Beardieonanadventure
Member
Is the Zilla T8 UV light any good in a 20 gallon tank? How close/far should a beardie be from it?
CooperDragon":2ftltoi9 said:I've used the Desert 50 without a problem in the past. I believe they were redesigned so they don't emit a harmful wavelength of UVB any longer. Based on my testing, they have a UVI output of around 3.7 at 6'' through a mesh top (5.6 without a mesh top) which is a decent amount for basking. It drops quickly though to 1.2 at 12'' (shade levels). The tests were done with a reflective fixture so the strength would likely be less without it. If you're unable to get a ReptiSun 10.0 or an Arcadia 12% online then the Desert 50 should be OK and a T8 is appropriate for such a small enclosure. I suggest moving to a T5 when you upgrade the tank size though.