Helpful UVB vs. Distance and strength chart!

[Venutus1]

Here is a helpful UVB chart for Arcadia ProT5 fixtures. These UVB measurments are no through screening!​

Please allow for a 28 - 35% UV reduction if going through screening.​

Cheers,​

Todd​

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Ultra Violet Index​

Height	6% UV-B	12% UV-B	14% UV-B
300mm / 12″	4.50	8.50	10.50
380mm / 15″	3.60	6.50	7.00
500mm / 20″	2.50	3.80	4.60
600mm / 24″	1.20	2.40	3.20

UVI measurements taken at the very centre of the strongest point using a solar meter 6.5.

Minimum distance from lamp to reptile is 250mm/10”.

 

[xp29]

Good info thank you

 

[Claudiusx]

Your numbers seem high. You were getting 4.5 UVI with a 6% bulb at 12''?

-Brandon

 

[Venutus1]

These are the numbers off the tests that Arcadia performed on the lights. The reflectors are very "tight" in these lights and quite concentrated.


addendum...
One would only want to use the 6% on a baby beardie if it was like in a 20L or something! For sure!

 

[Venutus1]

The Arcadia data can be viewed here:

ProT5 - Arcadia Reptile

ProT5 HO T5 UV-B Lighting Kit Link up to 10 Kits. Choice of UV-B T5 lamp included, 14% Dragon, 12% Desert or 6% Forest. Easy to fit inside vivariums or over mesh. Lamps made in Germany by the worlds experts. Flicker free (T5). Lighting Guide Facebook Youtube Instagram HO T5 UV-B Lighting Kit...

www.arcadiareptile.com

 

[Shotty.Sub]

Hi, newbie here. My basking spot is 16 inches underneath the uv bulb, my dragon is 15 months old.

I was told a T5 bulb and d3 once a week should be sufficient. Does that sound about right?

 

[Venutus1]

Hi, newbie here. My basking spot is 16 inches underneath the uv bulb, my dragon is 15 months old.

I was told a T5 bulb and d3 once a week should be sufficient. Does that sound about right?

Hi Shotty,

Can you post a picture!?

There are so many differences between lighting equipment that we need to know what you have.

It actually sounds a bit far away..... and you may need to build up the basking area with rocks to be more like 12"....

But we need to know:

does it go through screen?

is it a 10% 12% --? t5 or t8 bulb?
So many variables!

and a pic is worth 1000 works.

and what kind of bulb is it EXACTLY!

Thank you!

 

[Venutus1]

Hello Mods....

I had done a thread below on a TORTOISE FORUM... (see below.)

to do what I can to try and get folks set up with better lighting.

There are SO MANY folks out there that are swallowed up in conflicting advice.

I can hear heads exploding in frustration! LOL


Because WE KNOW
that half of the "TRICK" in getting the UVB and lighting right
is TAILORING IT TO A SPECIFIC SET UP!

There is NO "one size fits all" answer.

Screen or no screen?
% of UVB from bulb
How old is bulb?
How far is basking & UVB spot?
Distance of animal from bulb?
What kind of fixture? t5 or t8?
Does light fixture even have a reflector behind bulb??

on and on....

And I have always felt that there is NO WAY to dispense the best advice without getting to look at a few pics of a set up.

(As a matter of fact, now I almost never dispense advice a newbie w/o first seeng exactly what they are working with.)

It is an ART and a Science that can easily be facilitated by a Solarmeter!
But so many folks can not afford one.
(especially now with inflation)
And some folks that have them do not know how to use them.

Anyway...
I know I am long winded....
(some may say over detailed, LOL)

Would you guys like me to start a sort of a cage picture / lighting advice thread on Bearded Dragon . org?

Sort of like the one below on a tortoise forum?

Of course ...
anyone can chime in if they want,
but the premis is to SEE THE EXACT CAGE THE ANIMALS ARE IN,
before popping off on what % bulb they should have or all this and all that.

Advice from someone saying they LOVE the Arcadia 14% bulbs because they work so good on their 24 x 24 x 48 cage...
DOES NOT TRANSLATE to the baby beardie in a 10 gal. tank with a basking area 6 " under the light--
that should have a NO HIGHER THAN 6% t5 bulb over it.
Or vice versa!

Anyways...
Would you guys like me to start a sort of a cage picture / lighting advice thread on Bearded Dragon . org?
I can check it once a day... but of course anyone can participate.
Cheers,
Todd

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a thread where you can ask and get SPECIFIC LIGHTING ANSWERS and TIPS you may be looking for..... made EASY!

I was discussing with Mod Tom and we talked about how confusing lighting can be!

In part because there are so many species of tortoise in so many differnt types and sizes of set ups.

All these variables make asking for and getting the correct information SO CONFUSING!

No wonder why everyone gets confused and heads explode!
LOL

+ =

So...
This is Lighting Made Easy!

But,
here is the catch!
So you get the correct advice for your particular set up and animals
PLEASE post a picture of your set up along with your question(s).
More pics the better!

And SHOW US what you are working with and what you currently have for lighting equipment!

That way, advice can be TARGETED TO YOUR SET UP!



Now,
If you are "post shy"
and do not want to put up a picture, but are still in need of help....
You can simply e-mail me a pic of your set up to me at: [email protected]
Please put: "Need Tortoise lighting advice " in the subject line so I will be able to see it quickly!
I usually respond in 24 hours or less.

OR

Post here and please include a few pictures!

PLEASE:
Describe set up
Type of tortoise you have and how big the animal is.
Cage dimentions / size
What do you have specifically for lights running now?
How far are the lights over TOP OF the animal's SHELL to bulb(s).

Even if you don't put up a post here or feel you need any lighting help...
PLEASE feel free to look through the posts & pics to see SET UPS SIMILAR TO YOUR OWN!

Let's get the correct UVB and lighting over tortoises EVERYWHERE!

So that they will stay HEALTHY and free of Metabolic Bone Disease and horrible, debilitating calcium imbalances!

Feel free to link and share this tread to all tortoise lovers!

I personally will check this thread every evening...
but anyone can also respond to posts & advice or share products that have worked for them!

Cheers,
Todd

 

[xp29]

Sounds good to me

 

[Venutus1]

Thanks XP 29....

 

[Shotty.Sub]

Hi Shotty,

Can you post a picture!?

There are so many differences between lighting equipment that we need to know what you have.

It actually sounds a bit far away..... and you may need to build up the basking area with rocks to be more like 12"....

But we need to know:

does it go through screen?

is it a 10% 12% --? t5 or t8 bulb?
So many variables!

and a pic is worth 1000 works.

and what kind of bulb is it EXACTLY!

Thank you!

I'll get a pic soon. We're in the process of rebuilding the enclosure. The previous owner had a bioactive set up. I'm switching to tile and my dad just built a new lid.

Here is the current info on my set up: New Beardie Owner Here - Have Questions :) | Introductions | Bearded Dragon .org

Switching over to a T5 bulbs next month.

 

[Venutus1]

I'll get a pic soon. We're in the process of rebuilding the enclosure. The previous owner had a bioactive set up. I'm switching to tile and my dad just built a new lid.

Here is the current info on my set up: New Beardie Owner Here - Have Questions :) | Introductions | Bearded Dragon .org

Switching over to a T5 bulbs next month.

Hi Shotty

I checked it out and posted a reply to you on that thread... but if you have a chance can you post a pick of the whole cage here?

You would be the first whole cage pic on this thread ....so I can use as an example for suggestions..... and then you could be my friend for life. assuming you want to be LOL!

Don't worry, I am not going to critique it... I just need to see how far bulbs and basking area is from animal , how long is it? 4 feet or 6 feet? etc.

Cheers! Todd

[email protected]

 

[Shotty.Sub]

Hi Shotty

I checked it out and posted a reply to you on that thread... but if you have a chance can you post a pick of the whole cage here?

You would be the first whole cage pic on this thread ....so I can use as an example for suggestions..... and then you could be my friend for life. assuming you want to be LOL!

Don't worry, I am not going to critique it... I just need to see how far bulbs and basking area is from animal , how long is it? 4 feet or 6 feet? etc.

Cheers! Todd

[email protected]

We're in the process of switching out from bioactive to tile this week and doing a deep clean. So I'll post a pic right after that We just adopted her and she came with the tank. It is dirty and has impaction risk, so bit embarrassed to post it as is.

 

[Venutus1]

We're in the process of switching out from bioactive to tile this week and doing a deep clean. So I'll post a pic right after that We just adopted her and she came with the tank. It is dirty and has impaction risk, so bit embarrassed to post it as is.

Oh I understand completely!

I bet it will be specacular!

Cheers,
Todd

 

[Shotty.Sub]

Oh I understand completely!

I bet it will be specacular!

Cheers,
Todd

Currently the basking area is measuring about 18-20 inches from the lights.

The previous owner had T8s , but much higher decorations.

For fixtures, I have the 24inch zoo meds, the bulbs are currently: 8 ReptiSun 10.0 UVB, 24 Inch, 17 Watt” Bulbs.

Which I'm pretty sure are too weak atm so I want to swap them out