New enclosure lighting advice

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Hello,
New to bearded dragons but done little research. I purchased a new home for my Rocky he's two years old and still juvenile size. The enclosure I went with is a Zen habitat 4' 2' 2' that's 48" 24" 24". With the tank being big and didn't think of it at the time. What would be best uvb lighting at 23-24 inch distance to bottom. My dragon doesn't climb much so I use logs. Has a fine mesh top so don't think Mercury vapor bulbs would help much. Because they get filtered under these screens. I have a 24 inch sunblaster fixture with a reptisun 10 t5 ho bulb and a 5.0 reptisun that I don't use because no reptile I have would need it. Just trying get best uvb lighting for his bone disease vet diagnosed him with and coiddia parasite. Seems better just wanted get him in his new home over the next few weeks. I also own a Cuban rock iguana that I may put in this tank. Give dragon the 36" 18" 18" rock is in now. But rock iguana needs about 5 degrees more heat then a dragon does. Any advice would be appreciated. I currently have Rocky my dragon in a 20 gallon tank. Was temporary of course. Rocky just been up at night making noises and is doing a black beard alot. He also wants to bite me when I try to pet him.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Do you have any pictures of your tank?
I would suggest a mercury vapor bulb like a Megaray if you are going to have the UVB source
that far away. The only problem with that distance is the UVB may not be quite as strong as
it needs to be. I would personally use the Reptisun 10 T5 tube bulb for Rocky's tank if you can
get it to a good distance of 12-14 inches somehow.
Rocky may be a little crowded in a 20 gallon. How long have you had him & does he have a
good appetite?

Tracie
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I have a Zen Habitat and use a 24" fixture w / a Arcadia bulb - a 14% at the time but am changing out to the 12% in a month - at this moment my UVB is attactched to the top of the mesh beings its the 14% bulb - the fixture will be lowered to the 12-15 inch when the 12% is put in - here is a pic of the tank
97951-7863920475.jpg
Rockys tank is too small I suggest you get him out and into the Zen ASAP
Karrie
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
A good guide ( old but still valid ) from Arcadia :

arcadia-bearded-dragon-lighting-guide.png

A and B are microW UVB / sq.cm
the hill is a representation of the temperature gradient along the length of the tank.

Edit
Didn't post this earlier as I didn't want to confuse the OP, but since others have posted the current GUI from Arcadia and the OP is likely confused now.

This shows how the old and new guidelines from Arcadia tie in with each other.
tie-the-old-arcadia-guide-to-the-new-arcadia-guide.png

Note the distances indicated are much the same ( old vs new )..
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Well arcadia has had their new guidelines out for a long time so no need to use their old one when the new one is readily available.
31715-243983190.jpg

I also have 4x2x2s and I use a 22inch 14%

The 22 is biased to the hot side of the tank, that way there is a gradient down to 0 uvi on the cool end of the tank.

Since you aren't planning on using any high basking spots, I'd definitely go with the 14% and follow arcadias distance recommendation for it.

-Brandon
 

NewBeardDragOwner

Member
Original Poster
Hi,
Idk how post a pic it seems can't attach. Thank you for the photo very nice setup. How'd you mount fixture like that? I have a reptisun t5 ho hood that looks like that. Also you guys don't recommend the zoomed bulbs? Arcadia is hard to find in the states. Was going try the mega-ray 160 watt but can't seem get the bulb reptile supply site keeps canceling order. Powersun by zoomed seems to not help much with the mesh. Just want this uvb lighting to work and prevent mbd. Rocky is skinny and will eat crickets. But tries eat my finger then the cricket. Wanted get him to a vet with weight loss I noticed. But getting his tank setup right then I have before. My dog diagnosed with auto immune issue last month. Been pretty costly about 300-400 a week last 5 weeks. Meds are pricey and predazone is affecting him bad. Currently won't eat since 4 days ago. Been a rough patch last couple weeks. So trying prevent illness and give my dragon best life possible. Dog situation was a huge wake up call. Any advice would be appreciated.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes we recommend the Reptisun 10.0 bulb and arcadia- both are good- get the T5 HO - mount it inside the tank approx 12-15 inches from basking decor-- he needs to sit directly underneath--- - you can use long plastic zip ties- 3M Velcro fasteners-- picture wire hangers- shoe laces - boot laces-- fishing line- -- the Arcadia bulbs can be found on this website- I got both the fixture and Arcadia bulb from here- you want the 12% bulb if you get an arcadia-
www.pangeareptiles.com-- I would recommend getting dubia roaches- they are the best for nutrition- they can be ordered from here www.dubiaroaches.com- I also recommend getting him some worms like butter worms and horn worms- order low amount in those they grow really fast-- also are you feeding salads? Greens? Like mustard turnip collards and kale-- squash zuccinni yellow and butternut shredded-- he needs fresh everyday-
Karrie
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
NewBeardDragOwner":225ldiuy said:
Hi,
Idk how post a pic it seems can't attach. Thank you for the photo very nice setup. How'd you mount fixture like that? I have a reptisun t5 ho hood that looks like that. Also you guys don't recommend the zoomed bulbs? Arcadia is hard to find in the states. Was going try the mega-ray 160 watt but can't seem get the bulb reptile supply site keeps canceling order. Powersun by zoomed seems to not help much with the mesh. Just want this uvb lighting to work and prevent mbd. Rocky is skinny and will eat crickets. But tries eat my finger then the cricket. Wanted get him to a vet with weight loss I noticed. But getting his tank setup right then I have before. My dog diagnosed with auto immune issue last month. Been pretty costly about 300-400 a week last 5 weeks. Meds are pricey and predazone is affecting him bad. Currently won't eat since 4 days ago. Been a rough patch last couple weeks. So trying prevent illness and give my dragon best life possible. Dog situation was a huge wake up call. Any advice would be appreciated.


If you can't get the mega-ray , try an Arcadia MVB or an Exo Terra MVB .

If you replace the mesh lid with a solid timber lid ( MDF, particle board, melamine, plywood are all good) you wont need 150W to get the basking temperature you are aiming for , more likely will only need a 100W or 120W because the warmed air created by the MVB will stay in the tank and will circulate creating a nice convection and nice thermal gradient.

I'd recommend only using an MVB in a smaller tank , better off using a suitably sized 10%, 12% or 14% UVB tube in a reflector hood mounted under the lid and a domestic halogen or incandescent flood globe ( to provide bright overhead light and heat ) , subsidizing the heating with a CHE on a dimming thermostat if you live in cold climate ( ie a higher latitude than 35 deg Lat in an alpine area ).
If you see frosts or snow you need a CHE as well as a basking globe.

I don't know why vendors (in the US) all seem to insist on their stupid mesh lids ( other than very cheap to make and lack of consumer pressure to change ), but they result in very poor thermal efficiency and you end up warming the ceiling of the room the tank is house in ( warm air is less dense and is immediately lost from the tank by weigh of buoyancy = it rises ).
 
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