@Tom has mentioned getting a solar meter many times in the past because he says you are just guessing without one and @zovick told me it's a must piece of equipment. So I've finally bought one. 6.5R model, better late than never
Well to say this has surprised me is the understatement of the year.
In my radiated enclosure I have a brand new 3ft 10.0 sun-glo tube uvb. I didn't have a reflector shield over the tube either which is amateurish, I know. I have the tube set at 6" above the tortoises carapace and the reading I was getting was 1.9 compared to the 3.0 that I want. I've just put an old rubbish reflector I had over it and the new reading is 2.8.
So if anyone out there is using these bulbs with no reflector and at 12" high and your tort is a zone 3 on the Ferguson zone then I think you'll find your tort is not getting the required amount of UVB.
Just ordered some new Arcadia reflectors to see what happens.
So Tom, I now have the right to say " So says my solar meter".
Well to say this has surprised me is the understatement of the year.
In my radiated enclosure I have a brand new 3ft 10.0 sun-glo tube uvb. I didn't have a reflector shield over the tube either which is amateurish, I know. I have the tube set at 6" above the tortoises carapace and the reading I was getting was 1.9 compared to the 3.0 that I want. I've just put an old rubbish reflector I had over it and the new reading is 2.8.
So if anyone out there is using these bulbs with no reflector and at 12" high and your tort is a zone 3 on the Ferguson zone then I think you'll find your tort is not getting the required amount of UVB.
Just ordered some new Arcadia reflectors to see what happens.
So Tom, I now have the right to say " So says my solar meter".