Should I change my "normie" heating bulb for smth better?

[Schmonatan]

Hi everyone. Progressing newbie here

Reading a lot of articles on the internet + advertising pamphlets I started to look at an enclosure lighting at a different angle. As far as I understood, we are not just trying to give a reptile uvb + temperature, but to imitate the sun as close as possible.
So, I recently moved from T8 to Arcadia T5 Pro and now I'm thinking - should I change my heating bulb in the near future too (Lucky Herp 75W, I wasn't well informed about the whole light thing before buying it)? Because I see the positive changes with T5 and I'm just curious if a new heating bulb, like Arcadia or Exo Terra, can further improve the light range that Beardie needs? Besides heating? And which one to choose - Arcadia Halogen Basking Spot or Arcadia solar basking floodlight?

I'm sorry if such question was already asked.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi everyone. Progressing newbie here

Reading a lot of articles on the internet + advertising pamphlets I started to look at an enclosure lighting at a different angle. As far as I understood, we are not just trying to give a reptile uvb + temperature, but to imitate the sun as close as possible.
So, I recently moved from T8 to Arcadia T5 Pro and now I'm thinking - should I change my heating bulb in the near future too (Lucky Herp 75W, I wasn't well informed about the whole light thing before buying it)? Because I see the positive changes with T5 and I'm just curious if a new heating bulb, like Arcadia or Exo Terra, can further improve the light range that Beardie needs? Besides heating? And which one to choose - Arcadia Halogen Basking Spot or Arcadia solar basking floodlight?

I'm sorry if such question was already asked.

Arcadia Halogens are good -- as the Exo Terra Intense bulbs-- not fond of the Lucky Herp brands

 

[Schmonatan]

Arcadia Halogens are good -- as the Exo Terra Intense bulbs-- not fond of the Lucky Herp brands

I'm not fond of it too right now... If only I knew before I bought their products. But what about light spectre? Will it improve with premium brand?

 

[KarrieRee]

I'm not fond of it too right now... If only I knew before I bought their products. But what about light spectre? Will it improve with premium brand?

Yes

 

[Schmonatan]

Yes

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Claudiusx]

Thanks for the replies.

No.

Not unless the basking light bulb is specifically made to do one of two things:

1. mimic the lighting spectrum of the sun (very hard to do with commercially available bulbs)

Or

2. Fill in the gaps in the spectrum that your Arcadia T5 is lacking in.

Number 2 is the better option if your goal is achieving a spectrum closest as possible to natural sunlight. But even if that is your goal, there are multiple issues with it, or more so, multiple issues with how you achieve that.

The sunlights spectrum changes throughout the day. It's much different at 10 AM than it is at even 12 PM, or 4 PM. So what exactly are you trying to go for? A lighting setup that makes your dragon think it's noon time 24/7? one that is a not so harsh 10 AM? See where I'm going with this? Until its feasible to have lighting arrays (most likely LEDs) that allow for a ramping up and down of specific wavelengths throughout the day to mimic natural sunlight, you're not going to be able to mimic natural sunlight in the enclosure.

All that to point out that the middle ground in that would be to just use a combination of lights that get you close. That is typically achieved with a good quality UVB bulb, and a white/soft white basking bulb. The reason for the white/soft white basking bulb is it fills in the gaps and low points of the spectrum that the UVB bulb lacks in.

This section of the forum, Advanced Discussion, has a few threads that get into the weeds on lighting and spectrums. Keep reading around and I'm sure you'll get a good grasp on the goals, limitations, and current possibilities.

-Brandon

 

[Schmonatan]

So what exactly are you trying to go for? A lighting setup that makes your dragon think it's noon time 24/7?

Aren't we all? I remember a thread on this site from 2019 (if I'm not mistaken) about lighting, and I think you also posted there thoughts about "noon 24/7" and I agree with you almost completely. The thing is - do we have a choice to make the spectrum change throughout the day as it supposed to be in the wild? I mean, an average person. I think not, and if I could I would install it. So we have to stick with "the noon 24/7", but this noon should be as bright as possible Don't you think?
Also, would you recommend Arcadia halogen?