distance beardie should be from Reptisun 10.0

[shumes]

Hey guys,

What distance should my beardie be from a Reptisun 10.0 to gain the proper UVB? Also, this is probably going to be a silly question but the entire length of the light doesnt have to be at that optimal distance throughout the entire enclosure correct? For example, if he should be a foot from the light that just applies to the basking area, not that his entire enclosure has to be a foot from the light.

Thanks!
Savannah

 

[dylanravenj]

6 to 8 inches is a good distance. And no the bulb does not have to be that close throughout the entire enclosure. As long as your dragon has a spot where he can get that close to the bulb

 

[misspeachesx]

6 to 8 inches is a good distance. And no the bulb does not have to be that close throughout the entire enclosure. As long as your dragon has a spot where he can get that close to the bulb

They have to be that close?? I thought the Reptisun 10 was more around 12" to 18"?

 

[triumphtt]

6 to 8 inches is a good distance. And no the bulb does not have to be that close throughout the entire enclosure. As long as your dragon has a spot where he can get that close to the bulb

They have to be that close?? I thought the Reptisun 10 was more around 12" to 18"?

Your right misspeachesx I think it was a simple overlook since most people have smaller cages and only have use for the repti 5. I used a repti 10 and its made for a max of 20" but i wouldn't go farther then 18

 

[Spikey07]

It is recommended on this site that your beardie be able to get 6-8" from the Repti-Sun 10.0.

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=154089

 

[shumes]

It is recommended on this site that your beardie be able to get 6-8" from the Repti-Sun 10.0.

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=154089

Hmm, well that was just one person's opinion on how far away the bulb should be so I'll have to look more into it. From looking around the forums most people say anywhere from 6" to 18". That is a huge gap in distance!

 

[diamc]

Frances Baines, the woman that does the UVB testing here: http://www.uvguide.co.uk/ recommends the Repti-Sun 10.0 strip fluorescent be 6 to 8" from your beardie while in the basking spot as that's where they spend most of their time. A distance of further than 8" diminishes the amount of UVB exposure so at 18", the UVB output to your beardie would almost be non-existent. Hope that helps.

 

[shumes]

Frances Baines, the woman that does the UVB testing here: http://www.uvguide.co.uk/ recommends the Repti-Sun 10.0 strip fluorescent be 6 to 8" from your beardie while in the basking spot as that's where they spend most of their time. A distance of further than 8" diminishes the amount of UVB exposure so at 18", the UVB output to your beardie would almost be non-existent. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the link! I'll definitely look into it. It just seems odd that it would have to be so close. If the Reptisun 5 is even less powerful wouldn't that mean it would have to be even closer than 6" to 8"?

Thanks,
Savannah

 

[diamc]

No matter how close the Repti-Sun 5.0 was, it still isn't a strong enough bulb for a bearded dragon. And, any UVB closer than 6" is not good, very hard on their eyes especially, it's also important to have the UVB's right alongside a bright white basking bulb to minimize any type of eye discomfort.

 

[BadCon]

It is recommended on this site that your beardie be able to get 6-8" from the Repti-Sun 10.0.

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=154089

Hmm, well that was just one person's opinion on how far away the bulb should be so I'll have to look more into it. From looking around the forums most people say anywhere from 6" to 18". That is a huge gap in distance!

Not just one persons opinion, but pretty much standard in the trade. But if you want hard facts, go buy a SolarMeter 6.2 and take the measurements. You'll come to the same conclusion that all of us with meters have, and that's 6-8" being the ideal distance for a single Reptisun 10.0 without a reflector. Also take into account that if the bulb is shinning through a screen, the total UV-B penetration into the tank is reduced by up to 40%. Provide the animal with a UV-B gradient, with some basking areas being closer to the bulb then others. They should be able to get within 6-8" in at least 1 spot however, preferably one where they also get heat.
Remember bearded dragons are son loving reptiles, they require very high doses of UV-B. So while there are some species who might thrive 20" away from a Reptisun 10, bearded dragons are not one of them.
In all seriousness, a good UV meter will make everything to do with lighting a whole lot easier. They aren't too expensive when you consider the life of the animal and how many bulbs you'll go through, and it will eventually pay for itself as you'll be able to use bulbs longer then 6 months (because you can track the decay rate exactly).

 

[triumphtt]

Sorry about the mis-info. I remember reading that lady's post a year ago. wow why's the point of a 5.0 then. i made a few other posts I repost this message but I think they were already re-corrected lol

 

[BadCon]

Sorry about the mis-info. I remember reading that lady's post a year ago. wow why's the point of a 5.0 then. i made a few other posts I repost this message but I think they were already re-corrected lol

Remember, there are many other reptiles in the pet trade aside from bearded dragons. The 5.0 is a great light for many tropical species, those that often spend their days in the forest canopy where UV-B exposure is greatly reduced. For desert species, like bearded dragons, you need a much higher level of UV-B...hence the 10.0 bulbs.

 

[shumes]

Thanks for all the help guys! I'm glad I was able to learn something and so did someone else

 

[diamc]

Thanks BadCon for posting that info, guess my info/research/experience wasn't believed at first.