The definitive lighting thread! Everything you really need to know

[SPork]

I got home to a pleasant surprise, the mailman dropped off my solarmeter a day early. I flipped the light around so it was shining out of my cage and took a reading at 12 inches first and then took a reading with the light through my screen cage and there was a pretty big difference. The unfiltered reading was 232uw/cm2 at 12 inches and 152 uw/cm2 when measured through the screen. My plan is to setup a t8 uvb lamp and a cfl uvb lamp and get measurements from those to compare to the metal halides but that will have to wait until the weekend. It was not possible to hold the tape measure, solarmeter and camera at the same time, so I had to take these pictures separately.

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Can the light be angled at all using that bracket?

 

[SPork]

Can the light be angled at all using that bracket?

Unfortunately it cannot, The mount on the fixture is fixed and while you can raise and lower the light, it is not possible to angle the light without bending the arm.

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Unfortunately it cannot, The mount on the fixture is fixed and while you can raise and lower the light, it is not possible to angle the light without bending the arm.

Ahh, bummer. That would be how I would like to set it up if I was to ever use or switch over to these.

I am really surprised it's not capable of that.

However, I like what I'm seeing from the reading. Curious as to how long one of these will put out sufficient amounts of UVB.

 

[Chameleopatrick]

Spork, can you please show the measurements through the screen at a few different distances? 3", 6" 12" 20"?

Thanks!

 

[Tumdace]

So I got my dual bulb fixture in last night, and got my enclosure almost fully built now.

Only thing Im a little unsure of is this:

I got the 12% arcadia and 6500k daylight bulb combo. Instead of using the really small holed aluminum meshing I found some half inch holed steel meshing for the top.

Am I going to be overexposing my chameleon to UVB, or if I get a lush enough plant will the chameleon be able to regulate it?

Plus on a somewhat related note, if I get a baby (which I plan to do) veiled, my enclosure is currently 2x2x4, what can I do to ensure its not too big for him. Im thinking of getting a Ficus and a Pothos and I picked up some of that fake foliage at the Ajax Reptile expo last weekend.

 

[ReptiGeek]

If you ordered the 12% Arcadia bulb you should be fine through the small mesh. Generally people will use the 6% bulb with free ranges and the 12% with screen enclosures.

 

[Tumdace]

If you ordered the 12% Arcadia bulb you should be fine through the small mesh. Generally people will use the 6% bulb with free ranges and the 12% with screen enclosures.

What Im saying though is that I built it with the half inch hole screen. Should I be putting the small mesh screening on instead?

 

[SPork]

Spork, can you please show the measurements through the screen at a few different distances? 3", 6" 12" 20"?

Thanks!

I'll do that this weekend, was a bit busy last.

 

[ReptiGeek]

Bah you should be okay if there is a lot of cover. I would suggest having the tube at least 12" away from the basking spot so that by the time the UV rays get there they will be less powerful. Hopefully someone a little more experienced with arcadia can chime in though.

 

[jamjam]

So I got my dual bulb fixture in last night, and got my enclosure almost fully built now.

Only thing Im a little unsure of is this:

I got the 12% arcadia and 6500k daylight bulb combo. Instead of using the really small holed aluminum meshing I found some half inch holed steel meshing for the top.

Am I going to be overexposing my chameleon to UVB, or if I get a lush enough plant will the chameleon be able to regulate it?

Plus on a somewhat related note, if I get a baby (which I plan to do) veiled, my enclosure is currently 2x2x4, what can I do to ensure its not too big for him. Im thinking of getting a Ficus and a Pothos and I picked up some of that fake foliage at the Ajax Reptile expo last weekend.

Its insane how I'm in the EXACT same position with the half inch top. Im building my enclosure on saturday, buying the cham next Month. However, as a baby im housing him in a well ventilated glass enclosure as a baby and winter months. In the mean time gonna buy lants and let them grow in the big enclosure to see how much coverage I get before i buy the 12%. think i plant to have 2 pothos, a schefllera/ficus maybe both. some air plants and if i can build a mid level shelf something like zebra plant or something

 

[Tumdace]

Bah you should be okay if there is a lot of cover. I would suggest having the tube at least 12" away from the basking spot so that by the time the UV rays get there they will be less powerful. Hopefully someone a little more experienced with arcadia can chime in though.

Ya Im trying to rig something up that I can adjust how far away it is from the top of the screen.

 

[Chameleopatrick]

Ya Im trying to rig something up that I can adjust how far away it is from the top of the screen.

Or, you can adjust the basking perch levels from the source...

 

[pigglett79]

I set up my sunrays today and I took a couple initial reading, My concern is whether this is too much UV. I have the 35 watt for the chameleons and a 50 watt for my bearded dragon. One of the 35 watt bulbs was broken so I only set up the panther cage so far. My initial reading at his basking branch which is through the screen and at 10 inches from the bulb, was 13.0 on a 6.5 solarmeter. And the basking temp is only 79F, which according to the specs it should be 89 F at this distance. I will keep playing around with it, and I know it has to burn in for a couple weeks to help reduce the UV, but my concern is being able to put it low enough to get a proper basking temp without having the UV too high. Especially when it comes to putting it on my jackson cage.

Down at his next branch which is 17 inches I got 3.5.

Edit: Another note, the sticky part of the bracket for mounting is for sure not made for wood, doesn't stick so I have to drill holes in the bracket and screw it to the cage.

 

[SPork]

I'm not sure what that reading means on the 6.5, but what are your readings on the meter out in the sun? As far as temps go, I had the same issue with he 35's and upgraded them to 50's, we had a couple cold days and the 35's were not cutting it. I ended up drilling a hole in the top and bottom of the bracket and zip tied it to my screen cage.

 

[pigglett79]

I'm not sure what that reading means on the 6.5, but what are your readings on the meter out in the sun? As far as temps go, I had the same issue with he 35's and upgraded them to 50's, we had a couple cold days and the 35's were not cutting it. I ended up drilling a hole in the top and bottom of the bracket and zip tied it to my screen cage.

In the sun outside I usually get readings of around 3.5 to 5.0 in the afternoon direct sun. I put the 50 watt on my bearded dragon cage and the basking temp is around 94 and UV through the screen at about 8 inches is 10.2. I do have to say he loves it though, my bearded dragon went right over to the beam of light and flattened out under it. He seems very happy.

Here is the scale on my UV meter, which is why I am concerned about the UV readings.

 

[SPork]

maybe someone with experience with the 6.5 can chime in, my readings with the 50w at 12 inches without screen was ~250 uw/cm2 and outside on a sunny day I am getting around ~300. Through the screen I was cut down to about ~150.

 

[Chameleopatrick]

maybe someone with experience with the 6.5 can chime in, my readings with the 50w at 12 inches without screen was ~250 uw/cm2 and outside on a sunny day I am getting around ~300. Through the screen I was cut down to about ~150.

Good info. Thanks.

 

[dom1959]

really happy to see that you guys are taking readings and sharing.
pretty sure the beardie i got friday will get a sunray on his perm cage!

 

[ReptiGeek]

In the sun outside I usually get readings of around 3.5 to 5.0 in the afternoon direct sun. I put the 50 watt on my bearded dragon cage and the basking temp is around 94 and UV through the screen at about 8 inches is 10.2. I do have to say he loves it though, my bearded dragon went right over to the beam of light and flattened out under it. He seems very happy.

Hey Rachelle I've been doing some reading and I don't think that the 6.5 gives you the UVB reading. It gives you the UVI. I can't find anything on the 6.5 that says anything about UVB. So I think the VERY HIGH reading that you are getting is just the reading of the light output (which is very bright and strong, like the Sun is at noon) and not the UVB. Someone please correct me if I am wrong because I very well could be, however I went to the Solartech website and went through the entire Solarmeter 6.5 page and didn't see one mention of UVB.