MASSIVE BIG NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! suggest you all read

[Venutus1]

for the T5 arcadia, you need the t5's uvb starter unit.
so you'll have to change it all. the reason is because its very high wattage and the t5 tubes are slimmer in diameter than the old ones

i use the arcadia t5 uvb starter unit for the tube, the regular t8s can go with any starter unit i think
the 39 watt tubes are suitable for 3ft vivs/40 gal breeders ( i think thats what you call em)
the 54 watt tubes are suitable for 4ft vivs / 55 gal breeders.

I don't know where you got your information from, but it's not quite right....

I was told by an official arcadia rep that a 3ft enclosure should have the 22" (24W) tube - to give a small area of no direct UVB, giving the dragon somewhere to SHADE from the UV, as they can see UV, they know how much they are getting and KNOW when they've had enough.

Going by this rule, then the 4ft enclosure would have the 34" (39W) tube...

and the 5ft, would have the 46" (54W) tube..

If you wish to query this, then you can contact ARCADIA JOHN on the reptile forums UK, forums.

Yes that certainly makes sense.
And John certainly does know what he is talking about.
Remember: We are not keeping lizards under glass... like in some sterile, static jewelry store display case.
WE ARE CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM...
that should include a LARGE area with rocks and shade and all the intricacies they could hope for in order to stimulate their natural behavior.
Basking and otherwise.
BTW..Arcadia T-5 will work in any T5 HO fixture I have tried so far.
They are all standard.

Cheers & Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Todd

http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

 

[YBS0502]

i have ordered a HO ballast for the t5 will replace regular output ballast that came with the fixture i got from lowes. all for around 60 bucks if this helps anybody

Good idea!
But....
It was a T-5 nominal output fixture to start ... right? :?:
Just checking to make sure folks know that the end sockets for T-5 are smaller than a regular flo. light end sockets,
so...
You can not just do a ballast swap in a regular t-8/ t-10 fixture.
Let me know how it comes out!
Cheers.
Todd
LightYourReptiles.com

yes it is a t5 fixture to start with i made my own vivs they are 6Lx3Wx2H THE BALLAST Sylvania 49136 QTP2X54T5 HO UNV PSN HT is the one i went with i have 2 dragons the double t5 fixture at lowes is around 27 bucks i will have to customize one of my t8 fixture to have 2 separate light fixtures 1 for each viv i will take 1 set of t5 ends out of the double fixture from lowes and run the wire and put them in the t8 fixture i cut down to the right size to get them to fit it is going to take some work but should not be that bad with the right tools ocsillating cutters are awesome tools and possibly a drill

well... I shouldn't have worried... sounds like someone has it all under control!!
Have at it!

The T8 are MAGNETIC controllers, the T5 are ELECTRONIC controllers. I don't think you can mix the two?

i will be using the 2x54t5 HOballasts for both lights like lilac dragon said i am only using the t8 casing to make it work for t5 bulb legth so i am only using the metal casing not the t8 ballast willset set that aside if i ever need it again

 

[MrMerle]

I went to purchase 3 from Todd yesterday but it says he is out of them till next month....couldnt find any contact info on the site to get a accurate time frame

I had to get the bulbs for my new cages i am getting this weekend so i went with the reptisun 10.0 from Pet guys for $21.99

http://www.petguys.com/-097612343240.html

Good deal but i wanted arcadia from todd

 

[Venutus1]

I went to purchase 3 from Todd yesterday but it says he is out of them till next month....couldnt find any contact info on the site to get a accurate time frame

I had to get the bulbs for my new cages i am getting this weekend so i went with the reptisun 10.0 from Pet guys for $21.99

http://www.petguys.com/-097612343240.html

Good deal but i wanted arcadia from todd

I am not out of everything.... Just 2 sizes out of the stock of 12 sizes .
Please don't give that impression lo l
It can inadvertently hurt someone's business with out meaning to if it sounds like you are saying they are out of everything . :-( and then plug someone else.
I am glad you were able to get such a good deal at pet guys though.


Cheers,
Todd

 

[MrMerle]

I apologize! !!! What I was trying to say in a non negative manner was I wanted to make my purchase from you but the sze and bulb in Arcadia were out of stock.....didn't mean it that way at all....would prefer to give you the business!

 

[Venutus1]

Hi MrMerle, we are all good. Todd

 

[RB1]

24 inch is back in stock just bought two of them =D

guess he updated his site just a few seconds ago because it was out of stock earlier

 

[ChrisAndCharlie]

Would the Arcadia D3+ 18" be a better UVB than the Reptisun 10.0 18"?

I'm not upgrading my viv to a 55 gallon from a 30 gallon for a few months so I was wondering if it's still worth getting the Arcadia D3+ before I'm able to upgrade to the T5.

 

[lilacdragon]

Hi, Chris and Charlie.

My test results show that the UVB output from the T8 Arcadia D3+ and the T8 ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 are almost identical. This is not really surprising as they have almost identical spectra..... suggesting they are probably made by the same company in Germany. :wink:
See which has the best price tag.

But do you already have a ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 tube, that is less than a year old? It should produce good UVB for the rest of the time, before you upgrade to the larger tank and the T5 Arcadia D3+ lamp.

Best wishes

Frances

 

[ChrisAndCharlie]

Thank you for the reply.
No I was looking to purchase the reptisun in the next week (just waiting for my paycheck haha) and then I saw this pop up, but hey, if they're all the same I think I'll just get the reptisun.

 

[agilitygirl]

This has probably been said, but when getting the bulb, do I also need to get this fixture?

 

[lilacdragon]

Hi, agilitygirl.

Sorry to sound a bit thick but.... I'm not sure what you mean by "the bulb" and "this fixture", as a lot of different ones have been talked about here...

All fluorescent tubes need a fixture (which holds the tube, and has a "ballast" which takes electricity from the mains supply and converts it to the right sort of current and voltage) to operate them.

Regular T8-width tubes (these are 1" in diameter, and normal output) such as the ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 and the Arcadia D3+ Reptile Lamp, available in all the sizes and wattages we are used to, will fit in any suitable fluorescent tube fixture that's rated for that wattage lamp. eg. an 18-watt, 24-inch T8 tube can go in any 18-watt, 24-inch fixture.
But some fixtures are better quality than others, and the best quality which give the highest UVB and keep the tube working longest, are "electronic" or "soft-start" and are a bit more expensive than cheapo Walmart under-the-counter fixtures.

High-output T5-width tubes (these are much slimmer, 16mm diameter) tubes - and the only UVB ones available are the new Arcadia T5 tubes - do NOT fit in any regular fixtures. They have little tiny pins that won't fit the bigger sockets, and they are different lengths, too, such as 22 inches or 34 inches long.
They ALSO can't be used in regular-output (so-called Normal Output or NO) T5 fixtures, because these are high-output tubes needing about double the wattage of normal output T5 tubes.
So you have to get special High-Output (HO) T5 fixtures.
The 22-inch tube needs a 24-watt fixture; the 34-inch tube needs a 39-watt fixture, and so on.

Where you can get these fixtures has been discussed in this thread, and in the one called "I Found Arcadias!" which is here:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=160219
Hydroponics stores seem the easiest place to go....

I think also, Light-Your-Reptiles.com was going to have single-tube T5 HO fixtures for sale (he sells double fixtures already, I know) but I don't know if they are available yet.

Hope that helps!

Frances

 

[agilitygirl]

Thanks for the information! I'm glad that is cleared up.

 

[Venutus1]

Hi, agilitygirl.

".....I think also, Light-Your-Reptiles.com was going to have single-tube T5 HO fixtures for sale (he sells double fixtures already, I know) but I don't know if they are available yet. "

Hope that helps!

Frances

Thanks Frances.

HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS!

I have been testing and photographing some new awesome & INEXPENSIVE T-5 fixtures ALL day. (2 ft HO T5 fixture 39.99)
(but had to take a break to watch the Superbowl. Go Pats. I live in Maine. :lol: )

And by testing...
I mean taking the different fixtures, putting the new Arcadia T-5's in them and taking both Solarmeter 6.2 and 6.5 readings.
Taking pics of the readings at different distances. With & without screen.

*phew*
Now I still have to edit the pictures and upload them to the LYR web site.
I wanted to put pics of the solarmeter testing & results and insert the photos in this post.... but-- how do you put in pic in a post on this forum? Duh.
(oh well..that's OK I will figure it out.)

Anyway, it should be just another day or so before they are up on the LYR site. I know thre have been tons of questions about the right fixtures to use with t5 bulbs & lights in general.
Hey-but if anyone wants me to e-mail them pics of the Solarmeter readings with the T5 HO fixtures & bulbs-- please shoot me an e/m @ [email protected]
Thank you.
Todd
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

 

[ladyjustice33]

I have T8 fixtures in my enclosures w/ Reptisun 10.0 36" long 25 watt bulbs. Is there an Arcadia 12% bulb that will work in those fixtures? If not, I'm sticking with the Reptisun. Those slimline fixtures weren't cheap!