Good lighting setup?

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I have a mvb powersun 100 watt about 12 inches away from my beardie and added a arcadia 12% t5 with reflector about 10-8 inches away is this a good set up or should i change anything
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CooperDragon

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Your T5 should be OK at that distance (although double check the reflector if it is a Sunblaster - some issues have been reported with them recently. The PowerSun is good at that distance too, but I'd probably move that out and use it as a portable basking spot and use a halogen flood light for basking. That way you can dim it if needed and adjust the temps more easily.
 

Deathtrack123

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The temps are around 105 i was just wondering if it would be too much uv for my beardi its not a sunblaster i got the fixture from pangea reptiles should i switch the mvb out for a normal basking bulb? He starts to close his eyes after a while should i keep using the mvb without tube or tube with normal basking bulb
 

CooperDragon

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If you're getting a good temperature gradient across the tank, the MVB might be a good fit in your setup. I would probably use either the T5 or the MVB though. I prefer the T5 in a main enclosure because the produce a wider/longer spread of UVB which allows for more even basking. This may come more into play as he gets bigger. My personal preference (certainly not a rule at all) is to use MVB for travel and portable basking spots outside the tank and T5 tube inside the tank. I prefer it because I can change the heat and UVB exposure independently which I've found to come in handy.
 

CooperDragon

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I've had good luck using both BR30 flood light incandescent and PAR38 flood light halogen bulbs from the hardware (or sometimes even grocery) stores. Might be worth some experimentation to find what works best and is most cost effective in your setup. I've found that some of the reptile specific bulbs are expensive and don't last very long. Mileage may vary on that though...
 

Deathtrack123

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I think i will use mvb for meanwhile i believe the t5 is too strong for my beardi because i dont have any way of putting it further than 8-10 inches i will add it in the future when i upgrade him to a 75 gallon tank his eyes look a bit irritated due to the t5 being too close i belive i will update you guys when i upgrade his tank to a 75 gal

Do you think the Arcadia will go bad after a few months ive only used it about 5 hours?
 

KarrieRee

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Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
No T5's last a year --- but I change mine out before a year is up usually a month before - I noticed when I changed my Arcadia 14% to the 12% on Valentines weekend it was due March 1st the 12% was a lot brighter so my 14% was getting weak
Karrie
 

CooperDragon

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The T5 will only burn out if used. It should have a nice long shelf life if you're planning to store it and use it later on.
 

Deathtrack123

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I have used it for like 5 hours already would it work if i plan on using it like a year or a few months later if im not using it right now
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yep just go off this date so you replace it in years time-- they don't expire if not used-- mark your calendar
Karrie
 
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