Lighting Help for Newbies (:

[KarrieRee]

Ok that piece is out of rays good-- he will use those hides - the log one isn't so big so he may outgrow it before he gets full use of it - as he gets bigger you will want more floor space- he's probably having fun w/ all the climbing babies love to climb and jump- as they get older that tends to slow down- your plant is fine if he's hiding in it the UVB rays will filter thru-

 

[Hossinn]

Is this a good light setup for a 48” long enclosure? I’m looking to purchase a Carolina Custom Enclosure @ 48”L x 18”W x 24”H.

https://carolinadesignerdragons.com/shop/habitat-lighting/carolina-custom-cages-reptile-12-t5ho-uvb-double-gu10-basking-light-fixture/

It doesn’t seem long enough (doesn’t extend across entire enclosure, but I don’t see a longer system being offered, perhaps by design...?

Thank you.

 

[KarrieRee]

No it's not long enough but you DO NOT want one the full length of tank - a 24" would be half of tank and would be good -- that looks like a pro T 5- look at www.pangeareptiles.com

 

[Hossinn]

I noticed this product comes with both the UVB and GU10 lighting.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JM3V5M7

Is this the ONLY lighting source I need inside the enclosure?
It looks like this product comes available with 1, 2, or 3 GU10s (although the only one available is with 1xGU10). Why would I need 2 or 3? Is 1 x GU10 adequate?

Is this heat emitter adequate for night heating, when the lights go out?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DFDRN1T

It appears a Radiant Heat Panel is unnecessary if I'm using the above lights and Heat Emitter. Right?

Should I have 2 x digital thermometers in the cage (one for each side)?

 

[KarrieRee]

I am not sure about the GU 10 bulb but the UVB is good- your basking bulb is trial and error- you want temps to be 105-110 for a baby taken w/ the digital probe thermometers - and yes I would get two of those --- the heat emitter is also trial and error - I use the same one in my tanks but I use the 100 watt -- but my tanks are 4x2x2 made out of PVC w/ bamboo sided and back I have no glass - the doors are plexiglass -- someone else needs to make a comment on the GU 10 bulb --- I will have CooperDragon take a look at the post

 

[CooperDragon]

I agree that the UVB tube is correct, but the fact that the basking light is fixed to it negates the benefit of being able to make adjustments to change the surface temps in the enclosure. This is a similar downside to using a mercury vapor or metal halide bulb. Since UVB needs to be at a specific height (range) to provide the right amount at a given distance, it helps to have the basking light be separate so you can adjust surface temps as needed. You may wind up getting proper temps with this setup, which would be great, but lucky since it can vary so much between enclosures.

Another consideration is the beam width of the bulb. You want a nice wide spread of heat - wide enough for your dragon to bask evenly at surface temps in the 95-105 range. Bulbs with a narrow beam (or that are set too close) can't always achieve this. Multiple bulbs can be used in those cases, but it takes some adjustments.

As far as nighttime heat goes, you won't need to use anything if temps in the enclosure stay above about 65 or so overnight. You want to be careful not to bring the temps up too much (70-73 is good as a max) so the 150w CHE may be too strong. They get REALLY hot to the touch as well, so I prefer using a heat projector. They provide plenty of heat below the bulb, but are much less likely to cause burns/melting if touched http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/arcadia-deep-heat-projector-50w-sale/

 

[Hossinn]

Great feedback. Do you have a basking light recommendation that has height adjustment. If I purchase that separately, then I can buy the UVB tube/fixture separately, rather than combo.

Thank you.

 

[CooperDragon]

I generally like using an adjustable lamp stand (zoomed makes them) along with a dome fixture that hangs off of it and a halogen flood light inside. The dome fixtures I use are brooder lamps from the local farm supply store. They are heavier duty than the reptile branded dome fixtures and cost under $10. I generally use a PAR38 halogen flood light from the hardware store for basking. You can use an incandescent bulb too. The key with that is to provide bright white light and have enough power to get the surface temps up to around 95-105 around the basking area.

 

[Hossinn]

Is it necessary to purchase a specific "basking" bulb (GU10)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K2BPMI2

...or is any GU10 sufficient?
https://www.amazon.com/GU10-LED-Bulbs-Equivalent-Spotlight/dp/B07XT7M4DH/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=GU10+75w&qid=1616703100&s=hi&sr=1-5

 

[KarrieRee]

You want a basking bulb that is bright white that keeps your temps to what I had posted and as Cooper dragon recommended one that you can adjust- basking bulbs are trial and error just make sure you have your digital probe thermometer to get temps-

 

[redborzoi]

i’ve been really struggling to find a fixture for my 18 inch t8 reptisun bulb- can anyone lmk what they used and if they have any links ? i’m looking for something slim so it won’t block out any basking light heat

 

[KarrieRee]

https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/reptisun-terrarium-hood.html

Try this most Pet Smarts and Petcos will carry this fixture

 

[JayTheDragonTamer]

Hi
I’m not a newbie, but I had a lighting question and this thread is often active so here I am. It’s definitely going to sound like an amateur question though lol

So I’m ordering a UVB setup for my new custom vivarium and want to go for an Arcadia this time. However, I’m still slightly confused after reading the “Everything you wanted to know about t5, t8, and HO” thread.

I need a 12% UVB for this viv, and I’m confused about the difference between the D3+ UVB 12% T5 and the bulb from the ProT 5 UVB kit, aka the Desert 12% T5. I searched for the D3 t5, and then the desert t5, and on some websites these two different names seem to show a picture of the same product. However, on some of the other websites, they are two different products. I tried to search the forums for D3 UVB 12% vs the 12% desert UVB but I didn’t find anything that answered my questions.

1) Are these two tubes the same thing?
2) If not, which is best for my bearded dragon?
3) How significant is the difference between a HO t5 and a regular t5 bulb? Is the difference just in the bulb, or do HO t5 bulbs require a specific fixture?
4) If these bulbs are different, is one safer than the other to mount inside an enclosure with a depth of only 20 inches?

-Jay

 

[CooperDragon]

Hi
I’m not a newbie, but I had a lighting question and this thread is often active so here I am. It’s definitely going to sound like an amateur question though lol

So I’m ordering a UVB setup for my new custom vivarium and want to go for an Arcadia this time. However, I’m still slightly confused after reading the “Everything you wanted to know about t5, t8, and HO” thread.

I need a 12% UVB for this viv, and I’m confused about the difference between the D3+ UVB 12% T5 and the bulb from the ProT 5 UVB kit, aka the Desert 12% T5. I searched for the D3 t5, and then the desert t5, and on some websites these two different names seem to show a picture of the same product. However, on some of the other websites, they are two different products. I tried to search the forums for D3 UVB 12% vs the 12% desert UVB but I didn’t find anything that answered my questions.

1) Are these two tubes the same thing?
2) If not, which is best for my bearded dragon?
3) How significant is the difference between a HO t5 and a regular t5 bulb? Is the difference just in the bulb, or do HO t5 bulbs require a specific fixture?
4) If these bulbs are different, is one safer than the other to mount inside an enclosure with a depth of only 20 inches?

-Jay

I think the differences are just marketing. There is a 6% which is for shade dwellers, a 12% which is a desert bulb which is suitable for dragons, and there is a 14% which is the strongest available at the moment and that tends to be best suited for large enclosures with 15-20'' between the bulb and basking area. In most cases I'd get the Arcadia Pro kit with a 12% bulb and set that 12-14'' or so above the main basking area for best results.

 

[JayTheDragonTamer]

So just to clarify, Arcadia’s t5 bulbs are all HO, and fit into the ProT? Or does High output only refer to the fixture and any t5 can fit into it? I might buy a different fixture for my bulb.. so should that be ho or just t5?

Also where does this “euro range” thing come in?
I probably have this wrong, but is this the European version of the bulbs and fixtures? Arcadia only has an American website as far as I can see, so i’m worried that I might buy something that I can’t use. I am in the UK.
If that’s not what Euro range means, will I need an adapter for my sockets?

Sorry for all the questions, I’m probably over complicating this. I’m just confused lol