at the moment will be slightly right of centre positioned with its length front to back. 

The vents are at the bottom left and right sides (4x50mm round vents on each side) and the extractor fan will be positioned in the back left corner of the roof.

Does this sound ok? I think it should produce plenty of light and shade areas once planted and branches in etc and also a heat gradient.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Sounds well thought out.

Keep the JD away from your heat source though or it's stresses them terribly.


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## Matt79 (Feb 27, 2017)

Thanks John, first time at all this stuff so double checking everything. 

It's a bathroom extractor fan I've gone with should I perhaps put that more towards the centre, with the JD on the left. Would the vent protect it more? Or I could easily put a vent over the top of the JD if it's needed. I think the humidity would be fine still even with 2 vents in the roof?


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

The fan if pulling, will remove heat away yes,

Fans are useful as they help to change the air. So, wherever you place the fan, there should be a vent below it also, like a chimney

They only really need to be on for 2-5 mins an hour I think or you risk messing around with ambient temps and humidity levels.






Matt79 said:


> Thanks John, first time at all this stuff so double checking everything.
> 
> It's a bathroom extractor fan I've gone with should I perhaps put that more towards the centre, with the JD on the left. Would the vent protect it more? Or I could easily put a vent over the top of the JD if it's needed. I think the humidity would be fine still even with 2 vents in the roof?


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