Best uvb lamp for this setup?

[JensonJ]

Hello,

I recently adopted an 11 year old Russian tortoise, and have been using the table/lamps that came with him.
I want to replace the coil uvb lamp with a T5 strip light (the arcadia site recommends the D3 Forest bulb, but as there’s a mesh lid I understand this will need to be changed to the desert bulb).
The photo shows a website pic of the new table I have ordered for him, which is bigger (I will be covering the window when it arrives) and I wondered if this set up even allows for a strip light fitting, or if I should stick with the clamp lamps?
Thanks a lot for any ideas

 

[Yvonne G]

I like the T-5 strip light. That's what I use, however, I don't think that table is going to be big enough for a mature Russian tortoise. They need at least 8'x4' so they can do a lot of wandering.

 

[JensonJ]

Thanks for your reply. I was told elsewhere that about 10x shell length is a rough guide (this table is 4ft, so it is that length), but I’ll have more of a look into that - the table hasn’t arrived so don’t necessarily need to keep it.
I should add that through the day he’s mostly been outside in an enclosure that is very big.
If I got a bigger table I’m still not sure where to fix the strip light?

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks for your reply. I was told elsewhere that about 10x shell length is a rough guide (this table is 4ft, so it is that length), but I’ll have more of a look into that - the table hasn’t arrived so don’t necessarily need to keep it.
I should add that through the day he’s mostly been outside in an enclosure that is very big.
If I got a bigger table I’m still not sure where to fix the strip light?

Make some sort of hanger to hang it off of.

 

[jaizei]

Hello,

I recently adopted an 11 year old Russian tortoise, and have been using the table/lamps that came with him.
I want to replace the coil uvb lamp with a T5 strip light (the arcadia site recommends the D3 Forest bulb, but as there’s a mesh lid I understand this will need to be changed to the desert bulb).
The photo shows a website pic of the new table I have ordered for him, which is bigger (I will be covering the window when it arrives) and I wondered if this set up even allows for a strip light fitting, or if I should stick with the clamp lamps?
Thanks a lot for any ideas

View attachment 300466

Add another support/upright on the far side and extend the horizontal piece (where clamp is now) across.

If you want to use pipe or pvc, you can attach conduit clamps to the side and use those to hold pipe uprights.

 

[JensonJ]

Add another support/upright on the far side and extend the horizontal piece (where clamp is now) across.

If you want to use pipe or pvc, you can attach conduit clamps to the side and use those to hold pipe uprights.

Thank you, really useful ideas