Help! Safe UVB Levels

[TheLivingLegend]

Im going to buy a UVB meter, anyone know what is the lowest you want to let your uvb go down to? I was thinking change it once it drops below 4%. Currently using an exo terra 5% I had laying around. I have a reptisun 10.0, plan on leaving on until it drops to 5% : P Thanks for your replies.

 

[jastate09]

If I remember correctly 20 is starting to get low and change at 15.

 

[Hoj]

The solarmeter does not read in % it is a number rateing of watts per cm2.
I try to keep the bulbs about 30 in the basking site, much lower than that and I replace them

 

[nightanole]

A fresh 10.0 is fine for anything but a new born in a bare cage. Ive ran them since they came out just fine.

Chameleons have thin skin(shade dwellers) so metered light should be in the range of 15-33uW/cm² for min/max, not the iguana/beardy that needs 75-150uW/cm².

The only time a 10.0 may be bad is with a reflector, with no screen, and the cham is within 6" of it most of the day. Them reflectors boost the output by 3x. On the other hand the reflector enables a longer distance so you could use them to adjust your sweet spot from 6-12" to 12-24".