UV meter????

MrT for me

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So as is common when I read through these forums my mind is totally blown. Until today I never heard of a solar meter. This forum is awesome! So I’m thinking no problem, I’ll just go on the solar meter site and order one. Ummm, there’s like a ton of options! Which leads me to my current question. Which one should I get to check my uvb lighting in my 3 year old Sulcatas habitat? This is the web page that totally smoked my brain cells

https://www.solarmeter.com/

Any suggestions? I’ll include a pic of my boys (MrT) habitat lighting setup. I’m ditching the 2 coil uvb lights in the vertical dome lamps but wonder if I would need two 42” uvb fluorescent fixtures (I currently have one 42” fluorescent uvb light fixture as you can see in the picture) in this size of habitat? He gets natural light IF the temperatures cooperate. It can stay in the 20 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit range for months here in Northern New Mexico. So I definitely need a good source which (thanks to all the forum members here) has lead me to investing in a solar meter. I’ve browsed many topics trying to find an exact model of solar meter so as to not completely waste any of your (my fellow forum members) time but didn’t find an exact reference. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Ok-update=I’m a moron. I just found the keyword search function and found some discussions on “Toms” recommendations and have narrowed it down to the 6.5 model....of which there are 3 models. Is this the recommended one?
https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

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P

pguinpro

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I like the hanging lights. I've been thinking about getting like a moonlight. Anyways, one of my biggest concerns is always whether or not there's enough space and if the hide is big enough. I also get worried when I see uneven growth in the shell so I am constantly checking my temps and humidity but primarily concern myself with tort diet. So do you have some more info/pics to share?
 

MrT for me

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I’ve just been reading about the horror stories of vertically hanging coil style uvb lights causing eye problems and have decided to do away with them and go with the 42” fluorescent uvb lights. Which lead me to another recommendation for acquiring a solar meter. It’s like Snowball effect every time I get on this forum. Lol. Good stuff though. I’ve just noticed my 3 year old Sulli not noticing me like he used to within the past couple days. Like he can’t see me as clearly as he used to.
 

MrT for me

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Thank you Tom for the advice. I was checking out the 6.5 Solarmeter and it has a note for “reptile owners” that they should get the 6.5 reptile solar meter AND the 6.2 lamp check solar meter. Just a marketing gimmick or what? Why wouldn’t you be able to check the uvb output of a lamp with the 6.5 solar meter or the 6.5 reptile solarmeter? Couldn’t make it easy and I guess I can’t blame them for their marketing strategy.

So besides the “chart” is there really any difference to the internal workings of the 6.5 and 6.5R??
 

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Markw84

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You only need the 6.5. That will give you the reading to know the correct wavelength of UV is present and in what strenght, and will then be able to show you when that changes and you would need to get a new bulb.

The 6.2 can give you information used to know if the bulb is deteriorating, but is not as useful for knowing the exact amount of UVB wavelength we are wanting to monitor. It is designed to read intensity of UV while the 6.5 is designed to match the spectrum of bio-stimulating UVB.
 

Yvonne G

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I'm assuming the picture you're showing us is the inside of his retreat in the outdoor enclosure, right? If this is the case, you don't need a UVB light. Living outside, he's probably getting all the UVB he needs from the sun. You have way too many light fixtures in there for a shelter. All you need is heat. I would keep the fluorescent tube fixture for those days when it's too cold to open the door and let him go outside, but get rid of some of those fixtures and just figure out a way to heat the inside of that shelter. Radiant heat panels work well, CHE works well.
 

MrT for me

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Thank you Mark and Yvonn. Greatly appreciated information. I suppose some clarification of the climate is in order to better understand my insanity with all the lights. Winters are harsh where I live (can stay hovering around 10 degrees fahrenheit for months) and I suspect that for about 3 or 4 months that MrT will not be leaving the confines of his habitat. I ordered the 6.5R just a minute ago and am in the process of ditching the two vertical uvb fluorescent light as I type this. Two of those brooding style lamps are ceramic heaters and the other two are uvb fluorescent lamps. I’m excited to get the solar meter so I can know FOR SURE what’s going on in my little friends house. Thanks again for the plethora of information that this forum has. The more I read the more I’m realizing how wrong my in law (he’s the one we inherit MrT from and heaven rest his soul) raised this guy. His scutes are pretty messed up with these deep grooves between them. I know for a fact that last winter he kept him in an outdoor enclosure made of bricks that were only the width of his shell and he had a ceramic heat lamp literally inches from the top of his shell. Makes me cringe to think about it.... but you don’t know what you don’t know. I’m a bit OCD by nature and necessity. My memory is SO SO bad I HAVE to have a process and everything needs to be in its place or I will forget or loose it every time. So I’m used to having to research everything because I’m a real slow learner. I just don’t want our friend to have to suffer or be uncomfortable because my ignorance. That would truly be sad. So long story even longer=thank you for your patients.
 
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MrT for me

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...and I ditched the extra uvb lights.
 

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