UV Light Too Close?

[Minion]

I've gathering up nearly all my supplies for the beardie I should be getting on the 16th (just need a new thermometer!) and after mounting my UV light I'm starting to worry that it might be too close. I don't have a tape measure, but using one of the 6" tiles, I determined it was about 6" (maybe a teeny tiny bit less?) from the end of the basking spot to the UV bulb. Is this a problem? I'll need to go out and buy some new sticky strips for my command hooks if it is... since I ended up having to move one just a bit to the side and only have one strip left. *sigh*

Here are some pictures of my enclosure for reference. The UV light is a little lopsided (which bothers me to no end ahh). Also, ignore the calcium build up on the glass... my parents 'looked after' my fish tank while I was away for six months and... well, you see how that worked out. D:

*EDIT*
Also, I was wondering if putting a little foil 'hood' over the UV fixture would do anything to help reflect the UV rays downward? Or does it not matter?

 

[zandi202]

UVB looks fine to me =)

 

[Minion]

Good to know, thanks! =]

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the question I edited in at the end of my post.

 

[hyperc]

I've gathering up nearly all my supplies for the beardie I should be getting on the 16th (just need a new thermometer!) and after mounting my UV light I'm starting to worry that it might be too close. I don't have a tape measure, but using one of the 6" tiles, I determined it was about 6" (maybe a teeny tiny bit less?) from the end of the basking spot to the UV bulb. Is this a problem? I'll need to go out and buy some new sticky strips for my command hooks if it is... since I ended up having to move one just a bit to the side and only have one strip left. *sigh*

Here are some pictures of my enclosure for reference. The UV light is a little lopsided (which bothers me to no end ahh). Also, ignore the calcium build up on the glass... my parents 'looked after' my fish tank while I was away for six months and... well, you see how that worked out. D:

*EDIT*
Also, I was wondering if putting a little foil 'hood' over the UV fixture would do anything to help reflect the UV rays downward? Or does it not matter?

Why must people over and over mount the UV fixtures in the cage with command hooks...I really hate the idea, its unsafe whom ever started the whole idea should have never posted it...Fine it is cheaper but man if that bulb ever breaks your bearded is gonna be walking on glass and probably end up dead...And yes there is recommended height that the bulb needs to be so check into that...

PS sorry for my rant

 

[Minion]

I know the recommended height on the package is 6" and as I said in my first post it is about 6" give or take. I didn't really go with the command hooks and such because it was cheap, if anything it actually cost me more to buy them and a new fixture rather than use the one I already had. My tank is abnormally shaped so I don't believe the distance from the top of the cage to the basking spot is close enough for me to place it on top and there is also a piece of glass in the middle that would block a lot of the UVB from any fixture I tried to place up there.

I completely understand your worry, however I don't have much of a choice but to mount it inside the enclosure. Maybe I could build a small 'cage' around it with hardware cloth? I don't know. I've never heard of any UVB bulb shattering inside an enclosure like that though...? Whether for a beardie or any other type of lizard. I'm definitely not doubting that it's a risk, though now I'm curious to see if this is something that's ever happened to anybody?

Sorry, I hope I don't seem like I'm trying to argue or anything! Thank you for the concern... I'll see what I can do.

 

[CodyG]

A clean razor blade will take that calcium right off the glass no problem, also I have no issues using my command hooks in my tank, they are both rated for 10lbs,but I mounted mine a bit different, instead of the hook going into the holes on the back of the fixture I hung my fixture from the hook itself, and I followed the directions on the command hooks package, holding the hook for ten seconds, sliding the hook off and pressing for 30 seconds, then I let them sit overnight to bond without hanging anything from them. I can push down on the fixture firmly, its not going anywhere.... I'll take a pic real quick....... also the hooks are the medium size. The system is working just fine in this tank for me. She cant get more than 6" close to the tube where ever she is on the log and she has been much more active since I Put it up like this, in my males tank I have it mounted on a strip of 3/8" plywood hanging over his tank, his is a 40 breeder, and hers is a 45 long, hers is a little taller and she couldnt get close enough to it to hang like I did in his tank.

Females Tank

Males Tank

The cord doesn't hang down in his cage, it was in this pic because I had removed the light to take the first pic and just set it back in for the second.

When hanging my lights, everyone on this site recommended the 3M command hooks, but nobody really showed how they used them to hang the lights, so I hope my post will help a few people with ideas to hang theirs.

-Cody

EDIT* The hooks are actually only rated for 3lbs each, just found the box.. but thats still overly sufficient.

 

[XiDiS]

I've gathering up nearly all my supplies for the beardie I should be getting on the 16th (just need a new thermometer!) and after mounting my UV light I'm starting to worry that it might be too close. I don't have a tape measure, but using one of the 6" tiles, I determined it was about 6" (maybe a teeny tiny bit less?) from the end of the basking spot to the UV bulb. Is this a problem? I'll need to go out and buy some new sticky strips for my command hooks if it is... since I ended up having to move one just a bit to the side and only have one strip left. *sigh*

Here are some pictures of my enclosure for reference. The UV light is a little lopsided (which bothers me to no end ahh). Also, ignore the calcium build up on the glass... my parents 'looked after' my fish tank while I was away for six months and... well, you see how that worked out. D:

*EDIT*
Also, I was wondering if putting a little foil 'hood' over the UV fixture would do anything to help reflect the UV rays downward? Or does it not matter?

Why must people over and over mount the UV fixtures in the cage with command hooks...I really hate the idea, its unsafe whom ever started the whole idea should have never posted it...Fine it is cheaper but man if that bulb ever breaks your bearded is gonna be walking on glass and probably end up dead...And yes there is recommended height that the bulb needs to be so check into that...

PS sorry for my rant

Would you rather they mount them on the top of tank on the screen and have the screen filter out the UVB? There is NOTHING wrong with mounting lights this way. I didnt use command hooks cause im a cheap bastard.... i mounted my using an old wire coat hanger... cut it in half and made some adjustable hooks to use.

 

[CodyG]

Also I should note, my female is reallllly chill, she doesn't jump around or run around her cage, so I dont have to worry about her jumping up and knocking the fixture off the hooks, my male on the other hand, does. So that was another reason I decided to leave his mounted hanging above his cage.

Neither of their tanks have lids, I just like them that way, and the temperature gradient is perfect. The log you see in my males tank was in my females tank and vice versa untill I came home one day and opened my door to my room and my male was pacing back and forth in front of his tank to get back in because he jumped out... The log was just too high, so the way they are now is just perfect, and I am very happy with them.

 

[Alex11golfer]

Yea I also hate the idea of command hooks I bought some and they just screwed me I just used my dads industrial suction cups with hooks never has moved.