Hey Cyber. Thanks for your response.
I personally do not like the reflectors that aren’t 180 degrees. Suggesting to mount the fixture that has a reflector less than 180 degrees to ppl is difficult for me since a lot of ppl don’t have the capability to do so in their homes. Simply putting it on top of the cage puts stress on the bulb which seems unsafe and unstable to me.
Yes putting it on top of the screen, for really any of them really isn't ideal to me. However that comes back to the 180 degree reflectors as well. I still wouldn't put those on the top of the cage either.
That includes basking lights, T5s, LEDs, whatever, it should not really be sitting on your screen anyway. Thats a risk, if Mist hits that bulb it could shatter, the ventilation is not as good for the bulb, causing it to run hotter, die faster, its just all bad.
Now onward to the bold. Everyone has the capability to mount non 180 degree T5s, and any other fixtures, they have or want. The kits come with Hangers, that can be screwed in, or cable kits. Buy some steel cable kits and hang them from the ceiling?
Cant Screw into the ceiling or dont want wires hanging? Still easy build a "Canopy Substrate" or Legs. This would be as simple as some pieces of 1x2, screwed together, to make a legging that sits on top of the screen cage, or you could get more flashy and use Aluminium Angle from home depot (like 5 bucks a stick) and a 5 dollar Rivet Gun from harbor freight, and build a pretty one, that can be painted whatever color and barely be noticed. You could get even more flashy, grab some sheet metal from home depot or online while there, and build a light cover on the front and sides, paint that black and hide all the lights.
There is a million ways to mount the lights above the cage, ranging from almost free, to very expensive, hiding the lights on the top, to having black painted 1x2s. There is even TONS of commercial products for this very thing, for basking lights, T5s, LEDs, whatever.
Super, Simple, Easy, cheap way.
Thats a 1x2, cut into pieces, can be painted, or dont. Home Depot will cut it, all you have to do is screw 6 screws in (2 in each Leg, 1 in each holder). Like 5 dollars, total, 8 if you want to paint it.
Its very easy to mount the lights correctly, any one can do it I promise.
If I understand correctly, the only reason hot spotting would be bad is due to uvb not spreading throughout the cage for plants and such? If this is the case then we just get a second fixture for a 6500k bulb right?
Right, the Reflector you are using, has a lower spread, so its not going to have the same light spread, side to side, front and back, however you have it oriented. The Sunblaster has a 120 degree spread, the one you are using has like at 80 degree spread, which means it wont cover as much surface, and is more intense in the area it does cover.
I’m not trying to play the blame game with who messed up the lights. I was just sayin that I had two bad experiences through amazon and have never had one with LLL to hopefully eliminate a bad experience like we’ve both had.
Yes the lights I ordered (in two orders) both came damaged or missing parts.
Missing a Plug, was bad luck. The lights, from Amazon that are Labeled Sunblaster, vs the LLL reptiles Labeled Vivarium electronics, come from the same factory, the same supplier, they are boxed and sent out by the exact same people. They then arrive to Amazon, or LLL, or whoever for retail. Vivarium Electronics, didn't package your light, they didn't verify the contents, they paid the Chinese company who makes these, to screen print their label on for 50 cents, per light, and had them drop shipped to their retailers, just like sunblaster does.
Your bad Experience with the Plug, has nothing to do with Sunblaster, or Amazon, it was a mistake of QC on the Manufacturers part. The same Manufacture, your new light is from.
The broken light, again, that is none of their faults. That is the shipping company's fault, they will surely cover it anyway as they will get to write it off. That same thing happens, no matter who you buy from. T5s are extremely fragile, your going to get alot of Broken ones in this hobby, or any that uses T5s, it doesn't take much to shatter them, no matter how much they bubble wrap it, the glass is paper thin, if you look at it wrong it will shatter.
I didn't have a bad experience, I love reptile basics, I will continue to buy lights from them. I am not mad at them, they replaced the T5 every time, as they always do. Its not their fault, and its ALWAYS a risk with Lightbulbs, especially large extremely fragile T5s. Thats why most retail stores, have a higher markup on T5s, they lose alot of them during shipping. Same with Large Exoterra tanks, most places wont ship them, its way to risky, they are too fragile, and shipping company's literally chuck packages around like they are playing foot ball.
I worked for UPS, as a truck loader for a bit in college. My first day, I was loading boxes, very nicely one by one, and got yelled at. Told no, we do not have time for that, Throw the boxes into the truck and shove them to the back of the truck! They literally have zero care what is in your box. They have a schedule, that is all they care about.
@cyberlocc
Lmao reptile tax. I don’t know if that’s meant to be a joke but it’s quite humorous either way
Nope not a joke at all. Bunch of hobbies are like that. You pay more, when someone slaps the word reptile on it. Same with Gaming, if you see words like that the price just doubled.
