Bright enough?

leigti

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Hello, it was suggested that to keep my Russian tortoise from trying to hibernate this winter the enclosure needs to be very bright. So how does this look? there are two hides, should I add more plants? One fixture is a high output 10.0 and the other one is a regular 10.0
 

Tom

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Its looking great to me, but how does your torty like it? Is it doing the trick? That is one of the best russian set ups I've seen. I love all the hiding spots and elevation changes. The potted plants are a nice touch. A russian would have a hard time getting bored in there. I'll bet there are days when you would like to climb in there...

I am using that exact same tub to prep my yearling russians for their first hibernation. They lived outside all summer, but I brought them inside around Halloween and fed them up for a month. They got their last meal on Thanksgiving, and I've begun the purging process with daily soaks and shortening day light cycles. They will go night night for the winter in another couple of weeks.
 

leigti

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Its looking great to me, but how does your torty like it? Is it doing the trick? That is one of the best russian set ups I've seen. I love all the hiding spots and elevation changes. The potted plants are a nice touch. A russian would have a hard time getting bored in there. I'll bet there are days when you would like to climb in there...

I am using that exact same tub to prep my yearling russians for their first hibernation. They lived outside all summer, but I brought them inside around Halloween and fed them up for a month. They got their last meal on Thanksgiving, and I've begun the purging process with daily soaks and shortening day light cycles. They will go night night for the winter in another couple of weeks.
Thanks Tom, I guess those tubs work for keeping them up or letting them go to sleep. I think my tortoise likes it, she does wander around the entire thing. she doesn't really use the log hide much so I may do something with that or just leave it there and let her climb over it.I was concerned that maybe I didn't have enough plants, but maybe it was too bright. Considering how little UVB actually comes out of those lights I don't mind having two of them there. Only one is high output.I think it helps spread out the UV over more of the enclosure instead of just straight down the middle.
 

Tom

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Thanks Tom, I guess those tubs work for keeping them up or letting them go to sleep. I think my tortoise likes it, she does wander around the entire thing. she doesn't really use the log hide much so I may do something with that or just leave it there and let her climb over it.I was concerned that maybe I didn't have enough plants, but maybe it was too bright. Considering how little UVB actually comes out of those lights I don't mind having two of them there. Only one is high output.I think it helps spread out the UV over more of the enclosure instead of just straight down the middle.

Do you have a UV light meter? At that height you probably aren't getting much UV even from the HO unit. I'd be curious what your meter says.
 
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Zeko

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@Tom, you ever gonna do the conversion from the two solar meters for us? ;) I'd rather not have to buy another.
 

leigti

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Do you have a UV light meter? At that height you probably aren't getting much UV even from the HO unit. I'd be curious what your meter says.
Anywhere from 2.6 to .2 at the edges. I am worried that this is not enough. I may consider the Arcadia 12% bulbs next year, what do you think?
 

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I think 2.6 is enough if you are going to leave it on all day. I have a couple of Arcadia 12% bulbs in reflector hoods at about 20" and I get 4-5 on my 6.5 meter, so I set them to only be on for about 4 hours mid day.
 

leigti

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Yes, I keep them on as long as the lights, 14 hours a day. so have in the Arcadia on for 12 hours a day would be overkill? remember this is just winter enclosure, I put my tortoise and turtle outside in the summer.
 

leigti

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I wouldn't get the Arcadia 12% for my box turtle, that would be overkill. I think he is fine with the 5.0 hi output.
 

Tom

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Yes, I keep them on as long as the lights, 14 hours a day. so have in the Arcadia on for 12 hours a day would be overkill? remember this is just winter enclosure, I put my tortoise and turtle outside in the summer.

I think the 12% at that height over a russian with all those plants and hiding paces will work just fine.
 

leigti

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I think the 12% at that height over a russian with all those plants and hiding paces will work just fine.
Okay, next year that is probably what I will do. The lights end up being about 15 inches or so above the tortoise because there is a good 6 inches of substrate in there. The sides of the tub or 20 inches tall total.
 

Zeko

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I think 2.6 is enough if you are going to leave it on all day. I have a couple of Arcadia 12% bulbs in reflector hoods at about 20" and I get 4-5 on my 6.5 meter, so I set them to only be on for about 4 hours mid day.

Able to give the same readings on the 6.2 meter?
 

leigti

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Able to give the same readings on glue 6.2?
I don't quite understand your question, sorry. All I know is the 6.2 m and the 6.5 m measure different things and read differently. I wonder if the solar meter site has a conversion chart? There's got to be one somewhere. Maybe Google it.
 

Zeko

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I don't quite understand your question, sorry. All I know is the 6.2 m and the 6.5 m measure different things and read differently. I wonder if the solar meter site has a conversion chart? There's got to be one somewhere. Maybe Google it.

Sorry, you quoted before I had edited post. Typing on an iPhone is bad :(

I've looked for a conversion, and have asked Tom. But apparently there is no such thing that I/we have found.

I bought a 6.2 because it's easier to track uvb decay. But it isn't used often for determining if the bulbs are giving the correct levels. I guess that's how they get you to buy both.
 

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