Two month old beardie

[smaugthebeardie3756]

As far as coverage, whole area in the tank (quite small) is covered, UVB reading is the lowest in the corners around 40 mW/cm2 and gradually goes all the way up to 130-140 right below the light.
On the other hand, do they really need constant exposure to UVB whole day (10-12h)? That would equate to being exposed to Australian dessert sun for 10-12 h ...... I might be dead wrong here but I am just using common sense ...

As far as this particular bulb/brand, you might be right ....

Artificial "sunlight" in the cage is completely different than natural sunlight. All day under artificial bulbs is equivalent to about 20 minutes in the full sun of the Australian Outback. No they don't need constant exposure, hence why I mentioned the zones, and hides should also be provided so they can get out of the light completely if they need to. They can actually see into the UV spectrum and are really good at regulating themselves if given options. The point is that if you have an appropriate sized enclosure, even if the coil is perfect in every other way, you still can't create those gradients and options. There is a high UV zone right under the bulb that falls off quickly. If you have the bulb over the basking spot, what happens if he needs UV but also needs to cool down? He would have to choose between being too hot or not getting enough UV.

Also as mentioned, not all UV meters are the same. Most work for natural sunlight but aren't calibrated for artificial light, and they also just measure the amount of UVB or total UV and not what the dragon can actually use to synthesize D3. So even if your UVB measurements are good, it doesn't mean that all of it is useful for your dragon or that they are able to absorb it all. The only one that I've seen recommended for measuring usable UV for reptiles is the Solarmeter 6.5. They are a bit pricey but use an "...erythemally weighted action spectrum [that] is extremely close to to the action spectrum for vitamin D3 synthesis..." So basically it tells you how much UV they are getting that actually helps them.

 

[klika]

Solarmeter 6.5
That`s exactly what I have. Unless my meter is completely screwed, I should be getting pretty decent readings from this device then .....

As mentioned, there is a UVB gradient across the tank , UVB light is not at the same spot as basking light, actually it is mostly on the cool side.....

Interesting discussion that I just found........

How bad are coil UVB bulbs? | Health

I am posting this question after having a discussion with KarrieRee about my (apparently rare) good luck with coil UBV.This would be the first --- what kind of coil is being used ? And I would take that question and ask on the board----------- all the people that I have spoke w / regarding coils...

www.beardeddragon.org

 

[smaugthebeardie3756]

Solarmeter 6.5
That`s exactly what I have. Unless my meter is completely screwed, I should be getting pretty decent readings from this device then .....

As mentioned, there is a UVB gradient across the tank , UVB light is not at the same spot as basking light, actually it is mostly on the cool side.....

Interesting discussion that I just found........

How bad are coil UVB bulbs? | Health

I am posting this question after having a discussion with KarrieRee about my (apparently rare) good luck with coil UBV.This would be the first --- what kind of coil is being used ? And I would take that question and ask on the board----------- all the people that I have spoke w / regarding coils...

www.beardeddragon.org

Interesting, I have the same one and it measures UVI and is a number between 0-10, not the mW/cm2 like you mentioned. The 6.2 measures that way I believe, and according to the company the 6.2 is good to measure intensity and aging of the bulb, while the 6.5 is better to measure the UV dose the animal is getting.

I did also use a coil for a time while my guy was a baby, the ExoTerra Desert 150 26W to be exact, and didn't have any obvious issues. I switched when I learned more about them because I just figured it wasn't worth the risk. Looking back, some of the things I attributed to other things like stress or food boredom likely could have been a result of him not getting enough UV. You're right that the coils aren't as evil as people make them out to be, they're just not the best or most efficient option to get proper coverage, and many people don't do the research to understand what is actually needed to make them work. They get the kit from the pet store (like me) and think that's all there is to it. They also probably do not have a UV meter at all. I imagine that using a nanoreflector like someone mentioned on that thread instead of the dome would increase coverage. I have no clue how you would make that work in an adult 75 gallon or larger enclosure though. Tube lights allow more room for error, and the T5 last a year instead of 6 months so are more cost effective in the long run.

 

[klika]

Sorry my mistake, it is 6.2 version

Solarmeter Model 6.2 Sensitive UVB Meter for Reptile Lamps - Measures 280-320nm with Range from 0-1999 µW/cm² Total UVB : Amazon.ca: Industrial & Scientific

Solarmeter Model 6.2 Sensitive UVB Meter for Reptile Lamps - Measures 280-320nm with Range from 0-1999 µW/cm² Total UVB : Amazon.ca: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.ca

According to specs it measures medium range UVB 280-320 nm . (UVA 320-400 nm, UVC 180-290 nm). So that means, if calibration of the meter is not way off, my Exo Terra 200 26W gives me exactly right amount of UVB that is needed for dragons, roughly 30-150 mW/cm2, and there is a gradient across the tank in this range.

According to my research, could be wrong ....
6.2 solar meter measures UV-B
6.5 Measures UV Index (total UV)

People used 6.2 way before 6.5 was released so I assume it worked pretty good at the time, no reason why it shouldn`t work now.

 

[smaugthebeardie3756]

6.2 is good, and I didn't mean to make it seem like I was attacking the meter or your setup. If it's working for you and your dragon, that's awesome. Most people aren't as diligent or dedicated to ensuring proper UVB and just assume what the pet store says is good enough, which is usually not the case without some modification. The 6.2 is good, just a little more limited in the information it shows and requires a little more understanding, which you seem to have. 6.5 is a little more newbie friendly since it gives a number that immediately tells you if the animal is getting what it needs to produce D3.

 

[klika]

6.2 is good, and I didn't mean to make it seem like I was attacking the meter or your setup. If it's working for you and your dragon, that's awesome. Most people aren't as diligent or dedicated to ensuring proper UVB and just assume what the pet store says is good enough, which is usually not the case

Hey man, all is good, we are just exchanging different opinions .......

 

[smaugthebeardie3756]

Hey man, all is good, we are just exchanging different opinions .......

I'm glad. I love discussion and debate because that's how I learn new things, but I hate when it devolves into an argument and someone feels attacked. I especially hate feeling like I'm the one attacking, so sometimes I overly worry that I'm coming off that way, especially on a message board like this where there is no tone of voice or body language to help with the overall message.