How far should my light be away from my baby beardie?

I have about a 3 week old baby beardie. I wrote previously in another fourm about him and a health issue that is all sorted out. Here is the fourm viewtopic.php?f=45&t=101861

Now, the temps are correct (109 hot side, 81 on cool currently) and i have this light : Exoterra glow light porcelian clamp lamp plus glow reflector with a Mega Ray Mercury Vapour UVB bulb.

In the fourm i wrote in, someone suggested i move the light. I had my light sitting on top of the mesg screen directly.It is about 8 inches away from the top of his basking spot and probably 15iches from the bottom. How far away should the light be?

As for the MVB, if it’s 100 or 125 whatt, it needs to be 12" away from the basking spot, 160 whatts need to be 18" away. No closer. The UVB they emitt and all the heat can be harmful if to close.

~Sandy

Alrighty! What should i do about heat then? I believe once i move it away, less heat will come with it. I heard about a normal house light bulb but im clueless in the setup or tools needed

How big of tank do u have him/her in? Honestly, I use the standard way of lighting, which is the long ReptiSun10 UVB tube & a dome fixture on one side for the basking light. I have heard that the MVB are wayyy better tho! The info I gave u came form a friend of mine. She has 4 beardies & she only uses the MVB's so I asked her for u! lol. I do know that the MVB lights r so powerful that is not a good idea to use them in a small tank, so that's why I was asking what's the size of tank. Your beardie needs to have a cool side of the tank to go to if he gets too hot...if u have a small tank & a MVB, I think the tank will be too hot all around. Let me ask her the sizeing & heat question u asked & I will get back to u U can def use a regular house bulb for extra heat if need be. All u would need to do is purchase a dome light fixture & that can be placed directly on the screen, as long as the temps are correct in the basking spot.

~Sandy

i have him in a 20 gallon. the cool side is 82 and i have been told that is good for a cool side. I spent 100 bucks Canadian on this light which was recommended by the breeder (the same one he uses). I have been told just to move the light away and not replace it because it is a very good light. The temps are correct, like i said 109 on the hot side and 82 on the cool. He has a shallow dish to go in if he does get hot but has never done it. He usually stays on the warmer side. I believe moving the light away will help alot.

I beleive once i do move the light away , the temps will be off. I never really realized the normal household light bulb would give off heat. But i will try it! ill go to a hardware store and see if i can get a dome light fixture/

Ok...here is what my friend Nancy says...

"He must have at least a 40 breeder for a MVB, 36x18x18. If he cannot achieve correct temps with it 12" away, yes, tell him to add another dome with a regular house hold bulb, he will have to play with different whattages though, tell him to start with a 40 or 50 whatt and go from there."

Hope I could help a bit & good luck

~Sandy

Thnak you very much!