T5 HO 6500K lighting question

[Ron Jung]

Hi I am new to this forum and had a quick question. I use the 4 foot T5 HO lights with 6500 K for natural day light. Does it produce enough UVB for my chams or do I still need a Sunblaster 5.0 UVB light as well? If so what is better the 5.0 or I have read people use the 10.0

Any advise is much appreciated.

Thanks.
Ron.

 

[junglefries]

I run the t5 ho on all my cages. however, i am setup as follows: 5.0 (36" cage has 1 : 48" cage has 2). 6500k (36" cage has one t5 ho and 2 t5: 48" cage has 3 t5 ho) (all cages have a total of four bulbs) when my females are pregnant or on my female panthers, i run two 5.0 bulbs per cage (no matter the size).

 

[nick barta]

Hey Ron, welcome to the forum. The 6500k will be the light that keeps your plants healthy. Your second linear bulb is for UVB. I don't recognize the brand of Sun Blaster, you might want to verify with Canadian keepers if this is a good UVB bulb. Reptisun or Arcadia are typical in the US. If you contact Todd at Light Your Reptiles (sponsor in top left corner of Home Page) he is an amazing source of information.

Although there is some debate, I would say most keepers use 10.0 on Free Range areas, thickly planted cages, and taller cages over 4 feet tall. Most would suggest the 5.0.

There is a lighting thread above your post, take a look at it.

Again, welcome.

Nick

 

[junglefries]

I had no idea what sunblaster was either. thanx for giving the details i lacked. tired this morning (n barta).

 

[Ron Jung]

Thanks for the warm invite. I was mostly on dart frog forums as that is what I have been doing for 28 years. I was one of the pioneers in Canada bringing darts into the hobby up here.

I had a look at the light and it is a Reptisun 5.0 UVB. When my friend got it for me he called it a Sunblaster so was kind of a mistake. I guess it is better to get the 10.0 instead of the 5.0?

I was reading in another thread that someone from back in the 90's from what I gathered didn't/doesn't use UV bulbs at all but feeds with CaD3 to provide D3 and not needing UVB to convert Vit. A into D3. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
Ron.

 

[Venutus1]

Hi I am new to this forum and had a quick question. I use the 4 foot T5 HO lights with 6500 K for natural day light. Does it produce enough UVB for my chams or do I still need a Sunblaster 5.0 UVB light as well? If so what is better the 5.0 or I have read people use the 10.0

Any advise is much appreciated.

Thanks.
Ron.

Hi Ron,

Adding a "day-light" bulb like a 6.5k, along with the UV bulb is a very good idea especially if you have plants.

Reptiles like Chams are truly "children of the sun", and you are taking an out-of doors TROPICAL animal and keeping them inside-- so light is CRITICAL.

Most reptiles here in North America tend to kept in under-lit cages.

The Europeans (Like my good friends at Arcadia!) discovered ages ago that full spectrum lighting along with BOTH UV A and UV B are critical to their well being.
Now it is just catching on here... finally... with spectacular results.

The proof is in the pudding.
Just look at the number of posts you get here on Cham forums with people remarking how they Chams react so positively when they take them out-side for a few hours in natural sunlight!
They all remark how they color up, get more alert and literally "come alive".

Well.
What does that tell us!???
It tells us that the 90% of the time they are inside-- they are being UNDER-LIT!
And now with advancements in lighting technology, it is MUCH easier, and less costly than it used to be to get a closer duplication of natural full spectrum lighting inside.

The mixing of a UV a/b bulb and a full spectrum (5.6 - 6.5k-ish) sun-light like flo. tube is great for both animals and plants.
And it creates an environment that has a higher, more "out-door like" level of full spectrum light.

The prices have come down now too on the newer HO T5 lighting (the skinny higher out-put flo. tubes, like the Arcadia's) and this makes it now possible to do this now more economically than ever.

It actually now costs about the same!
And the bulbs go for at least a year and still maintain excellent UV levels.

Any way, welcome to the forum and best of luck with your Cham!

Light 'em up.

Cheers
Todd

Hey Ron, welcome to the forum. The 6500k will be the light that keeps your plants healthy. Your second linear bulb is for UVB. I don't recognize the brand of Sun Blaster, you might want to verify with Canadian keepers if this is a good UVB bulb. Reptisun or Arcadia are typical in the US. If you contact Todd at Light Your Reptiles (sponsor in top left corner of Home Page) he is an amazing source of information.

Although there is some debate, I would say most keepers use 10.0 on Free Range areas, thickly planted cages, and taller cages over 4 feet tall. Most would suggest the 5.0.

There is a lighting thread above your post, take a look at it.

Again, welcome.

Nick

Good advice Nick ~

and shucks -- you make me blush with your praise

Thank you Nick!

 

[nick barta]

Hi Ron,

Adding a "day-light" bulb like a 6.5k, along with the UV bulb is a very good idea especially if you have plants.

Reptiles like Chams are truly "children of the sun", and you are taking an out-of doors TROPICAL animal and keeping them inside-- so light is CRITICAL.

Most reptiles here in North America tend to kept in under-lit cages.

The Europeans (Like my good friends at Arcadia!) discovered ages ago that full spectrum lighting along with BOTH UV A and UV B are critical to their well being.
Now it is just catching on here... finally... with spectacular results.

The proof is in the pudding.
Just look at the number of posts you get here on Cham forums with people remarking how they Chams react so positively when they take them out-side for a few hours in natural sunlight!
They all remark how they color up, get more alert and literally "come alive".

Well.
What does that tell us!???
It tells us that the 90% of the time they are inside-- they are being UNDER-LIT!
And now with advancements in lighting technology, it is MUCH easier, and less costly than it used to be to get a closer duplication of natural full spectrum lighting inside.

The mixing of a UV a/b bulb and a full spectrum (5.6 - 6.5k-ish) sun-light like flo. tube is great for both animals and plants.
And it creates an environment that has a higher, more "out-door like" level of full spectrum light.

The prices have come down now too on the newer HO T5 lighting (the skinny higher out-put flo. tubes, like the Arcadia's) and this makes it now possible to do this now more economically than ever.

It actually now costs about the same!
And the bulbs go for at least a year and still maintain excellent UV levels.

Any way, welcome to the forum and best of luck with your Cham!

Light 'em up.

Cheers
Todd



Good advice Nick ~

and shucks -- you make me blush with your praise

Thank you Nick!

Praise is only valuable if you deserve it. And you do.

Nick