Lights for InSitu and TC420 Controllers

Some thoughts on the light panel offered with the InSitu Systems vivariums:

Most people find the light to be way over powered (too much lumen output); and it creates excessive heat, this comes from the dartfrog community and is largely accurate, but some context is needed.

No matter how strong a light is, you will always find customers who want more lumens. I dont see this within the dartfrog community as much as I do in other reptile communities. Some hobbyists also want and need the heat.

This is why dimmers are included. However, highly colored bromeliads need some intense output for at least part of the day or they will "green out", so just dialing back the output entirely might not work for your display.

The answer to all these issues, and more, is to be found by running a TC420 controller to simulate a natural solar cycle.

The controller I offer comes programmed and is ready to plug and play.

The programs I have created and used for years now go from 11 to 14 hrs, with 3 output levels for each cycle. This gives you 12 different output levels. Sunrise and sunset are simulated in all of them. The variation in cycles allows for seasonal mimickry as well.

After speaking to many InSitu users with dartfrogs, its clear that the high output programs are not being used, so I've come up with a set of "dialed back" programs to better serve the needs of this group of hobbyists.

Here's, some screen shots that might help.

Some plants definitely need a window of high intensity light, specifically the brightly colored broms. So these "InSitu specific" programs assume this type of plant mix.