Solarmeter 6.5R meter on a Arcadia T8 12% D3+ bulb

[colbertf]

Hi all, I have a 7 to 9 month old male beardie, ADV+, has not been eating well but is improving, and we just finished medication treatment for URI. He basks daily, no issue there. But he's had a dark 'ish beard since I've got him back in late January. I've received some great and very helpful information and feedback from Tracie.

I have a UVB lighting question today, I'm using a Zen Habitat 4'x2'x2' PVC Reptile Enclosure, for UVB I was using a Arcadia 12% 22" T5 bulb but I it wasn't right over him initially, I was told its pretty strong to have right over him inside, so I changed the UVB bulb out and purchased instead only 6 weeks ago from Pangea Reptile a 24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T8 Terrarium Reflector Hood with an Arcadia T8 12% D3+ Desert 24" tube. Placed the hood with the T8 bulb inside underneath. My basking spot consists of black slate and that basking area underneath is about 10"-14" away from the UVB bulb depending on the angle. I try to keep get the basking hottest temp spot around 105F and the basking area temps radiate out lower from there, of course it fluctuates depending on the outside temp, I have a temp gun to measure and a dimmer to help adjust, the cool side is between 80F to 84F

I decided to purchase a Solarmeter 6.5R which arrived today.

I'm sharing a google drive link below with one video and multiple photos, in some of the photos I removed part of the basking to also test that exact location area with the Solarmeter device, and some photos just to show the general setup.

SOLARMETER Measurements - Google Drive

For a Arcadia T8 12% D3+ Desert 24" bulb I just purchased recently, the reading I'm getting with the Solarmeter seem extremely low. Around the basking I seem to be only getting a range between 1.5 to 2.5 'ish on the Solarmeter, see pics & video. First time doing this, if someone with experience can take a look and advise.
Thank you.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi all, I have a 7 to 9 month old male beardie, ADV+, has not been eating well but is improving, and we just finished medication treatment for URI. He basks daily, no issue there. But he's had a dark 'ish beard since I've got him back in late January. I've received some great and very helpful information and feedback from Tracie.

I have a UVB lighting question today, I'm using a Zen Habitat 4'x2'x2' PVC Reptile Enclosure, for UVB I was using a Arcadia 12% 22" T5 bulb but I it wasn't right over him initially, I was told its pretty strong to have right over him inside, so I changed the UVB bulb out and purchased instead only 6 weeks ago from Pangea Reptile a 24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T8 Terrarium Reflector Hood with an Arcadia T8 12% D3+ Desert 24" tube. Placed the hood with the T8 bulb inside underneath. My basking spot consists of black slate and that basking area underneath is about 10"-14" away from the UVB bulb depending on the angle. I try to keep get the basking hottest temp spot around 105F and the basking area temps radiate out lower from there, of course it fluctuates depending on the outside temp, I have a temp gun to measure and a dimmer to help adjust, the cool side is between 80F to 84F

I decided to purchase a Solarmeter 6.5R which arrived today.

I'm sharing a google drive link below with one video and multiple photos, in some of the photos I removed part of the basking to also test that exact location area with the Solarmeter device, and some photos just to show the general setup.

SOLARMETER Measurements - Google Drive

For a Arcadia T8 12% D3+ Desert 24" bulb I just purchased recently, the reading I'm getting with the Solarmeter seem extremely low. Around the basking I seem to be only getting a range between 1.5 to 2.5 'ish on the Solarmeter, see pics & video. First time doing this, if someone with experience can take a look and advise.
Thank you.

That would be CooperDragon
@CooperDragon

 

[Claudiusx]

That looks about right for a 12% t8 bulb in a fixture with a reflector.
the 12% t5.

The 12% t5 is a bulb better suited for your enclosure. You have both now, and a meter, play around with the setup until you get around a 3.5 UVI reading at the basking site.

The distance in your pictures clearly dictates that the t5 would have been the better bulb. Sorry you were given false information from someone.

Fun fact. I have a 14% arcadia that has been running 14 hours a day for the past 2 years and it is reading 2.4 UVI 15 inches away.

-Brandon

 

[colbertf]

That looks about right for a 12% t8 bulb in a fixture with a reflector.
the 12% t5.

The 12% t5 is a bulb better suited for your enclosure. You have both now, and a meter, play around with the setup until you get around a 3.5 UVI reading at the basking site.

The distance in your pictures clearly dictates that the t5 would have been the better bulb. Sorry you were given false information from someone.

Fun fact. I have a 14% arcadia that has been running 14 hours a day for the past 2 years and it is reading 2.4 UVI 15 inches away.

-Brandon

Hi @Claudiusx , thank you, it was a friend who suggested I switch out, I let him know today and also will let him borrow the Solarmeter to test his own UVB bulb

 

[colbertf]

Brandon @Claudiusx , thank you again, I will go and switch back to the Arcadia 12% 22" T5 bulb and check the UVB, I didn't have the Solarmeter back when I switched out. Do you know why this Arcadia instructional diagram guide seem to suggest that the 12% t8 bulb at 10"-12" inches should read 4-6 reading, and I'm only getting a 1.5 - 2.5 reading?

 

[Claudiusx]

I'm not sure. I've tested many bulbs and fixtures but never the T8 arcadia.

Curiously, if you can remove the reflector from your fixture, try taking it off and then measuring with the meter and report back with your reading.

-Brandon

 

[colbertf]

Thanks Brandon, I will try to do that in the coming days and will let you know

 

[Claudiusx]

Thanks Brandon, I will try to do that in the coming days and will let you know

Sounds good. Reason I ask is because you're essentially getting a reading of what would be expected if the bulb wasn't in a fixture with a reflector (reflectors effectively double the output). There was an issue with a very common T5 fixture where the reflective strip was installed flipped, rendering it useless. Since this reflector strip was mass produced in China, it's not a stretch to believe that the same issue could be happening in multiple other types of fixtures.

Either way, if you remove your reflector and your reading stays the same, you know your reflector is bad. If you remove the reflector and your reading halves, well at least you know your reflector works... but why the low reading on the bulb is still a mystery.

-Brandon

 

[colbertf]

Thanks Brandon. I will test the Solarmeter reading if I'm able to remove the reflector on the T8 fixture. Before work today I tested with the T8 on and the T5 also on but outside and above the mesh and I was getting a UVA/UVB reading of 3.5 to 5.5 in the basking area. I will need to figure out in the coming days / over the weekend if I need to setup a different basking spot to work with the T5 inside. Was also considering and wondering if maybe buying another T8 bulb to see if its any better.

 

[Longfellow777]

Sounds good. Reason I ask is because you're essentially getting a reading of what would be expected if the bulb wasn't in a fixture with a reflector (reflectors effectively double the output). There was an issue with a very common T5 fixture where the reflective strip was installed flipped, rendering it useless. Since this reflector strip was mass produced in China, it's not a stretch to believe that the same issue could be happening in multiple other types of fixtures.

Either way, if you remove your reflector and your reading stays the same, you know your reflector is bad. If you remove the reflector and your reading halves, well at least you know your reflector works... but why the low reading on the bulb is still a mystery.

-Brandon

Should I be worried about my t5 12% ? Is the reflector inside out? I don’t have a uv reader

 

[Claudiusx]

Should I be worried about my t5 12% ? Is the reflector inside out? I don’t have a uv reader

What fixture do you have? We've really only seen the issue pop up with the sunblaster fixtures. But they were mass produced in China and likely have multiple brand names. The link at the bottom of my signature will take you to a thread about it.

-Brandon

 

[Longfellow777]

Thanks bro but I don’t see any link

 

[Longfellow777]

I think it’s just a Arcadia t5 fixture LOL?

 

[colbertf]

Sounds good. Reason I ask is because you're essentially getting a reading of what would be expected if the bulb wasn't in a fixture with a reflector (reflectors effectively double the output). There was an issue with a very common T5 fixture where the reflective strip was installed flipped, rendering it useless. Since this reflector strip was mass produced in China, it's not a stretch to believe that the same issue could be happening in multiple other types of fixtures.

Either way, if you remove your reflector and your reading stays the same, you know your reflector is bad. If you remove the reflector and your reading halves, well at least you know your reflector works... but why the low reading on the bulb is still a mystery.

-Brandon

hey @Claudiusx As mentioned originally I have the Arcadia T8 12% D3+ Desert 24" inside of a 24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T8 Terrarium Reflector Hood , unfortunately taking that hood apart is not as easy for me. For my enclosure setup and current basking setup putting the Arcadia 12% 22" T5 inside I found the solarmeter measurement was too strong for the height of the the basking area I have, and its difficult to drop the height with the features I'm using...I put the T5 aoutside above the mesh and it was slightly too weak, but I tested with both the the Arcadia 12% 22" T5 above the mesh, and the weak 24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T8 Terrarium Reflector Hood with an Arcadia T8 12% D3+ Desert 24" tube left inside, but moved slightly away, over the basking area I'm getting Solarmeter 65R readings between 3 and 6. I've attached some images.

Do you see any issue or problem with this setup for now having the 2 UVB bulb fixtures if I'm getting those readings on the solarmeter?