Lighting help please

[hazelnut_twirl15]

I am currently using the Exo Terra Solar Glo Sun Simulating Lamp 80 W but don't think it will be sufficient when I move my baby russian tort into his new 4' x 2' table. I have read and reread the latest guide by Tom and think it's great, can anyone please help me find the best lighting for everything (basking/uvb etc), the guide says that MVBs are no good but unsure why... I live in the UK and am really out of my depth here. I want baby Lionel to have the happiest best life

 

[Tom]

I am currently using the Exo Terra Solar Glo Sun Simulating Lamp 80 W but don't think it will be sufficient when I move my baby russian tort into his new 4' x 2' table. I have read and reread the latest guide by Tom and think it's great, can anyone please help me find the best lighting for everything (basking/uvb etc), the guide says that MVBs are no good but unsure why... I live in the UK and am really out of my depth here. I want baby Lionel to have the happiest best life

MVBs are bad for many reasons, but the main one is that they cause pyramiding. Other reasons are becasuse they are delcate, expensive, unreliable, finicky about the hood you use them in, and they sometimes stop producing any UV prematurely.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

MVBs are bad for many reasons, but the main one is that they cause pyramiding. Other reasons are becasuse they are delcate, expensive, unreliable, finicky about the hood you use them in, and they sometimes stop producing any UV prematurely.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

Thanks Tom this is great. Would this work for the basking bulb? Not finding much in UK called Incadescent Flood.

Philips Lighting IR100C PAR38 100 W E27 Infrared (IR) Heat Lamp 136 mm, 240/250 V | RS

uk.rs-online.com

 

[method89]

check this one out

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CJSHQ26/?tag=

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom this is great. Would this work for the basking bulb? Not finding much in UK called Incadescent Flood.

Philips Lighting IR100C PAR38 100 W E27 Infrared (IR) Heat Lamp 136 mm, 240/250 V | RS

uk.rs-online.com

It might. Your thermometer will tell you. The one method89 linked for you is the type I usually recommend, but you might need more or less heat for your enclosure. I like to have an assortment on hand to try different ones.

Check the temp by letting a digital thermometer cook directly under the bulb for an hour or more. Should get up to about 36-37C.

When you find the bulb that works best in your enclosure, buy some multiples to have on hand. They always burn out at the most inconvenient times.

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

check this one out

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CJSHQ26/?tag=

Lovely thankyou, any recommendation on the UV tube?

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

It might. Your thermometer will tell you. The one method89 linked for you is the type I usually recommend, but you might need more or less heat for your enclosure. I like to have an assortment on hand to try different ones.

Check the temp by letting a digital thermometer cook directly under the bulb for an hour or more. Should get up to about 36-37C.

When you find the bulb that works best in your enclosure, buy some multiples to have on hand. They always burn out at the most inconvenient times.

Will do thanks, that's another thing I've been a bit miffed about was how long you need to keep the thermometer under there for to get an accurate temperature. I have a digital thermometer with long probe that I like to use for this as well as an infrared temp gun. How are you supposed to measure the temperature at shell height without the tort being there. I have the option to turn the laser on and off but obiously never want to point a laser ANYWHERE near my tort.

 

[Markw84]

Thanks Tom this is great. Would this work for the basking bulb? Not finding much in UK called Incadescent Flood.

Philips Lighting IR100C PAR38 100 W E27 Infrared (IR) Heat Lamp 136 mm, 240/250 V | RS

uk.rs-online.com

NO. do not use that bulb. It is a 100 watt spot bulb. Way too much near-IR focused in a basking area. The one @method89 linked is great.

I now use this one as incadescents are illegal to sell in California except specialty lights. This is produced for reptiles and is an old style incandescent. On Amazon here, I can get these for about $2.50 ea.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000633UQW/?tag=

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

NO. do not use that bulb. It is a 100 watt spot bulb. Way too much near-IR focused in a basking area. The one @method89 linked is great.

I now use this one as incadescents are illegal to sell in California except specialty lights. This is produced for reptiles and is an old style incandescent. On Amazon here, I can get these for about $2.50 ea.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000633UQW/?tag=

Thanks for the heads up. Would you recommend using either of the following for my UVB?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009127COU/?tag=

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077G675KY/?tag=

 

[Zoeclare]

I use arcadia, you can actually buy the fixture/ bulb kit all in one. A lot of cheaper ones here seem to just have a clip in fixture with external ballast which I'm always wary of with humidity.

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

I use arcadia, you can actually buy the fixture/ bulb kit all in one. A lot of cheaper ones here seem to just have a clip in fixture with external ballast which I'm always wary of with humidity.

Can you link me pls

 

[Markw84]

Thanks for the heads up. Would you recommend using either of the following for my UVB?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009127COU/?tag=

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077G675KY/?tag=

The first one is my bulb of choice, However I normally use the 12%

I really recommend this that comes as fixture and bulb. I like the UVB output both the bulb paired with this refelctor gives. I install these in all my enclosures I sell for raising tortoises.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B084ZMW697/?tag=

 

[Zoeclare]

Arcadia ProT5 UVB Lighting Kit

Arcadia ProT5 is a highly adaptable full lighting kit with high quality internal electronics. The Pro T5 includes UV-B Lamp (choice of intensities) Easy install fitting/control unit Removable highly effective reflector Power Cable Fittings Kit Free Link Cable Arcadia ProT5 uses the very finest...

www.internetreptile.com

Did that work? Never linked before!

 

[Zoeclare]

Just seen that Mark beat me to it lol! Technology is not my friend! Use the %Mark recommended as I have a redfoot so probably use a different one. The good thing with these is if you expand your enclosure you can link multiple units together ?

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

Arcadia ProT5 UVB Lighting Kit

Arcadia ProT5 is a highly adaptable full lighting kit with high quality internal electronics. The Pro T5 includes UV-B Lamp (choice of intensities) Easy install fitting/control unit Removable highly effective reflector Power Cable Fittings Kit Free Link Cable Arcadia ProT5 uses the very finest...

www.internetreptile.com

Did that work? Never linked before!

Worked perfect haha thanks

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

Thanks both for your help with this, would this work being fitted to the back face of an open tortoise table? I wouldn't have anything as a 'ceiling' for it to hang from?

 

[Markw84]

Thanks both for your help with this, would this work being fitted to the back face of an open tortoise table? I wouldn't have anything as a 'ceiling' for it to hang from?

No. Uv and even basking heat, should come from above, not the side. You need to create a way to hang it above the basking area.

 

[Zoeclare]

Thanks both for your help with this, would this work being fitted to the back face of an open tortoise table? I wouldn't have anything as a 'ceiling' for it to hang from?

I would maybe make a bar to go over the table somehow? If you fix it to the side the bulb will end up shining in your eyes and hurt them. Maybe just a wooden sort of handbag handle over the top and attached to the sides of the table?

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

Ok sounds like a plan I will get something made ?

 

[hazelnut_twirl15]

I would maybe make a bar to go over the table somehow? If you fix it to the side the bulb will end up shining in your eyes and hurt them. Maybe just a wooden sort of handbag handle over the top and attached to the sides of the table?

What basking bulb do you use? I have ordered the bulbs Mark has linked above but wondered if Arcadia do any? In future could get both from internet reptiles who I have used before