New Cham owner - so confused on UVB lighting, t5? t8?

[blue_cham]

I've read so much, and my head is whirling! I'd really appreciate some help!

I've been researching high and low, and I know the basics, but I want to make sure I have the right bulb picked out before spending money on it...

I have two juvenile panthers in a reptibreeze large (18x18x36). They probably have another month or so before separation will be needed, so I'm getting ready.

Right now they have a reptisun 5UVB compact (came with kit). The plan is to have a second reptibreeze next to the first (with a panel in-between). I was looking at the linear lights, and wanting to get a 36inch that will provide UVB for both cham's cages.

I'm really confused by the difference of t5 vs t8, and what exactly High Output (HO) is in relation? Then I ran across this chart of ZooMed's website (https://zoomed.com/wp-content/uploads/ZM_Lighting_Selection.jpg) and it got me worried about getting a UVB too strong. Is that possible? Even if they are all UVB 5s?

This is the 36 inch hood I'm looking at: https://www.petmountain.com/product...eptisun-t5-ho-high-output-terrarium-hood.html

 

[nightanole]

You pick your bulb based on the height of the cage, assuming you are going linear

5.0= 18-24" tall cage, because its only good for about 12" away before it becomes a dead zone
10.0 = 36-48" cage, deadzone starts 18-22" away
6%/5.0 T5 HO= 48"+ cages, dead zone starts at 32"
12%/10.0 T5 HO= Buy/borrow a meter and have a min 5-6ft cage or a VERY densely follaged cage setup. Dead zone starts at 48" away from bulb.

That is as simply as i can put it. You basically want half the height of the cage to be a dead zone so they can regulate. You really dont have to worry about them getting too close to the bulb and getting too much UVB, even at 6-12" away from 6% T5HO, its only about a 4.5 UVI, by comparison, full sun during the summer is 6.5 UVI.

PS: that 15-16" long panther is not going to be happy in a 18" wide cage.

If you want a comparison between all of them:

Assume a T8 5.0 is 1 unit of light.
10.0 T8= 2 units
6% T5HO = 1.33 units * 2x, so 2.66 units
12% T5HO= 2.66 units * 2x so 5.32 units.

 

[blue_cham]

You pick your bulb based on the height of the cage, assuming you are going linear

5.0= 18-24" tall cage, because its only good for about 12" away before it becomes a dead zone
10.0 = 36-48" cage, deadzone starts 18-22" away
6%/5.0 T5 HO= 48"+ cages, dead zone starts at 32"
12%/10.0 T5 HO= Buy/borrow a meter and have a min 5-6ft cage or a VERY densely follaged cage setup. Dead zone starts at 48" away from bulb.

That is as simply as i can put it. You basically want half the height of the cage to be a dead zone so they can regulate. You really dont have to worry about them getting too close to the bulb and getting too much UVB, even at 6-12" away from 6% T5HO, its only about a 4.5 UVI, by comparison, full sun during the summer is 6.5 UVI.

PS: that 15-16" long panther is not going to be happy in a 18" wide cage.

If you want a comparison between all of them:

Assume a T8 5.0 is 1 unit of light.
10.0 T8= 2 units
6% T5HO = 1.33 units * 2x, so 2.66 units
12% T5HO= 2.66 units * 2x so 5.32 units.

Thank you so much, this really puts it into perspective. And I understand the cage size is minimum, however, once big enough, they will have access to a free range area (when supervised) that will be about 4ft long and 3ft high (starting from waist height),

Thanks again!

 

[Longhorn1234]

@nightanole are the 5.0 and 10.0 you're referring to in your post T8 or T5 HO?

 

[nightanole]

@nightanole are the 5.0 and 10.0 you're referring to in your post T8 or T5 HO?

T8's, the ones they have been making for 20 years now.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

In my opinion, for panthers, if you were going to have the fixture rating on top of the enclosure, I'd use the 38" T8. If you want to hang the fixture above the enclosure and plan to have it a few to several inches from the top of the screen, use the T5. HO refers to high output and I would go with those. I'd also say you could go with the 10.0s. People treat UVB carefully, but will dust calcium every feeding and vitamins in incorrect frequencies an amounts, when the reality is that the UVB exposure in the wild is quite a bit higher than MOST bulbs and most artificially lit, captive environments, while the amount of pure calcium, vitamins, and other minerals are many times less than a dusting of human-made supplements. I'm not saying not to supplement, I'm just making a point to reflect that fluorescent bulbs are unlikely to harm sun-loving reptiles, unless kept in extreme close proximity or for extreme durations of time. Filtered through screen and with ample foliage, proper fixture/bulb size, and some thought to placement provided, many sun-loving reptiles respond best to higher than 5.0 UVB bulbs and high quality basking spots, with UVA provided in a natural daylight spectrum.