Best water filter? - Page 2

murrindindi · 06-09-17, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marina322

Thermometer/ hygometer is digital I forget the brand, the 2 red bulbs are zoo med 150w heat bulbs, UVB is reptispa 5.0 UVB 26w, and the UVA is zoo med 150w blue light.
Everything I have right now is temporary, I am getting better things he needs for the new enclosure. I want him to be as comfortable as he can be in his new home.

I don`t understand what a "UVA" bulb is, the UVB bulb also emits UVA?
The compact UVB bulbs are not very efficient at all, in fact I would recommend you remove it, there are reports that they can cause eye damage if the animal gets too close, and the UVB they emit is quite weak. If you want to offer UVB exposure, much better are the fluorescent tubes such as the T5 HO (high output) @ 10-0 or 12-0 by Arcadia or Zoo-Med fitted with a reflector, they only need to be around 2/3rds the length of the enclosure.
I understand the current enclosure is temporary, but all the conditions need to support the monitor right now or it`s very likely to have a detrimental effect on it`s health.
I think that 2 x 150w heat bulbs is far too much, they will surely dry out the air significantly more than the halogen bulbs I mentioned.
Can you put a photo up of the enclosure as it is at the moment?

marina322 · 06-09-17, 08:46 PM

Yea I was concerned about it drying out too much that is y I put humid hides I put a second one in yesterday. But ill just get the better bulbs tomorrow. The tank still looks like the pic I posted the other day. UVA and uvb pics r attached.. I only use the UVA on the cool side because I had it laying around and figured id use it to keep the heat at a proper temp on the cool side. And the box that the uvb bulb came in didnt say anything about emitting uva. The brand sells UVA and uvb in one bulb but the one I got only mention it emitting uvb.

marina322 · 06-09-17, 08:57 PM

Here is the UVA bulb I use ..phone won't let me upload uvb pic for some odd reason.

murrindindi · 06-10-17, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marina322

Yea I was concerned about it drying out too much that is y I put humid hides I put a second one in yesterday. But ill just get the better bulbs tomorrow. The tank still looks like the pic I posted the other day. UVA and uvb pics r attached.. I only use the UVA on the cool side because I had it laying around and figured id use it to keep the heat at a proper temp on the cool side. And the box that the uvb bulb came in didnt say anything about emitting uva. The brand sells UVA and uvb in one bulb but the one I got only mention it emitting uvb.

Have you covered the screen as completely as possible (that`s a "must do" urgently)? You can use kitchen foil temporarily.
The compact UVB bulbs emit both UVB and UVA, are you telling me you have 3 x 150w heat bulbs in there (if yes, that`s far too much heat)?
What are the usual ambient temps in the room the enclosure`s in (both day and night)?

marina322 · 06-10-17, 12:36 PM

Unfortunately I was using all 3.. I am new to keeping monitors (as u can tell lol) and I was worried about it not being warm enough that I over did it too much..
Today I bought 2 philips indoor/outdoor par 30 75w halogen flood lights that I am puting in now. I am ordering better uvb lights today.. Do u think it is necessary to cover his tank even though he is in a room that is 8ft by 10ft, he can only see white walls and a door byond his tank and only I go in there. Also would it be a bad idea to house a burmese python in the same room as he is in? I dont want him to sense danger. He can't see him because the snake is under him but idk if he can smell him maybe? Should I just put the burm in another room?
The ambient temps are like 100 on the hot side but it can get cooler after I mist the tank. And 85 on the cool side (these temps r with the red heat lights, I will update after I put the flood lights in)

murrindindi · 06-10-17, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marina322

Unfortunately I was using all 3.. I am new to keeping monitors (as u can tell lol) and I was worried about it not being warm enough that I over did it too much..
Today I bought 2 philips indoor/outdoor par 30 75w halogen flood lights that I am puting in now. I am ordering better uvb lights today.. Do u think it is necessary to cover his tank even though he is in a room that is 8ft by 10ft, he can only see white walls and a door byond his tank and only I go in there. Also would it be a bad idea to house a burmese python in the same room as he is in? I dont want him to sense danger. He can't see him because the snake is under him but idk if he can smell him maybe? Should I just put the burm in another room?
The ambient temps are like 100 on the hot side but it can get cooler after I mist the tank. And 85 on the cool side (these temps r with the red heat lights, I will update after I put the flood lights in)

Apart from offering more privacy the idea of covering the back and sides is also to help insulate the fishtank.
The UVB exposure is not as important as getting the temps and humidity within range. You haven`t said if you`ve covered the whole top yet, or what the usual ambient temps are in the room (day and night)?
If you are very regularly entering the room to interact with the snake it might be best to house it in another room, at least until everything`s set up properly with the monitor`s enclosure.
Can you give details of the diet, and is the animal eating regularly?

marina322 · 06-10-17, 01:44 PM

I have been using a sheet of plastic to cover 3/4 of the top and sometimes I use a damp towel.. The room temperature is 80f, I use a space heater that will click on if the room gets below 80f. I alternate gut loaded crickets and dubia roaches, I offer everyday, and I dust with calcium and d3 every other day.

murrindindi · 06-10-17, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marina322

I have been using a sheet of plastic to cover 3/4 of the top and sometimes I use a damp towel.. The room temperature is 80f, I use a space heater that will click on if the room gets below 80f. I alternate gut loaded crickets and dubia roaches, I offer everyday, and I dust with calcium and d3 every other day.

The damp towel will do nothing much at all, you need to cover the whole top, you can use kitchen foil as I mentioned to fill where the plastic sheet ends.
Can you lower the ambient temp in the room to around 21 to 24c (72 to 75f) because the lowest temp in the enclosure even without any nighttime heat in the tank will be the same (80f) which is too high considering it would be 24 hours per day and 365 days per year.
You need to add to the diet, try f/t fuzzie mice (you can cut them into smaller pieces before thawing if too big to swallow whole) small fish, shrimp/prawns, fertlised quail eggs.
If the monitor gets a decent percentage of vertebrate prey it makes UVB exposure less important although you can offer it if you choose. The vertebrates do not need supplementing, in fact supplementation is mostly pure guesswork, some of little benefit.

marina322 · 06-10-17, 05:04 PM

Ok ill do that.. Btw thanks so much for taking time to help me I really appreciate it. It has been mostly guess work but I know so much more now and feel more confident about taking care of him than I did just a week ago! I may have to re read over your posts just to make sure I dont miss anything that needs to be fixed lol.

murrindindi · 06-10-17, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marina322

Ok ill do that.. Btw thanks so much for taking time to help me I really appreciate it. It has been mostly guess work but I know so much more now and feel more confident about taking care of him than I did just a week ago! I may have to re read over your posts just to make sure I dont miss anything that needs to be fixed lol.

You`re welcome to the advise, thanks for listening and acting on it. It is urgent that the conditions support the monitor asap. It`s a HUGE commitment taking on one of largest Varanid species, lots of time, effort and money go into it, and it`s a long term project, possibly 20 years plus!

marina322 · 06-10-17, 06:10 PM

Yes definitely a huge commitment but I will do whatever it takes to keep him happy I love the little guy lol