UVB question!

[Mataharilee]

Hey guys

I have a question on UVB bulbs.
What the difference between UVB bulb and other light bulbs?
From what I see UVB bulbs are normally really white light, that mean it's in the higher spectrum of the wavelength, correct? Which should be the 5000k and above range. A sunny day is 6500k naturally.

So my question is would a high output T5 fixture with 6400k bulbs used for hydroponics, to grow plants indoors counts as a UVB set up?

I already have a few of these fixture and was wondering if i could use them.
They are extremely bright and provides a good amount of heat over a even surface.
Also saw that there is a reptisun T5 high output bulb available in stores that produces a very bright white light which looks the same as the ones I have. Can someone confirm that there is a difference or not?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq4KatXNOZI
http://www.hydrofarm.com/product.php?itemid=10657#tabs-2

 

[Venutus1]

Hey guys

I have a question on UVB bulbs.
What the difference between UVB bulb and other light bulbs?
From what I see UVB bulbs are normally really white light, that mean it's in the higher spectrum of the wavelength, correct? Which should be the 5000k and above range. A sunny day is 6500k naturally.

So my question is would a high output T5 fixture with 6400k bulbs used for hydroponics, to grow plants indoors counts as a UVB set up?

I already have a few of these fixture and was wondering if i could use them.
They are extremely bright and provides a good amount of heat over a even surface.
Also saw that there is a reptisun T5 high output bulb available in stores that produces a very bright white light which looks the same as the ones I have. Can someone confirm that there is a difference or not?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq4KatXNOZI
http://www.hydrofarm.com/product.php?itemid=10657#tabs-2

Hi There!

I think you will be able to get allot of your questions answered here at the Arcadia web-site.

NOTE:
Zoo Med and Exo terra also have web-sites with some UV B information.

But since Arcadia's goal is to Educate and to bring reptile keeping out of the Dark Ages ...
I think you will find the most detailed and easy to understand information here:

Why UV is important for Vit D:
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/the-d3-cycle/

UV bulbs, comparison of UV out-put between T8 diameter bulbs and T5 ("skinny") bulbs.


Talking about 6% UVB bulbs:
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t5-d3-forest/

Talking about 12% UVB Bulbs
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t5-d3plus-desert/

NOTE: The higher out-put 12% bulbs can be used on Chams with great results IF THEY ARE in a larger cage with allot of FOLIAGE (shade)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a nut-shell... kelvin color temp. has nothing to do with UV.
It just refers to the whiteness or "tint" of the light.

Sunlight is 5.5K - 7K.
So a 6.4-ish K bulb is going to give off crisp white light and give you a closer simulation to natural sunlight (what you want) over.... say...a 4K warm white (yellow-ish) bulb or a 10K (ice blue white) bulb.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ho t5 fixture you have is good for a very large enclosure... or HUNG a few feet over multiple enclosures. Or on a free range set up.

And you would use a combination of UVB bulbs in CONJUNCTION with day-light 6.5k bulbs in it.
If you filled it with ONLY ho t5 UV bulbs, you would create a tanning bed and kill and fry the animals.
also:
Please note that it would be too bright over a small enclosure regardless of what bulbs you stick in it.


And most important to understand -- the distance the fixture is from the animals has direct relation to how much UV they actually recieve.

Remember as a caution-- especially with a large multi bulb fixture like that--
Failure to educate yourself and do it right could easily result in tortured, blind, fried and/or dead animals due to improper application of UV radiation.


Sorry to be blunt, but better understand that now rather than if it is too late.

Please check this out!
Here is the world leading expert on UV and reptiles, Dr. Baines, talking about UV bulbs.
It is only about 4 min. so it is a quick but very "en-lightening" watch.
Everybody here into Chams....
and everybody into reptiles & all zoos in general all over the world know Dr. Baines.
She is the real deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUu24MNO2Ho

Hope this is a bit of help to you.
It is important to get headed in the right direction!
Cheers!
Todd

 

[kdc5019]

T5 is the size of the bulb. 6500k is the wavelength of light emitted. 6500k bulbs do not emitt UVB. You need to purchase UVB bulbs (I recommend Arcadia bulbs). There is no problem having a double light fixture with a 6500k for plants and UVB for your chameleon.

 

[Mataharilee]

Hi There!

I think you will be able to get allot of your questions answered here at the Arcadia web-site.

NOTE:
Zoo Med and Exo terra also have web-sites with some UV B information.

But since Arcadia's goal is to Educate and to bring reptile keeping out of the Dark Ages ...
I think you will find the most detailed and easy to understand information here:

Why UV is important for Vit D:
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/the-d3-cycle/

UV bulbs, comparison of UV out-put between T8 diameter bulbs and T5 ("skinny") bulbs.


Talking about 6% UVB bulbs:
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t5-d3-forest/

Talking about 12% UVB Bulbs
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t5-d3plus-desert/

NOTE: The higher out-put 12% bulbs can be used on Chams with great results IF THEY ARE in a larger cage with allot of FOLIAGE (shade)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a nut-shell... kelvin color temp. has nothing to do with UV.
It just refers to the whiteness or "tint" of the light.

Sunlight is 5.5K - 7K.
So a 6.4-ish K bulb is going to give off crisp white light and give you a closer simulation to natural sunlight (what you want) over.... say...a 4K warm white (yellow-ish) bulb or a 10K (ice blue white) bulb.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ho t5 fixture you have is good for a very large enclosure... or HUNG a few feet over multiple enclosures. Or on a free range set up.

And you would use a combination of UVB bulbs in CONJUNCTION with day-light 6.5k bulbs in it.
If you filled it with ONLY ho t5 UV bulbs, you would create a tanning bed and kill and fry the animals.
also:
Please note that it would be too bright over a small enclosure regardless of what bulbs you stick in it.


And most important to understand -- the distance the fixture is from the animals has direct relation to how much UV they actually recieve.

Remember as a caution-- especially with a large multi bulb fixture like that--
Failure to educate yourself and do it right could easily result in tortured, blind, fried and/or dead animals due to improper application of UV radiation.


Sorry to be blunt, but better understand that now rather than if it is too late.

Please check this out!
Here is the world leading expert on UV and reptiles, Dr. Baines, talking about UV bulbs.
It is only about 4 min. so it is a quick but very "en-lightening" watch.
Everybody here into Chams....
and everybody into reptiles & all zoos in general all over the world know Dr. Baines.
She is the real deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUu24MNO2Ho

Hope this is a bit of help to you.
It is important to get headed in the right direction!
Cheers!
Todd

T5 is the size of the bulb. 6500k is the wavelength of light emitted. 6500k bulbs do not emitt UVB. You need to purchase UVB bulbs (I recommend Arcadia bulbs). There is no problem having a double light fixture with a 6500k for plants and UVB for your chameleon.

Thanks for clearing that up for me guy! really appreciate it.