UVB Lights - 5.0 Or 10.0?

Daddio53

New Member
I hear so many things about UVB lights. Some say to change the bulb every six months, but the manufacturer says their bulb emits UVB rays for a full year. Then there's the question about strength. What is best for a chameleon, 5.0 UVB or 10.0 UVB, and why? I am about to hit that 6 month mark, even though it's a one year UVB bulb, and now I'm wondering if the 5.0 bulb is emitting enough light. So what say you? I don't think giving a brand name really matters, because there seem to be opposites for every brand. If I say I use Fluker's, they say, "Aw, that stuff is crap. I use so and so and it's much better." When I ask why it' s better, it's usually just because it's what they use. So help me out with the 5.0 versus 10.0 UVB bulb question.By the way, my enclosure is 18X18X24, and the chameleon is a Dwarf Fischer's. Thanks.
 
a 2ft high cage is fine with a 5.0. A 10.0 is null around 2ft, so we use them in 4ft cages. You want some "dead zone" so the cham can auto regulate other than having to crawl around the bottom of the tank.

On the other hand if the cage is choc full of plants and plenty of hidy spots a 10.0 can last you 12-18 months in a 2ft cage, be it a reptiglo or reptisun.

I cheat though, i have a meter so i know when my bulbs are at min, but it takes several years to recupe the cost of a meter.

PS: im talking about linear tubes with reflectors, not cfl's.
 
The only way to know when to properly change out a bulb is to invest in meter. Solarmeter6.2 are the best around.

The Intensity all depends on how dense your cage is with foliage and how tall your cage is.
 
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