Lighting Help for Newbies (:

[Bhavana]

That's why we recommend the under the counter fixtures because you can mount them in the tank itself and still give 6" - 10" distance from your beardie's basking spot. The hoods are large and bulky, so if you can't return it, I would suggest cutting a hole in the screen large enough to let the bulb show through completely, but still leaving enough screen around the hole to sit the hood on it and not have it fall through.

I'm also not amazingly technical, so I hope that made sense :lol:

yes, it makes sense. I suppose that would work, just decide where the hood will be all the time and cut a space in the screen that is the exact size of the bulb. I'd rather not return it, then I have to get into finding another fixture and hoping it will work right, and be what he needs, then having to mount it under the cage cover and all that....seems easier to just cut the screen. I can always buy another screen later if I decide to change things around. I had a compact UV bulb going for a while, but I don't think it was helping him much, he hasn't been eating well and already was showing possible early signs of MBD when I got him. I was trying to take him outside for a half hour or so a few days a week so he could get real sunlight, but that wasn't practical either. Hoping this will make a difference. Thanks for your advice!

 

[Spoony]

No problem! It's definitely good that you're switching from compact to tube ReptiSun, the compacts cause nothing but problems. Hope your baby improves!

 

[DallasTurner32]

Ok I have been reading a lot about how to arrange the light fixtures for my baby dragons and some how I have gotten a little bit confused. Most say do not put the lights directly in the cage because the baby dragons may climb inside them for the heat and burn themselves so place on top of a screen top. But then in the same breath I hear that the uvb bulbs/tubes can't Emmit the proper exposure the dragons need and glass tops completely filters out the uvb rays...can anyone help me.

 

[Spoony]

UVB bulbs do not emit much heat like other bulbs. As long as the UVB is 6"-10" from your baby's basking spot (high enough to where they can't reach it standing on their hind legs) you're fine. If you don't have a custom enclosure, all other bulbs must remain on top of the screen for safety.

 

[Alex11golfer]

Thank you so much although i have had trouble finding the fixture at wallmart i looked online but all they had listed was a black light fixture and a grow light for gardens and they both had bulbs with them so did you get one of those light fixtures and just toss the light and put in the reptisun?

 

[Spoony]

I bought this one

Just remove the included bulb and the screen and you're good to go

 

[Godslilcheetos]

This is the most helpful thing I've ever found for lighting! ^_^ Thank you so much! I've been reading on this post for about a year. I'm still working on fixing up my tank since I've got a 30 gallon... I really want a bigger tank maybe 40-55 so maybe my beardie will grow some more since I'd hate for him to be short like me for forever lol. But I have a few questions:
Do you have any suggestions for where to get decently prices tanks?
While I still have this 30 gal, what basking light should I use? Just a regular white bulb or more of a flood/hal. light?
And what watt do you think would work well? Will this light work in the dome fixture from the pet store or should I just buy the dome at the same place?
I'm sorry it's so many questions at once.

 

[Alex11golfer]

Honestly i got my tank from a guy on craigslist 150 for a 45 gal heat lamp night heat lamp all decor all i had to do is replace 2 lights and get a substrate there are really good deals on there.

 

[BurtonRW]

My 7 month old is in a 40 gal breeder. Do I really need to be using a 28" UVB tube? And I understand that screens block out up to 50% UVB, but what if I'm using the new ReptiSun 10.0 T5 HO? The website indicates that the HO can be used outside of a screen due to the increased output and indicates an effective distance of 18" - 36". If you cut that in half for the screen, it's 9" to 18", which seems just about perfect for sitting on top of a 40 gal. breeder.

I suppose I'm also concerned about excess UVB. Is it possible? Can my beardie "tan"? :shock:

 

[Missi]

I am totally confused and now worrying that I am doing the lights wrong .

I have a 100watt heat bulb now on a dimmer to adjust the temp if needed . I just got a reptisun tube ( had the compact originally but only used it 1 day then turned it off for 1 day until I got the reptisun) , right now it is lying on top of the screen but the screen is moved forward a bit so the bulb is not over the screen but over the opening .
Ever since putting the tube light on Jim does not seem to want to bask he will lay on a branch in the middle of his tank . I check the temp on his rock and it ranges between 105-110 .

I don't know I putting the probe in the basking rock is making him stay off the rock or why is he now only liking to be under the uvb light ?

The more I read the more I think i am doing something wrong .

BTW -He poops every day , gets a bath each night and is eating better since bringing him home on Sunday.

 

[Godslilcheetos]

Ok... So I just want to make sure I've got this right.
I have a 30 gal tank that has an 18" Reptisun 10.0 in the middle w a rock to hide in. I finally got a thermometer and was reading 80 on one side and 72 on the other qo I just recently bought two bulbs to use in the clamp laps I own, but will have to get a bigger dome for the type E floodlight I got. It's says it replaces 48-75w bulbs, but only uses 48w. Is this a good basking light for my tank?
For the cool side I got a 15w regular crystal clear type A bulb. Should I have the clear or soft white for it to be better for the other side of the UVB or will it hurt his eyes since he keeps randomly looking up at it?

 

[Dragonkate17]

The lady I got my dragon off of 3 days ago told me he's had lighting at night all his life and he seems to sleep just fine. Should I still get rid of it?

 

[Spoony]

Yes, remove it. If it gets too cold, invest in a Ceramic Heat Emitter. I can guarantee he will be better off. That just goes to prove her husbandry was wrong, and she could've been wrong in more than one area.

 

[shivar102]

Hi everyone, new bearded dragon owner right here.

I got screwed by false information by my local pet store like many others. When I adopted my baby dragon, I picked up a lighting kit that was "for turtles and bearded dragons." As a noob, I was quite ignorant with the situation. It came with a basking bulb, and a coiled bulb. Now that I've found out that coils are harmful to my baby, I'm very upset considering the budget i'm on. I already threw out the box and can't find this kit on the website of my local petstore, so I cannot find the specifics of wattage. They were two bulbs, one that emits heat that my dragon appears to enjoy and bask in, and I already removed the coiled bulb and am planning on putting a regular house bulb in.

I ordered the reptisun 10 today. I was wondering if this would be a healthy lighting setup for my dragon. I will have a reptisun tube light with this basking light that my dragon is very much enjoying and this useless bulb that I'm replacing with a household bulb (for the cool side).

I was wondering if anyone could provide any tips to make sure I'm doing what's right for my baby while considering the budget I'm on. Already spent plenty on her 30" tank, food, and the useless kit I bought.. Am I going the right way with this? I want to have a happy, healthy dragon.
Any help is appreciated!

 

[Spoony]

Sounds right if you've discarded the coil bulb and bought a ReptiSun 10 tube. Just make sure to mount the tube inside the viv and make sure your baby's basking temps are at least 105F.