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Question for fluorescent adherents: I'm making a terraruim 16 cu. ft. (4' long x 2' x 2') that'll be lighted with 40-watt 4' tubes. I'm hoping to fit as many as I can find in there, as many as 8 or more, but it occurs to me that it might get too hot. Should I put the ballasts outside the terrarium (I'm wiring it myself and discarding the reflectors)? It'll be plexiglass on the front and is mylar-covered wood on the back and sides... haven't worked out the ventilation and humidity yet. Obviously if I end up venting it aggressively to deal with heat buildup I'll let too much of our seriously dessicated air in and humidity will suffer... this'll be a home for several neps (maxima, ventrata, ventricosa, gracilis) and some dews.
How many bulbs with or without ballasts get too hot? I know it's relative but any experience, suggestions or speculations welcome.
 
they won't heat it up to dangerous levels. ime, the ballasts dont get that hot, the bulbs do.

i run 4 vho lights above my terr (really 4 no run on a vho ballast an 3x power) and they heat my terr to 93 degrees in the day. it's not stable, it fluctuates between 89-92 throughout the day. i have a glass top, and above the glass i put an electronic thermometer and it read 112 F.

as you can see, if your so worried about heat, glass really blocks alot.
 
So are your lights on top of the glass?
 
I should clarify: the tombstones and bulbs will be INSIDE the terrarium with no barrier between them and the plants... Possible humidifying options are aerated water in the bottom, a fountain of some sort, or perhaps a portion of an untrasonic humidifier's output.
 
i have an 75 gallon terr on an aquarium stand, then a canopy on top of the tank (i think the canopy was only a couple hunred dollars). the lights are mounted to the lid that opens up on the canopy and then it's closed it's a couple inches away from the glass.

i have a hole drilled on the back of my terr and i had a bulkhead installed. i have a humidifier under the tank inside the stand (the ballast is also inside the stand under the tank) and a hose connects the output of the humidifier to the bulkhead on the aquarium.
 
oh i would NOT discard the reflector. i would also cover all 4 sides of the tank with mylar/aluminum foil. thats what i do. you can just lift it up on the front glass when you want to see your plants.

you pay good money for that light, so don't waste it!
 
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