Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm starting a new thread because we pretty much hijacked the ficus subject into another one. When you said "dome" light, I'm thinking of something one mounts on the ceiling, which would be too far away from the plants to be efficient, as the actual light reaching them decreases with distance. But maybe I misunderstood.

The photo is one of a strip of flood lamps (with some Halogen spots on the ceiling, barely in view) that I installed in this room years ago for lighting a carving bench, along with the strip of plug ins. I've been trying to think of some way to utilize this better for my vivariums, but even they are too far away from them to make efficient lighting, so I haven't even used this at all. I just screwed in a couple of spiral fluorescents in the farther two lamps to take this picture. Any ideas would be welcome.

The center area has no vivariums under it because there is an electric wall heater there. I've just stuffed tanks in this room ad hoc wherever they'll fit. It's a really weird room with all kinds of major angles and slopes of the ceiling areas from a 12 foot peak to 3 foot in places, with window dormer cubby holes. (This original house was a log school house built in 1886, then "improved" by someone who didn't know what a square or level was before I bought it years ago. The roof alone has 20 different angles and pitches and looks like something out of Dr. Seuss.

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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Thanks . By dome lighting I meant something like this placed directly on tank top screen/glass

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/light-fixtures/-/ceramic-mini-heat-lamp/

I have never set up a terrarium but use them for my snakes find they direct heat better into the tank.
I dont want extra heat for my mantellas and since using plants thus going to use flourscent small spiral bulbs .
At 6700k spectrum you use

Thanks, Luis. This is the same then as the reflector hoods I use on most of my tanks--I think I was calling them strips when I meant reflector hoods.

They do indeed add a lot of heat, which is why I like the Sunpaq that's raised about 4 inches and has a cooling fan. The down side is the price of these, especially when I have to get them online and have them shipped.

I live in the boonies, about 100 miles from the nearest town with a Wally-World as we call Wall Mart, or a Home Depot. But the next time I get a "to get" list worth the trip, I'll be sure to check out their lighting stuff more carefully.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Hi
How do you feel about springtails? I imagine harmless and was thinking of actually introducing them to terrarium before getting the mantellas?

Thanks

I attempt to introduce springtails into all of my vivariums before adding the frogs. They are a great food source, but sometimes the darts make quick work of them. I don't know if Mantellas go for them as much, but they are still a good critter to have in the soil. They will do best if you have a lot of leaf litter.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Great going to order them as saw site that advertises here that has them

thanks