[LouH]

I’m building an enclosure for hopefully a pair of williamsi geckos in a few weeks time but would still like reassuring that my setup will give them the best conditions it can!

I got a 18' x 18' x 18' exo vivarium as a present and have decided to use some live plants and bamboo for the decor. It came with a dual bulb exo canopy aswell and I was planning on using a Reptiglo 10.0 for UVB and a 2.0 for better colours/full spectrum on a friends recommendation. Should I add a seperate bulb for a basking spot or will the two bulbs I have got provide a sufficient basking spot already?

For my live plants im using a couple of bromeliads, mother-in-laws tongue and some moss on a dendrosoil offered on dartfrog.co.uk. I also wondered if a layer for drainage should be put in as i will only be misting once or twice a day.

All help is appreciated thanks!!

[LouH]

anyone?

[hexentanz]

Tank and plants are fine. Honestly in a tank that size you could get away with just a 5.0 bulb and the 2.0 bulb. The 10.0 would be far too strong.

Nobody can really answer for you or not whether you will still need a spot lamp. It really depends on the temperatures your tank reaches towards the top once setup for a few days. But since you are living in the UK you may need one (at max 20w). If you do need one it is often cheaper to go DIY with a simple halogen lamp from a hardware store along with a ballast.

Soil is fine. You will not need a drainage layer when misting twice daily so long as you don't over mist and soak the soil. I have many of my Lygo tanks without drainage and they are on a misting system which sprays 4x's a day for a few seconds.

[Wanderer]

A drainage layer in my experience helps prevent over-saturation of the soil layer. this prevents mold in the terrarium. If you use a spot lamp, which I think you should it will go a long way to drying out the terrarium. Even a 10 watt bulb can have this effect. As for UV it is really up to you. I do not use UV on any of my animals, but i supplement heavily with D3.

[hexentanz]

I forgot to add, for a spot lamp if you do not want to go DIY, you can also get one at IKEA!

IKEA | Kitchen | Kitchen integrated lighting | GRUNDTAL | Spotlight its is 10w, but if you think you may need more than this, there is this kit IKEA | Integrated lighting | Kitchen integrated lighting | GRUNDTAL | Spotlight . I have a few of these above my tanks and they work great!

[Wanderer]

i use the Ikea 10watt halogen puck lights for basking spots

[LouH]

Thanks for the Ikea link! Will get the 5.0 and 2.0 UV lamps and see how the temps are then decide, although one of those 10W spotlights probably wouldn’t hurt…

What supplements/diet would you recommend if you don’t mind?

[hexentanz]

Originally Posted by LouH

Thanks for the Ikea link! Will get the 5.0 and 2.0 UV lamps and see how the temps are then decide, although one of those 10W spotlights probably wouldn’t hurt…

What supplements/diet would you recommend if you don’t mind?

I use Korvimin ZVT+ Reptile and Herpetal Mineral + D3 (since my Lygos never go outside in summer) for my Lygo's. I used to use Herpetal Complete-T instead of the Korvimin, but my Lygo's are also on the same feeding schedule as my frogs. It is a little easier with the huge amount of animals I have to just make one jar of food on this schedule, as opposed to two. Both are great main supplements.

I also feed Repashy MRP once a week.

In my house I feed adults 3 times weekly. Monday being the all around vitamin day. Wednesday being Repashy MRP and Friday is calcium day.

Fridays are either crickets, firebrats or larger woodlice. In summer I often toss in some field sweepings on Fridays.

Monday I feed either fruitflies, pea aphids, houseflies or bean beetles.

Also available in the tank at all times is a bowl of crushed up cuttlefish bone.