Zoomed T5 10.0 HO

Jay Bagley

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Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
1,481
Location (City and/or State)
Michigan
Hey guys, been buying stuff for my new enclosure that is in the works. I was originally going to buy the Arcadia bulb, but because of availability I ended up going with the Zoo Med for the first round. I think I am still going to order an Arcadia. The bulb I got is a Zoo Med T5 10.0 HO. I also got a reflective fixture with it. I was just wondering if anybody has tried these, and what there results were. They claim the bulb is effective 18 to 36 in. I will be mounting it over a sulcata tortoise and wanted to know if I could get any recommendations on how high to mount it, and how many hours a day to run it summer versus winter. Will be getting no natural sun exposure here during the winter months, and summer months will be a couple hours every day to every other day. Thanks for any and all help.
 

Sterant

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5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
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693
Location (City and/or State)
Albany, NY
Hi Jay,
To be sure - this is a 4 foot single bulb you are running? With a good polished metal reflector? I use the Ferguson zones as a guideline when choosing the proper UV Index, and for a sulcata, that would be a UVI of ~5.5 to 7. With a single four foot bulb and good reflector, You will get that around 14" off the substrate. I run my UV lights ( the fixtures also hold my ambient bulbs) 14 hours a day, but my enclosures are big enough that the tortoises can get out of the direct light if they wish - however, most of my radiated tortoises bask in the light for a good amount of time each day, and spend the remainder in a corner out of the direct light. I did keep sulcata for 20 years, and they would also hang out under the lights for much of the day. When you can get a Solarmeter, it is a great tool to let you know when the bulb is weakening, which can be remedied by lowering the light fixture until you get a reading of 5.5 to 7 again. Eventually you will have to replace it, but that could easily be two years.

Read this: http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/An-In-Depth-Look-At-UV-Light-And-Its-Proper-Use-With-Reptiles/

Dan
 

Jay Bagley

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
1,481
Location (City and/or State)
Michigan
Hi Jay,
To be sure - this is a 4 foot single bulb you are running? With a good polished metal reflector? I use the Ferguson zones as a guideline when choosing the proper UV Index, and for a sulcata, that would be a UVI of ~5.5 to 7. With a single four foot bulb and good reflector, You will get that around 14" off the substrate. I run my UV lights ( the fixtures also hold my ambient bulbs) 14 hours a day, but my enclosures are big enough that the tortoises can get out of the direct light if they wish - however, most of my radiated tortoises bask in the light for a good amount of time each day, and spend the remainder in a corner out of the direct light. I did keep sulcata for 20 years, and they would also hang out under the lights for much of the day. When you can get a Solarmeter, it is a great tool to let you know when the bulb is weakening, which can be remedied by lowering the light fixture until you get a reading of 5.5 to 7 again. Eventually you will have to replace it, but that could easily be two years.

Read this: http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/An-In-Depth-Look-At-UV-Light-And-Its-Proper-Use-With-Reptiles/

Dan
Thank you very much for your great advice, my tortoise will surely benefit from it.
 

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