New owner with questions please assist

[kingofnobbys]

No, 2 of those compact UVB bulbs will not replace adequate UVB light for him!!! That compact bulb does not emit enough UVB light to even reach him, and if it's on top of a mesh lid then up to 50% of the UVB light is being blocked on top of the bulb not emitting enough UVB to begin with.

Please, we're warning you about getting a proper flourescent tube UVB or a MVB because 99% of the sick or dying beardies we see on here every day is due to inadequate UVB light, usually because a pet shop employee recommended a coil or compact UVB bulb like the one you have.

You can buy an 18" flourescent tube fixture at Walmart for $10, and the 18" Reptisun 10.0 (never a 5.0!) T8 UVB tube online at http://www.petmountain.com for like $23. This must be mounted INSIDE THE ENCLOSURE with no mesh lid or anything else between the tube and your beardie. OR you can go to Amazon.com and buy a Reptisun 10.0 T5 High-Output UVB tube, whatever length you want, along with a flourescent tube fixture in the same length that is okay for a T5 High-Output tube. I bought all 3 of my Reptisun 10.0 T5 High-Output UVB tubes along with matching T5 flourescent fixtures on Amazon.com at the same time as a package deal. When you search on Amazon for the Reptisun 10.0 T5 High-Output UVB tube and you choose a vendor to buy it from, it will automatically show you a package deal to add a T5 High-Output flourescent tube fixture. I think I paid around $40 for both on Amazon. The T5 High-Output UVB tube can be set on top of a mesh lid because it is a strong enough UVB tube to penetrate the mesh. If you buy the T8 it's fine, but you'll just have to go to Walmart to buy the $10 18" flourescent tube fixture along with some 3M Command Hooks or 3M Industrial Strength Velcro to mount the fixture inside the tank and within 8" of his basking spot. But the T8 only emits UVB for 6 months and must be replaced even though it still emits light, the T8 emits UVB for a year. Or you can spend around $70-$80 and buy a Mercury Vapor Bulb which can be set on top of the mesh lid (by the way, UVB cannot ever penetrate glass, no matter the bulb, not even the sun) and that lasts for a year.

This isn't an option at all. 2 of those compact UVB bulbs you already have are as good as having no UVB light at all, and the health and medical issues your beardie will start having within 6 months or less (lack of appetite starts soon) will cost you a lot more than the proper UVB light will, not to mention that your beardie will become disabled, become paralyzed, develop facial and head deformities, and eventually die. So please spend the $40+ now and keep your beardie healthy, happy, and allow him to grow to his full size potential and keep the use of his legs, so that you don't have a $500-$1,000 reptile specialist vet bill and a disabled or dead dragon within 6 months to a year.
A 13W 10%UVB compact in a reflector dome is less than optimal, the same globe in a nanohood (mounted horizontally) is effective , but the beardie needs to be within 4-6 inches of the globe to get about 190 microW UVB / sqcm .

 

[LANING1]

I got a t8 reptsun 18 inch with a fixture only one I could get without waiting 5 days. I took back my duel light set so I just have my 18 inch bub, basking, and cool bub light now. Temp are good at 105 to 110 on hot and 80 on cool. When lights out it drops to 70. I'm gonna upgrade his enclosure to a 40 bredder real soon and make that his semi permanent home until I can afford to to build a 6x3x3 with stand enclosure. With the 40 b however is there any new light I would need to compensate for the larger Tank? I want to put a background on the outside on both sides and the back, any suggestions and what kind of tile is good for the floor?

 

[CooperDragon]

A T8 is OK for small tanks. It should sit 6-8'' above the basking area to be most effective. If there is any clear plastic on the fixture in front of the bulb it will need to be removed as it will intercept all of the UVB. When you move to a larger tank, a T5 tube is recommended but until you can get one I would mount the T8 inside the tank sitting 6-8'' above the basking area. A 6x3x3 will be amazing! If you get a T5 for the 40g breeder tank, you can move it to the larger tank and it will still work well. They should sit about 12-14'' above the basking site.