fluorescent bulb and fixture

Kirin

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I need help. I bought the powerful bulb but I'm going to take it back. The bulb just made it to hot in my closed chamber. Which fixture and bulb is best for a closed chamber for uvb? I have a humidifier that comes on so I'm worried about the moisture getting in the fixture. Please help.
 

Vegas_Leopard

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Enclosure looks good! You have a PowerSun? Correct me if I'm wrong. What is the wattage and how high do the temperatures get? Is your CHE on a thermostat? If you're using a 160W, drop down to a 100W. If you're already using one and it's getting too hot with a 100W, have you thought about using a fluorescent UVB and a incandescent flood/spot bulb combination? You can purchase the incandescents and UVB fixture at your local hardware store, it's inexpensive compared to a pet store.
 

Vegas_Leopard

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Kirin said:
That is what I was going to use the incandescent uvb bulb with the basking bulb. I can get the bulb from home depot too? Which kind or does it matter? This is the part that I'm confused about.


Would this fixture work fine
http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-18-in...dercabinet-Light-16466/100384834#.Umg7W323PMI


Yes, you can get the incandescent flood/spot bulb from Home Depot. I'm using a 45W at the moment, but it varies with other closed chambers. I'd aim for 40W-65W to achieve desired temperatures. Here's a link of a bulb similar to what I use.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...lood-Light-Bulb-203232/202229383#.UmhANBBuGvw

That fixture will work, but it will block out light and reduce your UVB. You want to try and find a strip light fixture. Here's the fixture I use along with a reflector I attached to it.

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Fluorescent-Mounting-Fixtures?sc=2&category=22


Here are some fixtures I found on the Home Depot website.

This one is a T-8, you can just take off the black light and the cover and replace it with your UVB source.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Aspects-...mp-Included-SLE15-BL/202938507#specifications

These ones are T-5, only meant for T-5 specific lamps.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ity-Light-MNS5-1-21-LP/100654392#.UmhB9RBuGvw
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ity-Light-MNS5-1-14-LP/100654382#.UmhB_hBuGvw
 

Kirin

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Just to make sure I'm understanding the 45 watt is for basking, and the uvb is from home depot too? I hate to be a bug but this is for my little guy and I appreciate all the help to understand the correct lighting. It confuses me a lot. I was reading on the internet http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1410&S=0&EVetID=900000116, which is from a vet, knowing that they are not up to date on their info. It was saying that the bulbs for the florescent lighting needs to by purchased for a reptile specifically. Is this true? Still confused about the florescent bulb. Thanks for your help sulcatadud3.
 

Vegas_Leopard

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You're not bugging me and it's no problem! :) We're all on TFO to help each other out, to provide the best for our tortoises.

The 45W is for basking/heat, you've got that right. The UVB is purchased at pet stores. Checkout (ReptiSun 10.0), this fluorescent lamp provides UVB and light. You can only purchase UVB at pet specialty stores. Hopes this helps!
Kirin said:
Just to make sure I'm understanding the 45 watt is for basking, and the uvb is from home depot too? I hate to be a bug but this is for my little guy and I appreciate all the help to understand the correct lighting. It confuses me a lot. I was reading on the internet http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1410&S=0&EVetID=900000116, which is from a vet, knowing that they are not up to date on their info. It was saying that the bulbs for the florescent lighting needs to by purchased for a reptile specifically. Is this true? Still confused about the florescent bulb. Thanks for your help sulcatadud3.
 

Tom

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There are three things your tortoise needs from your combo of bulbs:

1. Heat.
2. Light.
3. UV, if it does not get regular sunshine.

Here are what each of the commonly available bulbs do and don't do:
1. Regular incandescent flood bulbs give you heat and light but no UV. The benefit is they can be found in any size to suit just about any heating need. The downside is no UV.
2. Ceramic Heating Elements. These give you heat, but no light or UV. Good to use with a thermostat to maintain ambient temp day and night.
3. Mercury Vapor Bulbs. These give you heat, light and UV all in one. The downside is they are too large and hot for some applications. I can't use them in my large closed chambers either.
4. Coil type cfl UV bulbs. These give off light and UV, but no heat. I would never use one of these. They sometimes burn reptile eyes, and no, the problem is NOT fixed, despite what the pet stores and manufactures selling them claim.
5. Long tube style florescent UV bulbs. These give you light and UV, but no heat. They must be relatively close to the reptile and the bulbs lose UV output over time. It is usually recommended to replace them every 6 months, but I suggest replacement every fall if your tortoise will get regular sunshine over spring and summer.
6. Regular hardware store florescent tubes. Light, no heat and no UV. I use these for light in my closed chambers. I prefer bulbs with a 5000-6500K color temp range. These look the most "natural" to me. Bulbs in the 2500K range look yellowish to me. This info will usually be on the side of the packaging.

You must find the combo that will work for you in your situation. I use 65 watt floods, 48" florescent tubes, and 60 watt CHEs in my closed chambers. None of these provide any UV, but my tortoises get regular sunshine year round, so I don't need indoor UV. If you live somewhere with frozen winters you could simply substitute a 48" UV tube instead of the regular one, to do the same thing, but give you that UV over winter.
 

Kirin

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Okay I'm understanding now. Thank you for the help. It is very much appreciated.
 

mike taylor

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So to keep it simply. Go to home depot pick up a florescent fixture . I would go with a 24" t8 . Pick up a 45 and a 60 watt lamp like the one in the link above . Then go to pet smart or petco and pick up a 10.0 24" uvb lamp . Get you a 100 watt che and a plug in thermostat. Go back home put the che on the thermostat set at 80-85 . Then install the 45 watt lamp in your basking fixture . Mount the basking fixture were the temperature right bellow it is 100/105 . If the 45 watt lamp does not get hot enough then put in 60 watt to the test adjust the fixture higher or lower till the temperature is at 100/105 . If you got the temperature set at basking spot great if not you will have to go get a higher wattage lamp go up to a 75 watt . But if your temperature is on the money then great . Get your new t8 fixture and mount it . Then install the 24" uvb lamp and your all finished. One more thing you can get to make your life easy . At home depot they sell a timer that plugs into the wall . Then you plug in your basking and uvb fixtures set the time you need them to cone on and off . Then you will not have to do it . Hope that made it easy to understand. If you need picture of the items you need to get . Let me know and I will take pictures of the items I use and post how they go together. Plus you can show the people at the store so they can help you better .
 

mikeh

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How tall is your tank? A 10% T8 UVB tube fixture needs at be placed no more then 12 inches from the substrate.

I would recommend zoomed 10% T5 HO with T5 high output fixture for anything taller. Also produces much better light.
 

Kirin

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His night temp are good. I use che on a thermostat. I'm starting a new job and have made his enclosure 100% closed chamber.I will not have the time to take him outside everyday and needed the uvb light. I am understanding now, thanks to everyone, what I need to do to make the lighting correct. I will be going tomorrow to get everything that I need and make the basking perfect and to give him the uvb light. Thanks you guys are great!
 
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