namrufmot":1w7mhmca said:Is there a t5 fixture that can attach to the back wall of an enclosure? Right now I have a t8 bulb in a fixture like this:velcroed to the back wall.
Is there a t5 fixture that would work like this?
namrufmot":6k6xpwmn said:Is there a t5 fixture that can attach to the back wall of an enclosure? Right now I have a t8 bulb in a fixture like this:velcroed to the back wall.
Is there a t5 fixture that would work like this?
Narwhal72":pjz96fc1 said:I did click on the links. But the information they provided was minimal. The charts were unlabeled so I am guessing the values were UVB? or were they UVA+B? Where are the UV Index values? And a couple of pictures of one viv brighter than another? La De Da. I think the dimmer vivs looked better and had more natural color. It's all marketing and not providing any meaningful data.
If the reptile industry started the meaningless percentage system and Arcadia is so concerned about the hobby why don't they change their rating system rather than continue to perpetuate a meaningless system? I can tell you why. It's easier to market and it would make them accountable for producing a product that performs as they say. If the lamps don't perform as they should now they don't have to worry as the performance of the lamps is undefined and can be whatever they want.
I do think there is a place for HO T5 lighting in reptile lighting but it will need to be for enclosures that are taller than the typical 12-18" range that most off the shelf vivs are sized at in order to reduce the amount of UVB the animals are exposed to.
I can foresee people having a lot of problems using these lamps on shorter vivs which could expose the reptiles to much higher than needed levels of UVB. At 12" the Arcadia 12% with a reflector produces more than twice the amount of UVB that a Zilla Desert 50 produces (and I am talking about the post 2008 version with the improved and strength reduced phosphor blend).
LED will be along soon enough and provide visible light in new ways and with greater energy efficiency. But it will need to be combined with fluorescent technology in order to produce UV light as UV LED's that produce UVB do not exist and UVA LED's are extremely expensive.
Metal Halide is old technology and will probably never make it into the reptile industry in a meaningful way.
Every hobbyist should have two Solarmeters so that they can measure the amount of UVB and also the UV Index so they can measure the strength of the UVB. But 98% of people who have reptiles do not have both or even one of these meters and they depend on the information provided to them from the manufacturers.
Andy
Venutus1":1t8gfuhl said:dodgersmom":1t8gfuhl said:Hi Todd,
Thanks for all the information on this topic, it helps sort things out a bit.
In looking on your site at the Arcadia bulbs, I noticed the HO t5 D3+ 12% and then what I assume is a NO t8 D3+ 12% as it shows *fits in all reg fluorescent fixtures*; is that correct? If it is correct, how does the NO D3+ differ from the ReptiSun 10.0?
My next question then is: does the NO t8 D3+ 12% [if it is t8] produce adequate UVA/daylight and UVB light?
Would that eliminate the need for an additional 6.5K daylight bulb, or would I still need a daylight bulb?
I think that is it, for now anyway.
[when I build my new vivs I will have the extra room to switch over to HO t5's but right now I don't have the distance]
Thanks
-Vicki
Hi Vicki.
My real answer: no single T8 tube provides enough visible light to match what they get in Nature.
Take a light meter outside and see what the light levels are ... (not talking about UV per se' ... just plain 'ol brightness.)
Then compare to 99.9% of the set-ups.
Our set ups DO NOT COMPARE... or EVEN COME CLOSE!
Outside of maybe the 6" -8" "Bright Spot" under the basking light.
So basically, most folks are keeping their pets like if WE were living in a dim room lit with CANDLES all our lives!
Talk about S.A.D. :shock: (Seasonal affective disorder)
So, yes, by all means.... add another Full spectrum daylight bulb or maybe even some Jungle Dawn LED lighting.*
* ok that was a plug.
The Arcadia is a 12% bulb and the Zoo med is a 10% bulb.
I offer both.
This thread was intended for us to talk about the mechanics and application of T5 lighting.... because it seemed like so folks were saying it was confusing..
Not for me to sell or endorse anything.
Or try not to.. anyway.
But that is what folks seem to be asking me. LOL
Anyway, I am sure you know what bulb I personally feel is the best . 8)
The best made and longest lasting one from jolly old England.
I whole-heartedly favor the one made by the Company that I think is far superior in their philosophy for ADVANCING the hobby, rather than their wallets. :lol:
Like so many of them are.
and FYI...Arcadia is also the company that has been around quite a bit LONGER than the other too boot. They have been big in Europe since the late 60's.
Having said that, both are very good quality products, because ....I would not offer them if they were not.
(note: i do not carry much by Zilly... :silent: or any exo teary linear flo. tubes. lol)
just a side note.. since I DID start the thread.... I guess I can indulge myself a wee bit.
One thing to know ... I am old.
I have been keeping reptiles and exotics since 1976.
Another thing to know. I have worked for 5 pet stores from 1975 onward.... and owned one in the 80's (sold it, worst decision of my life) and owned a percentage of one in the 90's.
BUT...
I also must tell you I am NOT a beardie expert. I do not have any! ... yet.
But I have an empty 70 gal. tank and certainly all the lighting I need! :lol: :lol:
Funny story, then I will stop rambling Vicki. :mrgreen:
I first started using UV back in 1979 over leopard and pancake tortoises.
There was NO internet, no UV products to keep reptiles healthy. NOTHING.
I knew zoos used UV because I read about it and studied up on it.
Back then you used GE Time a tan mercury vapor bulbs they made to "tan" people. (and they were STRONG)
There were no Solarmeters and no way to effectivly test strength... so I tested exposure time with my own body!
At a distance of 5-6 feet, my arm "tanned" (or burned more like it, LOL) to the equivalent of about 35 min. in mid day sun.
So that was about = to the strength of natural sunlight.
Then I computed exposure time for the tortoises off that ....to great results. :roll:
Anyway, yes, if you have a large cage and an option to add a GOOD full spectrum daylight bulb... then do it.
And you can put it on a morn / noon / night cycle by using a few inexspensive 5.99 timers from wal mart.
And have the light and UV levels vary in an arc of intensity throughout the day- JUST LIKE IN NATURE!
well. I guess we didn't get to talk much about the mechanics of t5's in this post, but I hope I have said something intelligent here that you can use.
Cheers!
Todd
lightyourreptiles.com
e/m
lightyourreptiles@yahoo.com
Venutus1":zl9cdey7 said:namrufmot":zl9cdey7 said:Is there a t5 fixture that can attach to the back wall of an enclosure? Right now I have a t8 bulb in a fixture like this:velcroed to the back wall.
Is there a t5 fixture that would work like this?
This apears to be the same designe as your T8 in t5:
http://www.growlightsupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=111
Question... are you asking because you have a solid top and can not set a fixture on it?
Because with HO T5's , screen is not an issue as far as cutting down too much on UV is concerned.
Thanks!
Todd
Venutus1":1jwi839b said:namrufmot":1jwi839b said:Is there a t5 fixture that can attach to the back wall of an enclosure? Right now I have a t8 bulb in a fixture like this:velcroed to the back wall.
Is there a t5 fixture that would work like this?
This apears to be the same designe as your T8 in t5:
http://www.growlightsupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=111
Question... are you asking because you have a solid top and can not set a fixture on it?
Because with HO T5's , screen is not an issue as far as cutting down too much on UV is concerned.
Thanks!
Todd
namrufmot":2ptids2j said:Venutus1":2ptids2j said:namrufmot":2ptids2j said:Is there a t5 fixture that can attach to the back wall of an enclosure? Right now I have a t8 bulb in a fixture like this:velcroed to the back wall.
Is there a t5 fixture that would work like this?
This apears to be the same designe as your T8 in t5:
http://www.growlightsupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=111
Question... are you asking because you have a solid top and can not set a fixture on it?
Because with HO T5's , screen is not an issue as far as cutting down too much on UV is concerned.
Thanks!
Todd
I have my beardie (he was stunted by his former owner) in a 55g tank, so keeping the light on top of the screen is a pain. So I mount the fixture inside the tank against the back wall. This ensures he can get within 6-8" of the bulb and it won't block ANY uv.
My walmrt had this fixture: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lights-of-America-23-Under-Cabinet-Light-White/16877935
it says 14w, but is that the bulb it comes with? Would it acccept a 22" arcadia which is 24w?
BossLady3":3pepipgs said:Im still unsure about the distance needed if I were to use a T5 HO that has a built in reflector. I do have a solarmeter, but I want to have an idea of what kind of distances I need with and without reflectors in my T5 fixture before I go out and buy all of it.
BossLady3":1utlkqgq said:Im still unsure about the distance needed if I were to use a T5 HO that has a built in reflector. I do have a solarmeter, but I want to have an idea of what kind of distances I need with and without reflectors in my T5 fixture before I go out and buy all of it.
Eli22":gxy8vo50 said:
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