12% UVB - Page 2

sandy · 16-03-2008, 09:40 AM

Blimey I thought getting excited about torts was bad enough, but UV output etc<vvvbg>.
Thanks for the info Nina, not sure I can take all that in.

a_fisher · 16-03-2008, 10:36 AM

Wow that was a very informative reply, thanks for finding this out nina!

So basically the Arcadia D3+ 12% and ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 are the closest thing to sunlight as far as tubes go. But the ExoTerra ReptiGlo 10.0 emits some unnatural light that could be harmfull to eyes.

I think I'll use the Arcadia considering I have it lying around, possibly move it higher above the table. Then I guess its a choice between the Reptisun and Arcadia in future.

nina · 16-03-2008, 12:45 PM

Hi Sandy and Adam,

Yes, I find it hard to take it all in too. The discussions on that forum are really interesting, but quite a bit of the time they do go over my head. One thing that I did pick up on though, is that you should never have your tube on the side of the enclosure and so low that it is shining directly into your tort's eyes. And the feeling seems to be that with new tubes they should be no closer than 6" or 7" from the tort (and directly above), and with older tubes still no closer than four or five inches. Lots of people on forums are advising that tubes be 2" or 3" from the tort, and it seems that this isn't recommended.
Also, the advice about changing every six months is still a good guideline for the tubes that are less than 10%, but people with solar meters have reported that some tubes are still giving out acceptable UVB well after a year (but other tubes put out very little after a couple of months) -- there' s just no way of knowing without a solar meter.
It is definitely a good idea to have a reflector on the tube though. I had heard that it can increase the UVB reaching the tort by up to 30%, but some reports say it can almost double it. Here's a good report on the use of reflectors:
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescent...ectortests.htm

a_fisher · 16-03-2008, 09:18 PM

I might have to get myself a solar meter then.

Yes I got that advice from the breeder I got my tort from. I mounted my light above the tort table and it has a reflector

There's something new to learn all the time!!!

16-03-2008, 09:40 AM	#11
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	Blimey I thought getting excited about torts was bad enough, but UV output etc<vvvbg>. Thanks for the info Nina, not sure I can take all that in. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

16-03-2008, 10:36 AM	#12
a_fisher Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Nr Bristol Posts: 343	Wow that was a very informative reply, thanks for finding this out nina! So basically the Arcadia D3+ 12% and ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 are the closest thing to sunlight as far as tubes go. But the ExoTerra ReptiGlo 10.0 emits some unnatural light that could be harmfull to eyes. I think I'll use the Arcadia considering I have it lying around, possibly move it higher above the table. Then I guess its a choice between the Reptisun and Arcadia in future. __________________ Adam 0.0.2 T.h.b

16-03-2008, 12:45 PM	#13
nina Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oxford Posts: 2,337	Hi Sandy and Adam, Yes, I find it hard to take it all in too. The discussions on that forum are really interesting, but quite a bit of the time they do go over my head. One thing that I did pick up on though, is that you should never have your tube on the side of the enclosure and so low that it is shining directly into your tort's eyes. And the feeling seems to be that with new tubes they should be no closer than 6" or 7" from the tort (and directly above), and with older tubes still no closer than four or five inches. Lots of people on forums are advising that tubes be 2" or 3" from the tort, and it seems that this isn't recommended. Also, the advice about changing every six months is still a good guideline for the tubes that are less than 10%, but people with solar meters have reported that some tubes are still giving out acceptable UVB well after a year (but other tubes put out very little after a couple of months) -- there' s just no way of knowing without a solar meter. It is definitely a good idea to have a reflector on the tube though. I had heard that it can increase the UVB reaching the tort by up to 30%, but some reports say it can almost double it. Here's a good report on the use of reflectors: http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescent...ectortests.htm __________________ http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk l

16-03-2008, 09:18 PM	#14
a_fisher Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Nr Bristol Posts: 343	I might have to get myself a solar meter then. Yes I got that advice from the breeder I got my tort from. I mounted my light above the tort table and it has a reflector There's something new to learn all the time!!! __________________ Adam 0.0.2 T.h.b

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