How should I position the lights?

[Fuego]

I have 2 Sansi Grow Lights, 1 T5 HO UVB Light (36”), and 1 basking light. But my chameleon keeps basking under the sansi and I don’t have room to position it any other way that I can think of. Help??.

 

[Fuego]

Does the UVB have to be sideways? And do u think it has to be raised up or could I let it down?

 

[ERKleRose]

How hot is it under the sansi light? If it's hot enough, you can use one as your basking light. Since the wires in your cage are so big, and if you don't have a Solarmeter, use the recommended distance from Arcadia/Zoo Med, as the top won't have any interference on it

 

[ERKleRose]

I'd also use something else to hold up your UVB light, as it's blocking a decent amount from getting into the cage. Don't worry about having your bulb straight horizonal, the diagonal direction is fine and uses longer UVB bulbs for more coverage

 

[ItsMike64]

Diagonally across is usually the way to go, or at least from what I’ve been told. My chams LOVE their sansi lights, what I do is angle the heat lamp to where my sansi is pointing. See pic for example. Chameleons bask in the brightest spot they can find, even if it’s not the warmest.

Also, try to remove things from underneath your UVB like the sansi and whatnot, it’s blocking it from reaching your chams and providing full coverage. As for distance to basking, @Beman would know this!

 

[jamest0o0]

@Beman is usually awesome at explaining light placement when she has a minute. I noticed the same thing with all my chams, I’d either ditch the basking if the grow light was warm enough or I’d prop them up at an angle so they hit the same spot.

 

[ERKleRose]

12-15" from UVB bulb to basking branch is what'll work, as your cage spacing isn't small enough to interfere with the UVB rays

 

[suprdude]

Ideally, a Solarmeter would take the guesswork out of this.

 

[BostonKeith]

What type of uvb bulb it is will determine distance.

 

[DonKeesh]

This is why I prefer multi bulb t5 (vivosun) for the 6500k and UVB light over the sansi. It's a great light just awkward for placing on top of cage.

 

[ERKleRose]

12-15" from UVB bulb to basking branch is what'll work, as your cage spacing isn't small enough to interfere with the UVB rays

This is for an Arcadia T5 HO 6%

 

[Beman]

In my testing your looking at a 11-12 inch distance from bottom of fixture to the branch with a 5.0 bulb and a single bulb T5HO passing through basically open caging. Since there is no screen to reduce the UVI output this distance will put the cham in a 3 UVI level. This could be used for a 6% bulb as well. I have not tested any higher strength bulbs for a no mesh option though.

 

[Tkrd69]

Okay I have a 24 inch sunblaster T5HO with a 6500k tube about 5 inches from front, then a 24 inch T5HO uvb 5.0 bulb in middle and finally my basking light. Is that okay for a set up? Could top Pothos be getting to much light?

 

[Beman]

Okay I have a 24 inch sunblaster T5HO with a 6500k tube about 5 inches from front, then a 24 inch T5HO uvb 5.0 bulb in middle and finally my basking light. Is that okay for a set up? Could top Pothos be getting to much light?

single bulb fixtures right? I doubt if the pothos is getting too much light with just one grow bulb. I run 2 6500k, 1 UVB and a jungle dawn LED bar and my higher pothos is fine.

 

[Tkrd69]

single bulb fixtures right? I doubt if the pothos is getting too much light with just one grow bulb. I run 2 6500k, 1 UVB and a jungle dawn LED bar and my higher pothos is fine.

Yep single bulb fixtures