The definitive lighting thread! Everything you really need to know

From what I understand the 6.5 measures multiple wavelengths and also measures the short wave UVB, therefore it is better for metal halide bulbs as you can determine whether there is a dangerous UV index when comparing to their natural environment.

I also read this on an article "Interestingly, the 6.5 Solarmeter's response actually follows the officially accepted action spectrum for vitamin D3 synthesis (the 7DHC to pre-D3 conversion) more closely than it follows the erythema action spectrum. In other words, it should give a more accurate estimate of D3 production than it does of the UV Index."

I have also read that all the new research is pointing to the UVI being the more critical information for both D3 production and safe bulbs.

The following website details a little and does mention UVB http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/how-uv-meter/

I'm not sure what to think at this point, and just hope the money I invested in this meter was worth it, so far I don't know what to think. All I know is I'm getting really high readings with the new bulbs.
 
Watching YouTube reviews of the UV output on the sunrays and they are saying the UV output is high enough to kill your reptiles. They advise atleast 12 inches away from the 35 watt and 16 inches away from the 50 watt. So I don't see how I can use this on my bearded dragon, and am worried about my chameleons. The bearded dragon is maybe 8 inches from the light. Now I wonder if its even safe for my Jackson. I thought I did enough research before sinking a ton of cash on these bulbs, but I'm really wary now after seeing the UV readings I'm getting. Keep in mind its multiple wavelengths coming out not just the wavelength measured by a 6.2 meter.
 
Ok so I just got a 50w sunray to compare it to the 24" Arcadia 6% and 6500. I also have a led grow and glo from Josh's frogs not sure what light setup I want to use. Ive got the reptibreeze 4,2,2', but I am lacking the uv meter:(. What do you guys think. Do you think the 6%and the 50w sunray will be too much uv. My enclosure is heavily planted and that was the main reason I gt all of them to see what I could do with plant growth and Cham health. I don't want to burn the guy up but I would love to get these plants growing like crazy and have a very healthy Eco system. Thoughts?
 
Vicstylee said:
Ok so I just got a 50w sunray to compare it to the 24" Arcadia 6% and 6500. I also have a led grow and glo from Josh's frogs not sure what light setup I want to use. Ive got the reptibreeze 4,2,2', but I am lacking the uv meter:(. What do you guys think. Do you think the 6%and the 50w sunray will be too much uv. My enclosure is heavily planted and that was the main reason I gt all of them to see what I could do with plant growth and Cham health. I don't want to burn the guy up but I would love to get these plants growing like crazy and have a very healthy Eco system. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Do you mean you'll use both? I would just use one or another. If you use the sunray you could also use a grow bulb to go along with it.
I've been using the Sunray for a couple weeks now with no current signs of ill health.
Jason (Biffle) said he has been using it for 3 months for one of his jacksons and that jacksons was considerably larger and has very straight horns over the other jacksons of similar age using a repti glo 5.0. (https://www.chameleonforums.com/exoterra-sunray-118956/index2.html)
 
Yes I would be using both. Mainly for brightness of the cage at the floor again it's heavily planted so would like the floor of the cage to flourish as well
 
Vicstylee said:
Yes I would be using both. Mainly for brightness of the cage at the floor again it's heavily planted so would like the floor of the cage to flourish as well
Click to expand...
The SunRay will provide ample light to the bottom of your enclosure. But if you want to have an additional light then I would use a 6500K daylight bulb and not another UVB light.
 
Your SunRay gives off plenty of UVB, I don't see why you would want to add more. Chameleons need to be able to escape the 'sun' frequently throughout the day, however the more UVB lights you have the more exposed they will be.
 
Surely as long as there is plenty of shade and the distance between the either light is correct then both will be ok?
 
Perhaps I'm being dense or have missed something, but based on the recent discussions I'm unclear as to whether a T5 HO light fixture + appropriate heating is preferable to these new metal halide bulbs?

Does anyone have any considered views between the two, or are we still in the early days of putting the Exo Terra Sun Ray through it's paces?

P.S. Many thanks to those taking their time and effort to bite the bullet and help the rest of us. :)
 
Spangoss said:
Perhaps I'm being dense or have missed something, but based on the recent discussions I'm unclear as to whether a T5 HO light fixture + appropriate heating is preferable to these new metal halide bulbs?

Does anyone have any considered views between the two, or are we still in the early days of putting the Exo Terra Sun Ray through it's paces?

P.S. Many thanks to those taking their time and effort to bite the bullet and help the rest of us. :)
Click to expand...
I think the SunRay is still in the early stages. I have 2 and I do like them, though I really do wish the light beam wasn't so tight. I have it at the back of my enclosure so the front is quite shadowed. To counter this I just put a single 6500K Daylight CFL up front for both enclosures and NOW it looks terrific, much better than any T8 or T5 tube lighting.
 
I'll stick with T5's for now. Light coverage for watts used makes T5's more efficient for my needs.

Carl
 
I have been writing this many times earlier in this forum..

Metalhalides can be reptile killers if used with out UV meter and always keep in mind that halides UVB wawes are more "potent" than suns UVB wawe lengths!
For example if suns UVB : INDEX proportion is abut 60-80uW/cm2 : index 1 you usually get 25-35uW/cm2 : index 1 from a GOOD halide (Lucky reptile BS desert for example), so using an 6.2 and 6.5 meters you would get reading of 300-400uW/cm2 : Index 5 from the sun and that would be safe for active basker, but the "same" safe readings from an halide would be 125-175uW/cm2 : index 5 and that 250uW/cm2 would be index 7-10 and that is no even close to safe anymore and when it is the death ray bulb well.. so you see it is difficult with these lamps.. you just can't use them with out UV meter and index (6.5) meter is the way to go with these.
I personally read highest safe level for sun loving chameleon (bradypodion, chamaeleo...) index 5 and nothing more above it. With some shade dwellers i would not let it go over index 4. Even Chamaeleo namaquensis will get eye troubles if index rises above 5 under artificial lighting, but in the full sun they can easily handle very, very high indexes.
We just can't get sun light out of any lamp.
 
ReptiGeek said:
I think the SunRay is still in the early stages. I have 2 and I do like them, though I really do wish the light beam wasn't so tight. I have it at the back of my enclosure so the front is quite shadowed. To counter this I just put a single 6500K Daylight CFL up front for both enclosures and NOW it looks terrific, much better than any T8 or T5 tube lighting.
Click to expand...

Did you consider moving the halides to the front versus the rear of the enclosure?
 
Julle said:
I have been writing this many times earlier in this forum..

Metalhalides can be reptile killers if used with out UV meter and always keep in mind that halides UVB wawes are more "potent" than suns UVB wawe lengths!
For example if suns UVB : INDEX proportion is abut 60-80uW/cm2 : index 1 you usually get 25-35uW/cm2 : index 1 from a GOOD halide (Lucky reptile BS desert for example), so using an 6.2 and 6.5 meters you would get reading of 300-400uW/cm2 : Index 5 from the sun and that would be safe for active basker, but the "same" safe readings from an halide would be 125-175uW/cm2 : index 5 and that 250uW/cm2 would be index 7-10 and that is no even close to safe anymore and when it is the death ray bulb well.. so you see it is difficult with these lamps.. you just can't use them with out UV meter and index (6.5) meter is the way to go with these.
I personally read highest safe level for sun loving chameleon (bradypodion, chamaeleo...) index 5 and nothing more above it. With some shade dwellers i would not let it go over index 4. Even Chamaeleo namaquensis will get eye troubles if index rises above 5 under artificial lighting, but in the full sun they can easily handle very, very high indexes.
We just can't get sun light out of any lamp.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Im still getting readings of 10-13 UV index through the screen with these bulbs and its very concerning. If I get it far enough away (at least 17 inches) then its not warm enough for basking. Im not sure what to think of this.
 
pigglett79 said:
Thanks for the info. Im still getting readings of 10-13 UV index through the screen with these bulbs and its very concerning. If I get it far enough away (at least 17 inches) then its not warm enough for basking. Im not sure what to think of this.
Click to expand...

This is why Exo Terra's halide is so terrible.. it has too high uv output. I would not keep any animal under this high index from an artificial light source!

For example Lucky Reptile BS desert 50w can be kept 25-35cm from the animal and you get nice reading of 4-5 index and about 150uW/cm2 (burned in) and light from these lamps are much more natural.
I believe that you can use Lucky Reptiles lamps (eu voltage) also with Exo Terras EVG (us voltage), lamps are universal and non depending on the voltage.. but i am not 100% sure.
 
Julle said:
This is why Exo Terra's halide is so terrible.. it has too high uv output. I would not keep any animal under this high index from an artificial light source!

For example Lucky Reptile BS desert 50w can be kept 25-35cm from the animal and you get nice reading of 4-5 index and about 150uW/cm2 (burned in) and light from these lamps are much more natural.
I believe that you can use Lucky Reptiles lamps (eu voltage) also with Exo Terras EVG (us voltage), lamps are universal and non depending on the voltage.. but i am not 100% sure.
Click to expand...

I wanted to get the lucky reptile set up but it would have to come from Europe and would have cost more, so I figured I would try the exo terra. Can't say I made the right choice. I did find one lucky reptile flood bulb, but still need the ballast. The flood bulb is much larger than the exo terra so I can't even plug it in and compare. I would love to find a ballast for the lucky reptile bulb and compare it to the sunray.
 
You can use any brand electronic ballast to operate these lamps. There is plenty available for US voltage.
 
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