What's the optimal amount of UV for a large indoor enclosure?

[thecrawlingchaos]

I've recently completed a newer, larger cage for my 2 year old GPP. Surely some of you know this as I've been asking questions constantly for a few weeks. Anyhow, I'm still tweaking some details in order to make the enclosure the best that I can offer.

My question here is: How many UV sources would be optimal for an 8x3ft indoor pen? I currently have a Powersun 160 for UV as well as a 150 watt CHE for heat (over the humid hide). I do, however, have another unopened 160 Powersun and a 100 Powersun (I used this one for two months in his last enclosure) in my possession, as well as a few unopened higher wattage CHEs.

The temps in the enclosure are where I want them to be. The room I keep my reptiles in stays very warm as far as ambient temp goes (I've never seen it below 77f, even at 3am in the dead of winter), and the temps in the enclosure hover between 80 and 85. The hide is almost always 88. The surface temp under the Powersun 160 floats between 95 and 100.

I don't feel like I need additional heat, so I'm trying to find out if the 160 is enough UV for such a large space.

 

[Tortus]

I've also questioned how much UV is enough/too much.

I have a 100 watt powersun MVB for basking as well as a 10.0 UVB tube to illuminate more of the enclosure and add more UV outside the basking spot. Maybe try the longest UVB tube you can get and position it in the center of the enclosure?

I don't see what it could hurt.

 

[yagyujubei]

I use Arcadia t-5 12%. Two of these (or similar) would illuminate your entire enclosure.

 

[MasterOogway]

Great question as I am working on the same thing I have a 150 gallon tank that is covered with plexiglass for humidity. Is there a light fixture that is sold that can be placed in side the tank to get the benefits of the UV rays etc. ?

 

[Zamric]

it is very important to remember that distance to the surface is the determining factor for ALL UV lights! At 12" you are only recieving 50% of the lights output on the surface, at 15-18" it drops to less than 25%. Since artifical UVs are alot less that the Sun.... you can not have too much Artificial UVs inside a tank without raising the inside temps to dangerous levels.

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Great question as I am working on the same thing I have a 150 gallon tank that is covered with plexiglass for humidity. Is there a light fixture that is sold that can be placed in side the tank to get the benefits of the UV rays etc. ?

you can cut a hole in the plexi glass and use wires to support the lights.... Like this....

 

[MasterOogway]

it is very important to remember that distance to the surface is the determining factor for ALL UV lights! At 12" you are only recieving 50% of the lights output on the surface, at 15-18" it drops to less than 25%. Since artifical UVs are alot less that the Sun.... you can not have too much Artificial UVs inside a tank without raising the inside temps to dangerous levels.

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you can cut a hole in the plexi glass and use wires to support the lights.... Like this....

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Thanks I am glad you explained the distance to the surface as I was not aware of that. I will cut a hole in the plexi glass as you recommend . Thanks again you have been a great help .