UVB Distance?

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Gyro

Hatchling Member
I just bought everything I need for my beardie. Everything is completely set up, and im about to order the UVB light online with 2 day shipping so that it gets here by saturday which is the local reptile show. I was just thinking, the basking log I have here for my beardie makes him to be roughly 7.5" away from the screen. Now, I will be putting the UVB on top of the screen so I know it cancels it out, but also I bought teh reflector fixture so that's adds a little right?

BASICALLY, if i put my Reptisun 10.0 T5 HO with the reflector hood over a screen top about 7-8" away from my beardie, will he be getting a good amount of UVB? Too much? Too little?

Also I found this cool ferret hammock thing that is a soft felt so no claws get stuck, and I hung it from little holes i poked in the screen. It seems to be great and I hope my lil fella likes it :)
 

CooperDragon

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A T5 at that distance through a screen should be fine. Just provide some areas further away from the UVB along with some shade areas to give options.
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
So I should get the 22" bulb with the 24" fixture rather than the 36"? My enclosure is the 36x18x18 exoterra that i got from a friend for $50 pretty much new! I redid everything on the inside because my friend had it so cluttered
 

CooperDragon

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Yeah I'd go with the 22. I have the same tank and use the 36 and I think it's a bit too much. I have half of it blocked off with a piece of plastic so I have a nice high UVB level over the basking side and some shade areas on the cool side. I like producing a good gradient and options. I also cheat it to the front of the tank so there is higher UVB to the front and a gradient going toward the back wall.
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":386cvfmq said:
Yeah I'd go with the 22. I have the same tank and use the 36 and I think it's a bit too much. I have half of it blocked off with a piece of plastic so I have a nice high UVB level over the basking side and some shade areas on the cool side. I like producing a good gradient and options. I also cheat it to the front of the tank so there is higher UVB to the front and a gradient going toward the back wall.

okay! Thank you so much! I was worried that at the 7"ish distance from the uvb spot that it would be too much, but i'm glad to see it's not :) Thank you again
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
So, my 10.0 T5 Ho and fixture won't be here for another week or two because of stupid backorders. So, would it be okay to just get the 10.0 T8 as a place holder and then just return it when the T5 gets here? I know it's not as much, but some UVB is better than none, plus I can take her outside sometimes. I just know i won't always be able to take her outside after she eats as I am planning on giving her a meal before I leave for school in the mornings at around 9:20. Thank you!! Hopefully this is answered by tomorrow, since I'm getting my beardie on saturday
 

CooperDragon

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Yeah T8 is fine. It just needs to be closer. Shoot for 6-8'' from the highest basking point.
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":j6wi58mw said:
Yeah T8 is fine. It just needs to be closer. Shoot for 6-8'' from the highest basking point.

Would that be with or without screen? That's the distance i was going to put the T5 over screen
 

CooperDragon

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With T8 it's better to put it inside the screen but if you can't mount it inside just try to provide a branch or something that can get within about 6'' of the light and it will be OK for a while. This is what the UVI looks like through screen vs no screen. Optimal basking levels are around 3-5UVI (ish)

76248-9432289316.jpg
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
The only thing I was able to locally find was the Zilla Desert 50 and it seemed to have similar output to the t8? Do you think that this will be enough+black soldier fly+real sunlight for an hour or two every day? I don't want her to get MBD or any kind of lasting health issues. It shouldn't be for more than a week or maybe two at the most.
 

CooperDragon

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The desert 50 is a T8 bulb. I've tested those as well. It will work at the same distances I mentioned. Shoot for 6'' under the screen for the highest basking spot.

76248-7798083620.jpg
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":1zjq28p9 said:
The desert 50 is a T8 bulb. I've tested those as well. It will work at the same distances I mentioned. Shoot for 6'' under the screen for the highest basking spot.

76248-7798083620.jpg

Oh huh, it seems like it actually did better than the 10.0. okay cool! hopefully my 10.0 T5 gets here soon!
 

Gyro

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Also, thank you for being so helpful! Sorry for so many questions, I just want to treat my beardie as well as I can
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
I'm here to help. Please let me know if you have any other questions. The Desert 50s I tested were fairly high output but they don't seem to be as consistent as the ReptiSun so the issue is more build quality/consistency than output power.
 
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