Reddit reviews Zoo Med Laboratories SZMLT10 Repti Day Night Timer
We found 3 Reddit comments about Zoo Med Laboratories SZMLT10 Repti Day Night Timer. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
8 amps/900 wattsEasy to set upFor Indoor use onlyZoo Med Laboratories Repti Day Night TimerDay and Night Timer turns Daylights on in the morning and off at night and Nightlights on at night and off in the morningRegulate your terrariums photoperiod with this easy-to-use day/night timerDay and Night Timer turns Daylights on in the morning and off at night, and Nightlights on at night and off in the morningRegulate your terrariums photoperiod with this easy- to-use day/night timer
Picture of the setup
Im using a 20 gallon long glass tank with this surrounding the sides and back, its a perfect fit. A day night timer hooked to a non heated light. I dont use heating that sucks the humidity out of the air by using a heat pad for both hides regulated by thermostats one for each pad. Substrate I use is coconut husk, this one lasted me a whole year and people say it wont mold as easily compared to other non coconut fiber substrates. The tank itself uses a screened sliding locked lid. I cant speak for how to lock down other types of lids for tanks. The screen however I covered most of it with 3 layers of foil followed by tape around the edges of the foil to keep it attached and sealed better to the screen. A hole for the non heated light was made and I used a cut up piece of a zipblock bag along with tape to cover over the hole for humidity reasons. Finally the hides are medium sized from reptile basics, I remember when he could easily fit in the small one, was such a tiny noodle and of course a simple plastic water dish big enough to soak in and aid in humidity.
For times when he is in shed though, I lightly spray down the substrate and sides and back of the tank once a day. I think just spraying the glass walls and keeping that large surface area wet is good enough though.
Other items include thermometer, fake plants, gram scale, and one ball python
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-SZMLT10-Repti/dp/B007EI1II4
these are pretty good, anything that looks like this dial wise is usually not a problem.
If you're changing out the bulbs every 6 hours, theres a problem. It should be daytime for ~12 hours a day and then switch to nighttime. If you are switching out the daytime bulb for a nighttime bulb, then I would just not use the nighttime bulb (darkness works just as well as a nighttime bulb). Getting a timer of some sort is extremely convenient for this. A christmas light timer works, or you can look at reptile specific timers if you want one that turns on your nighttime bulb in another lamp.
Your daytime bulb most likely provides heat and UVA rays (you mentioned earlier it says UV, which means UVA). What it does not provide is UVB rays. There are some lightbulbs that provide all 3, but are extremely powerful, and therefore not suitable for home use. Since these bulbs aren't feasable, you're going to want a 2nd bulb for UVB.
My recommendation is to use your daytime bulb for ~12 a day on a timer. I wouldn't bother with the nighttime bulb, it doesn't add anything. You should try to grab a 2nd lamp and UVB bulb soon, but its not an emergency or anything. Your turtle will survive without UVB, but be at much higher risk of shell rot and infection.
When you get a chance, grab a 2nd lamp and a UVB bulb. The 5 and 10 fluorescent ones like this are good. I use (and really like) a double dome lamp - and have the heat bulb in one and the UVB bulb in the other.