I've been using a 70 watt lamp holder and a 70 watt mvb by trixie. I've seen reviews of this brand online and apparently they don't last long. What MVB are you using and how important is wattage? will a higher wattage give a higher temperature?
best mvb for a yearling hermans tortoise?
- Thread starter JaySparks
- Start date
Not a direct answer to your question, but I wouldn't use any MVB. I've found that regular 65 watt flood bulbs for basking coupled with a long florescent tube for UV is a better way to go. Much less desiccating on the carapace too.
I think mine are Sylvania. I just buy whatever is at the hardware store. They come in 6 or 12 packs for about $1 per bulb.
There is no ballast for a regular incandescent bulb. You just screw it in to the socket.
Is this the type of bulb I need? I rather go for arcadia so that it matches the colour temperature of my uvb tube. Will a higher wattage give more heat?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Heat-Lam...1673727&sr=1-13&keywords=arcadia+basking+lamp
I have zero experience with that bulb, but it seems fine to me from reading the packaging info.
Yes, a higher wattage bulb gives more heat at the same distance. I usually adjust the height of the fixture to get to correct basking temperature, rather than trying multiple bulbs to get the right temperature.
Jay,
That light bulb is a good choice. Just be aware the amount of UVA it puts out is extremely small. It is also a very "warm" color light, but better than most incadescents, so a nice choice in addition to a good UVB tube. It does not have the same color at all as the UVB, but actually will compliment it nicely and give a good overall lighting, combined. It is designed to give a basking temp of 32° at 30cm. But you need to install and check with a good thermometer to be sure things are placed correctly.
should I go for this one? its 100 watt https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arcadia-Ba...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BMZS6BS3W763F7X0TGG6 this is the UVB tube I already own that I'll be using it with https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007UMYVJ2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like both bulbs for your combination but stay with the 75 watt. The T8 12.0 tube is great. It's a 6600k light so you not only have 12% UVB plus 30% UVA, but also a lot of the blues which is great for plant growth and circannual rhythms. The flood basking bulb is 3200k so more reds and good for circadian rhythms plus the IR for heat. I would stay with no more than the 75 watt to keep the intensity of the near IR lower, while still providing enough heat.
Where can I learn all of this lol. Its a t5 tube tho is it still okay?
Sorry, a T5 is great and will still be in the 6600k, as Arcadia makes their UVB tubes in that color. I use T5 bulbs myself, and Arcadia bulbs. I use the same bulb you are looking at but in the 46" size in three of my tortoise enclosures and a 22" size in a turtle nursery.
The T5 has twice the intensity of the T8, so the "brightness" of the light (which also means intensity of the UV) is twice as much with a T5 tube. So they need to be mounted higher. Not twice higher, though, because intensity decreases geometrically with distance. Also a good reflector hood will also double the intensity of the output. That's why there is no easy, set answer to questions about placement, which you will probably ask next. It depends upon many factors and the only way to know for sure is with a solarmeter 6.5. Just as with your basking light - there is no way to be certain without checking with a good thermometer once placed in YOUR setup.
I was told that 20 inches about shell height gives a reading of 7 and that the tube should only be on for 3 hours max
That's the problem with advice when given in different threads over multiple posts, a question at a time.
3-4 hours is plenty when the setup also has good ambient light the rest of the time. Tom or I probably told you that is what we do. But we have another fluorescent (or color-balanced LED) that creates the proper ambient light when the UVB is off. I am of the belief that our tortoises will do best with a 14 hour photoperiod through 8 months of the year, and a 12 hour photoperiod the "winter" 4 months. You will not have that if your UVB is your main light and is only on 3 hours. The basking bulb is too red and not lighting a wide enough area normally to create an ambient daylight photoperiod. So, if you wish to use the 3-4 hour UVB period for Midday bright sun, you will need another light source for normal daylight the rest of the photoperiod.
As for the 20". That is where a solarmeter comes into play. Do you have a hood? A reflector hood? We know it is T5 12.0.
With my T5 12.0 with reflector hood, I get a UVI of 7.0 at 11 inches. I like to have 4.0 for my tortoises. I get that at 16". That works perfectly for me in my enclosures that are 24" tall.
I been thinking of getting a hood but without the solarmeter I wont be able to do it. What are your thoughts on the arcadia jungle dawn they provide tons of light. I have one for my crested gecko and the plants are growing well. I have 5 spider plant in my tortoises enclosure. I use them as hide and food too. What solar reading would you say is suitable for a eastern hermanns tortoise? When I got my little guy he already had some pyramiding but is nothing deformed I strongly believe that his shell can improve massively once his full grown. I'm just worried that the lighting I have may contribute to his pre existing pyramiding. I am keeping the enclosures humidity at 60-70 during the day and it naturally goes to 80 at night. I'm also cleaning his diet a lot I've planted plenty of weeds too. Once winter hits the uk which is going to be soon I'll buy an aquarium or an exo terra cube and convert it into a green house for growing weeds and other plants.
