Arcadia 14% Bulb vs 12% Bulb

I'm having a minor freak-out moment here.

I just got my Zen Habitats 4x2x2' enclosure for Figment, and I bought a 14% Arcadia UV bulb to go in it. I'm also on the Zen Habitats fan group on Facebook, and I posted an inquiry as to why everyone seemed to be getting the Arcadia 12% for their habs. I was told that a 14% bulb will be far too strong for a 2' tall hab, that they are meant for 3'-4' tall habs, and that I shouldn't put it on the screen, either, because I won't know just how much UV is getting through.

I really don't want to pay to ship back a light and fixture set and a spare bulb... but I also don't want to hurt my dragon! Help!

I had the 14% bulbs in my Zen Habitats and my dragons did just fine w/ them --- just strap it to the top of the screen like we talked about and have your basking decor piece approx 17" under it - Figment will be fine -- the only thing is dont feed the D3 supplement to Figment every feeding - I would get some w/ out the D3 NO phosphorus and alternate the two - so on the days your feeding insects alternate the days you dust --- please dont listen to the people on FB -- some are very knowledgeable and some arent -- I heard a lot of not so nice things on that FB group --
I was going to order the Arcadias again but when I went to order every one was sold out so I ended up w/ the Reptisuns -- when I need to order again next year I will be going back to the Arcadia bulbs and probably the 12%
Karrie

I use the 14%.

I'd ask if any in that group have a solar meter and have measured the output of the 14% bulb vs the 12% (I have). And the 22inch 14% is perfect for a 4x2x2 assuming your basking site isn't an ungodly height.

Here is info from the horse's mouth:
https://www.arcadiareptile.com/lighting/full-sun-baskers/

You can use the 12% if you want, but your basking site would need to be around 12 inches from it, which means your basking site needs to be about a foot off the floor of your enclosure... Not to mention, that means that the 12% is also 22~ inches or so away from the floor in the rest of the tank, which means the rest of the tank gets very little UV exposure. If you're going to go with the 12%, you need to go with the 34 inch bulb to try to make up for that discrepancy. Likewise, the 14% in the 32 inch version would be too much for the 4x2x2 as it wouldn't allow a good gradient of UV down to low-0.

With the 14%, the basking site gets good exposure, the floor on the hot end gets decent exposure, and the cool end gets a perfect gradient down to basically 0 on the cool end.

-Brandon

KarrieRee":2i2b7igi said:

I had the 14% bulbs in my Zen Habitats and my dragons did just fine w/ them --- just strap it to the top of the screen like we talked about and have your basking decor piece approx 17" under it - Figment will be fine -- the only thing is dont feed the D3 supplement to Figment every feeding - I would get some w/ out the D3 NO phosphorus and alternate the two - so on the days your feeding insects alternate the days you dust --- please dont listen to the people on FB -- some are very knowledgeable and some arent -- I heard a lot of not so nice things on that FB group --
I was going to order the Arcadias again but when I went to order every one was sold out so I ended up w/ the Reptisuns -- when I need to order again next year I will be going back to the Arcadia bulbs and probably the 12%

Click to expand...

Yes, this Zen Habitats group is better than the dragon groups on FB, but they definitely have their opinions on what's best for beardies... I don't dare mention that my fixture is only 24", for example, as they are in the 36"-or-bust camp. I'll set up the lighting just like we discussed, as you and Brandon have never steered me wrong in the year I've had Figment.

Now, as for the D3... I moved over to the Repashy Calcium Plus. Right now, he gets it on every bug feeding, which is about every other day. I am going to make another post about his eating habits - but for now, what do you recommend in terms of a non-D3 supplement? Is there a Repashy Calcium Plus without D3? I'll check.

I'm glad to hear you're still very pro-Arcadia; why are you planning on going 12% rather than 14%, just out of curiosity? I'll drop down to 12% next year when I switch out, if it's really better for beardies.

I couldnt get the Arcadias at all when I tried to get them every one was out of stock that is why I went to the Reptisun T 5--- you will need to order some Calcium w/ out the D3 w/ the 14% bulb - I was instructed by AHBD to give Calcium D3 2 days per week w/ the other 3 w/ out and get NO phosphorus --
Karrie

Claudiusx":1dq3pqg7 said:

I use the 14%.

I'd ask if any in that group have a solar meter and have measured the output of the 14% bulb vs the 12% (I have). And the 22inch 14% is perfect for a 4x2x2 assuming your basking site isn't an ungodly height.

Here is info from the horse's mouth:
https://www.arcadiareptile.com/lighting/full-sun-baskers/

You can use the 12% if you want, but your basking site would need to be around 12 inches from it, which means your basking site needs to be about a foot off the floor of your enclosure... Not to mention, that means that the 12% is also 22~ inches or so away from the floor in the rest of the tank, which means the rest of the tank gets very little UV exposure. If you're going to go with the 12%, you need to go with the 34 inch bulb to try to make up for that discrepancy. Likewise, the 14% in the 32 inch version would be too much for the 4x2x2 as it wouldn't allow a good gradient of UV down to low-0.

With the 14%, the basking site gets good exposure, the floor on the hot end gets decent exposure, and the cool end gets a perfect gradient down to basically 0 on the cool end.

Click to expand...

They were actually telling me to get a solar meter... but I will take yours and Karrie's advice, as I just don't have the cash on hand to get a solar meter right now.

As for a basking site... Figment, as I've discovered, seems to prefer to bask on the floor of his tank, rather than on a branch. I've tried providing him with raised platforms, different types of branches, even a concrete paver. No go. He likes the floor, thank-you-very-much. Which was why I went with the 14%... though with a higher hab, I may have to play around with the wattage for his basking bulb.

That was another concern - the basking area getting warm enough with a 2' ceiling. I didn't plan to mount the bulb inside the screen... but I'll see what happens with the 100w bulb I have and the added height.

Thanks as always for the advice, and stay safe out there in wildfire land!

KarrieRee":d1uo5upx said:

I couldnt get the Arcadias at all when I tried to get them every one was out of stock that is why I went to the Reptisun T 5--- you will need to order some Calcium w/ out the D3 w/ the 14% bulb - I was instructed by AHBD to give Calcium D3 2 days per week w/ the other 3 w/ out and get NO phosphorus --

Click to expand...

I don't think the Repashy has phosphorous... but I'll definitely check, and I'll get some calcium without D3 to alternate. Thanks for the advice!

I have all my beardies in 4x2x2 enclosures, and while 12% would work I much prefer the 14%. With that said I have the 24" fixture so that there is a gradient to lower UVB on the cool side. I don't want to speak bad about the group as I have no experience with them, but something to keep in mind is every single setup is different. For instance while everyone with the same Zen Habitat has the same enclosure height, they will likely have different height basking decor. A basking spot 8" from the UVB will require a different bulb than a basking site 16" from the UVB. That is why here any questions about UVB are met with many questions and usually a request for a picture of the setup, you just cant give an appropriate answer without all the info.