So, when we were at the pet store I let my boyfriend grab the light but that was a mistake because he grabbed the Exoterra sunglo 75w one that only emits uva. So we ordered the reptisun 10.0 and I haven’t got the fixture yet. I read that it emits both uva and uvb lights, so should I switch Smaug’s basking light? He’s only in a 20 gallon right now since he’s still pretty small (maybe 11 inches? I haven’t measured yet, I’m also really bad at guessing measurement), we adopted him from someone who was fostering him for another person that didn’t have the time to care for him and we think he’s 4 months old maybe. He’s been pretty healthy so far and I’m getting his fixture tomorrow so I want to know if I have to get him something else.
Is the ReptiSun 10.0 a T8 or a T5? You will want to get the corresponding fixture because they aren't interchangeable. A T8 is effective at 6-8'' and a T5 is stronger and produces excellent UVB levels at about 12-14''.
The T8! I just really want to know if I should change the basking light, but I may just do it anyways so I can use the reptiglo as a portable light so he can hang out in my room with me a little longer because he seems to really like being out
The T8 should be 6-8'' above the basking area. They give off UVB and UVA but you still need a bright white basking light to produce heat. A halogen flood light (PAR38, BR40) should do the trick. You may need to try a few different wattages to find the right one for your setup. I like the idea of using the other bulb as a portable basking light. I do that in my house and it works really well.