Weatherproof UVB tube enclosures

[Skip1USL]

Hi

I'm thinking of installing a 2' weatherproof fluorescent tube enclosure in the tortoise house.

The tortoise house is split 50-50 between a sleeping area (in which there'll be an infrared heat lamp) and a polycarbonate glazed "day room". The UVB tube will be in the day room.

The weatherproof tube enclosure comes with a polycarbonate diffuser. I don't think that the diffuser has any kind of UV protection, but will it filter out the tube's UVB, thus making the tube useless?

Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[saginawhxc]

I've wondered this myself. We are told glass itself filters it out, and as an extension of that I would guess that the plastic covering of lights would too.

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome.

What type of tortoise are you trying to accommodate here? And whereabouts in the world are you?

The sun's UVB passes through clouds, so if your tort gets outside regularly it doesn't need any UVB, let alone a weatherproof one. Any diffuser will reduce/remove the effectiveness of a tube UVB - UVB simply doesn't pass through glass, plastic or plexiglass - so you should not have one.

As for night heat, infrared isn't recommended. Torts have outstanding colour vision and they love red coloured food. Unfortunately they don't always apply common sense when eating and will eat substrate and decor coloured red by an infrared lamp - we have had several cases of it on TFO.

Torts need darkness at night, so black light or ceramic heat emitter will provide that in a smaller enclosure.

 

[Skip1USL]

Hello and welcome.

What type of tortoise are you trying to accommodate here? And whereabouts in the world are you?

The sun's UVB passes through clouds, so if your tort gets outside regularly it doesn't need any UVB, let alone a weatherproof one. Any diffuser will reduce/remove the effectiveness of a tube UVB - UVB simply doesn't pass through glass, plastic or plexiglass - so you should not have one.

As for night heat, infrared isn't recommended. Torts have outstanding colour vision and they love red coloured food. Unfortunately they don't always apply common sense when eating and will eat substrate and decor coloured red by an infrared lamp - we have had several cases of it on TFO.

Torts need darkness at night, so black light or ceramic heat emitter will provide that in a smaller enclosure.

Hi

Thanks for the speedy response and for the welcome!

It's a 12 year old, male testudo graeca and we live in Gloucester, south west England.

I've been trying to find out whether polycarbonate diffusers stop UVB. Some polycarbonates are protected from UVB as they can yellow over time. However, your comment about the sun's UVB is understood, but we don't often see the sun here in the UK (that said, we're in the middle of a heat wave right now - 21 degrees C / 81 degrees F).

Many thanks for the tip re infrared.

Regards
Paul

 

[Markw84]

Hi

Thanks for the speedy response and for the welcome!

It's a 12 year old, male testudo graeca and we live in Gloucester, south west England.

I've been trying to find out whether polycarbonate diffusers stop UVB. Some polycarbonates are protected from UVB as they can yellow over time. However, your comment about the sun's UVB is understood, but we don't often see the sun here in the UK (that said, we're in the middle of a heat wave right now - 21 degrees C / 81 degrees F).

Many thanks for the tip re infrared.

Regards
Paul

Polycarbonate and acrylic both block UV. Polycarbonate - most all, and acrylic - especially below 300 nm. Since the peak effective UV for Pre Vitamin D production is right around 295nm, that is critical. In fact, one of the reasons polycarbonate is used extensively for eyeglasses is its characteristic of blocking most all UV light without the need for additional coatings..

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Some glass filters out UVA and UVB and UVC for that matter. In part the tubes that produce these wavelengths are more expensive because they are made from a different more expensive quality of glass that does allow the movement of these wavelengths.

There are plastic covers that do the same.

 

[BrianWI]

It will likely filter the UVB. You can get plexiglass that will let UVB thru, used in tanning beds.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Why are you certain that you need your lights to be waterproof?
As long as the transformer units stay dry. (If you have them) I wouldn't imagine there being any issue.
There are water resistant "tomb stones" for the lamp ends.
But in my closed chamber, I just let the fixture get damp and there has never been a shock or water issue.

 

[JoesMum]

Hi

Thanks for the speedy response and for the welcome!

It's a 12 year old, male testudo graeca and we live in Gloucester, south west England.

I've been trying to find out whether polycarbonate diffusers stop UVB. Some polycarbonates are protected from UVB as they can yellow over time. However, your comment about the sun's UVB is understood, but we don't often see the sun here in the UK (that said, we're in the middle of a heat wave right now - 21 degrees C / 81 degrees F).

Many thanks for the tip re infrared.

Regards
Paul

I live in the UK. I have had a Greek living outdoors for 46 years

The sun's UV passes through cloud, so even on a grey day your tort will get enough.

Please read my outdoor accommodation in the UK thread that I posted in your other thread. Happy to answer questions

 

[BrianWI]

G UVT Plexiglass.

 

[Skip1USL]

Hi everyone

Many thanks for taking the time.

I've decided that the weatherproof enclosure with its polycarbonate diffuser would be a waste of time.

I'm now thinking along the lines of a ceramic heater in the sleeping area (thanks JoesMum!) connected to a Habistat dimmer thermostat and a mercury vapour basking lamp in the "day room".

Any further thoughts and guidance will be more that welcome. I've posted a new thread on the Tortoise Enclosures sub-forum re our setup plans.

Best regards
Paul