Setting up a Flourescent strip light

Installing a flourescent strip light into a wooden vivarium isnt all that difficult. If you are purchasing a flourescent strip light for the first time you will need a few items for it to operate.

An appropriate controller. - All flourescent strip lights such as daylight strips and UVB strips require a Ballast otherwise known as a "Controller" for it to operate. These controllers come in a variety of styles and sizes. There are double controllers that can operate two strip lights at once and single controllers for operating just one strip light.

Each controller has a wattage / size rating that has to be matched to the appropriate strip light. For example if you are buying a 36" striplight this will have a wattage of 30W, (this is indicated in the item description). You must use it with a 30W controller. Using the wrong wattage bulb with a controller is a potential fire hazard.

If you are purchasing an arcadia controller it will come with lamp holder clips that can be screwed to the vivarium, if you are purcahsing an exo terra controller these do not come with fixings and you will need to buy clips seperately.

It is a good idea to use an appropriately sized reflector with your tube as they more than double the lights output, these simply clip over the tube once installed.