A little bit of info on lighting and UVB Percentages in relation to fixtures.

Venutus1

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Hi Guys,
It has been a while since I had even a spare minute to do a post on Chameleon Forums because I have been so busy.
*Sigh*
I haven't had time to post much anywhere on any reptile forums.

But something has come up lately that I have been getting lots of questions about.

And that is:
how to know when to use a 6% UVB strength Arcadia bulb OR use a 12% Arcadia bulb over your average say 24 x 24 x 48 cham enclosure.

Also, with the release of the new single bulb Arcadia PRO T5 fixtures in the USA and the EFFICIENCY of these new units,
it has caused more confusion in the 6% vs. 12% debate.

I have had many conversations lately with many people that have heard me recommend the Arcadia 12% UVB bulbs for set ups.

And now when talking **specifically about the Arcadia PRO Ho t5 strip lights**,
I am touting the 6% as the way to go in most set up configurations.
So this has confused a few people.

(and BTW , the new Arcadia Pro ho t5 strips link / daisy chain to the NEW Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED bars for maximum plant growing light.)

Anyway,
to help add to the knowledge base on this subject,
I am posting an e-mail response I gave to a LightYourReptiles.com customer just this morning on this 6% or 12% subject...
It is pretty typical of the many responses I have sent out on the 6% vs 12% question.

I think (HOPE) it may be useful to many cham owners out there.
?
Cheers
Todd

The 6% bulb in the Arcadia pro fixture design allows maximum UV to be reflected out of it and it is strong. You get high readings when testing on a Solarmeter 6.5.

And even though the cage is 48" high,
IT DOES NOT MATTER too much how much too much UV gets down too deep in the cage for chams.
Why?
Because the animal is going to spend 80%+ of its time in the top 1/3 of the cage because they like to climb as high as they can.
And they will hang out allot of the time 10 - 14" under the heat at the top of the cage.
So THIS is the area of the cage that matters most to get the right UVB levels in.
& we don't want it to get the animal fried (sunburned) or get its eyeballs zapped with too much UV. ?
Plus -
you actually WANT low or NO UV down near the bottom in case the animal wants to get AWAY from the UV and seek shade just as they would in Nature.

We must understand that it is not just the UV "%" of a bulb that matters >>
but also how the fixture reflects UV & the quality of the ballast in the fixture that drives the bulb and influences the overall UVB output.

Side note - sometimes I feel as old as dirt ... LOL ...and have been keeping reptiles since 1976.
And I first started using and experimenting with UVB over reptiles (leopard tortoises specifically) in 1979.
;-)

Again,
If it were a different fixture... then a 12% bulb *may* be the bulb of choice.
But using this Arcadia Pro t5 in this configuration it is the 6% is the one to go with..
We must take into account how it ALL WORKS TOGETHER to get the right light and UV for a particular environment.

fyi-- so you can understand better... please see attached pic.

If it were a multi bulb fixture or one with a different electronic ballast or reflector that "dulled down"
the UV out-put, then the switch up to a 12% bulb may be needed.

But in this set up, (a 24 x24x 48H screen cage, modestly planted, ie; minimal shade)
using the Arcadia Pro fixture w/ 6% bulb is the way to go coupled with a Jungle Dawn 34w 22.5 inch LED bar.)

The only way you would want to step up to a 12% bulb in this case is IF the cage was VERY Heavily planted---
and AT THE TOP OF THE CAGE there was LOTS OF dense foliage.... to make it very shady from top to bottom.
This is called "the light & shade method" ... to simulate dappled sunlight through leaves mimicking the natural environment of some cham species. >>> but this is more advanced and would require a whole separate discussion.

;-) and i have gone on long enough. LOL

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Todd

ADDENDUM:
??BUY A SOLARMETER if you can afford one.
(or borrow one from a friend, or go "halfsies" on one with a friend / keeper you know , so the purchase is less painful.)
I know the are expensive,
but they are a very important tool to have so that there is NO GUESSING as to if the UVB levels are right or not. I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH.
I used to sell them ... but now the manufacturer chooses to sell them directly on Amazon... oh well ?
Regardless, they are the most valuable tool any reptile keeper can own IMHO.
anyway, they are about 210.00 for a model 6.5R.
 

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"grabs popcorn"

Cliff notes:
Your cham is going to always "hang out" at the top half /third of the cage. It doesnt matter if the cage is 3ft or 7ft tall.
Tune your UVB for the top half /third of the cage
If you go super high power, you will end up with usable UVB for the entire height of the cage, but will have too much UVB in the top 1/3 of the cage where the cham hangs out the most.
And always, if can afford a meter, buy a meter :)
 
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