Hi I have a 4ft repti breeze and it's very heaverly planted he spends most his time in the middle and top of the Inclosure but I'm thinking if he spends alotnof time in the shade is it possible he's not getting enough uv he has a 5% 250 w basking bulb and a 12% UVB tube I hear about uv being filtered out by mesh so I went for a higher percentage Hes eating. And drinking brilliantly he has a mixture of pure calcium and super pig and then he's food is gut loaded with repashy gut load and potato for moisture please let me know if things need to be altered thank you
It sounds like a wonderful set-up.
But between the screen, the shade, height, and the lower out-put tube...
you are right... you might be on the low side as far as UV B goes.
You don't happen to have a Solrmeter 6.2.. or are able to borrow or rent one?
That way you could tell for sure how much that particular screen mesh is dropping the UV.
My "gut" feeling is that you will need to "up it" to a 10% or 12% tube to compensate for the loss.
(Maybe even a T5 tube / fixture for added lumen & UV output.)
But my advice is to first check the readings on the set as it is now to see what you are getting...and them go from there.
Otherwise, its like flying blind.
Cheers!
Todd
www.lightyourreptiles.com
PS. I have been doing testing lately & it is surprising how different screening, (ie: mesh size & color) filter out UV differently.
I will be making the findings know down the road.
