T8 question

[smackey2]

My husband surprised me with a brand new enclosure for Spike. 36 L 18 W 12 H.
We were using a Mercury Vapor Bulb for her heating and UVB.
With the new enclosure, it came with a zoo med reptihood. He also bought a reptisun 10.0 t8 bulb that is also 36 inches long, same as the enclosure.
(This is not my ideal setup but i didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise as it was a very nice surprise to come home too! I want an even bigger one than this, but again I didn't have the heart to say so.)

My question: I know everyone recommends the t5 as it has a higher output, but Spike's enclosure DOES NOT have a mess lid on it. So, will the t8 be ok for her since the tank isn't all that tall and there isn't a mess lid in the way? (Yes it did come with a lockable lid, but it will only be on the tank while her lights are off and everyone is sleeping and she can't be supervised. It will be removed in the morning when all of her lights are turned back on.)

Also, Spike is only roughly 2.5 months old, 9 inches long. Still a baby. I also already had a different light for her basking. It is a 100 watt, 107 on the hot side under her light 85 in the middle of her tank and roughly 79 on the cool side. I also use a digital thermometer with a prob on the end... Just to clarify.

 

[Taterbug]

A T8 will be fine but the difference is like being in the sun versus the shade. Dragons are sunworshipers which is why T5s get recommended, they are brighter and have more UVB which is just better suited to dragons.

 

[CooperDragon]

I agree that the T5 is better. It also comes down to distance. A T8 isn't much use at all beyond about 7-8 inches so it's better suited to a small enclosure (20g for example) where it's easy to build a basking spot within 6'' of the top. As Taterbug mentioned, the output from the T5 is much closer to sunlight levels of UVB when at appropriate distance about 12'' or so) than a T8 is at it's optimal distance of around 6''.