U.V or Full Spectrum.

Royal-City-Reptiles

Royal-City-Reptiles

New member
What do you use and why?
Do you notice any benefits? more intense coloration? Higher activity levels? better/healthier egg production? Do the animals just seem more healthy overall?

-Nate
 
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Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
UV is supposed to be better for the geckos, and stimulate hunting behaviour, as well as help with calcium synthesis and so on.
There is a difference with the colours that the geckos show when they have UV in comparison to natural light. I will see if I can get some photos to show you.
 
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MonteQ's

New member
These are the bulbs I use for most of the tanks:
Repti Glo 5.0 Compact Tropical Lamp - 26 watt 2 on large tanks 1 on small

I had a few of the phants in vertical 10's with other bulbs when I first got them. Switched most of them over to Exoterras with the above bulbs. The plants seemed to respond almost immediately. Might be the addition of UVB? I can't say for sure how much effect they have had on the geckos...

One thing has made me wonder... I recieved two juvieish females this year, one kept in Exo (screen ceiling) and the other is still in a vertical 10 (glass). The one in the Exo is full grown and breeding. The other one I would still deem a sub adult. I have had the smaller one for about 6mos and the larger one about 8 mos. I am just now seeing the beginning of calcium sacks on the smaller of the two... It really has felt like her growth has been slower. But it might just be impatience on my part...;o)
 
y9pema

y9pema

New member
UVB does not pass through glass terrariums? does it? I am moving my collection to my basement there is a small window but not enough for the plants. anyone use CFB that give off UVB?
 
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MonteQ's

New member
y9pema - I have been told that it doesn't pass through the glass. Most of them are only rated for a certain distance. It's logical that the glass may have a filtering effect on some of their properties. Though, I haven't seen any proof either way.

The bulbs I use are CFB here's a link (the green box):

Exo Terra - Products: Compact Bulbs

When I first read about the glass, it definitely seemed strange to me. I've had my turtle for 14 years in a tank with an all glass top with Uv bulbs of all sorts and never had any issues.

These two girls have made me wonder a bit though... I really can't say for sure... as I don't know the exact age of either female...Not to mention most of my geckos mature at somewhat different rates. Definitely not what I'd deem scientific...lol. Just a curious observation.
 
Scott F

Scott F

New member
Did a quick search, and in about 1 second I found this little tid bit (Glass and UV Penetration </head>) .......so there is plenty of info out their on the subject. I would guess that if you have thick glass and are using a uvb bulb, you will probably have little useable UV at it's best.
On the other hand, if you have thin glass and a powerful source of UV (the sun), there may be more UV penetration than we realize.

However, I do not think there would be adequate useable UV available to your animals if the fixter is sitting on top of the glass, as seeing that even thick mesh and screen can filter out a lot of the rays.

Depends on a lot of variables.
 
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MonteQ's

New member
Scott- Thanks for the link, very interesting! As lazy as it sounds, I had never taken the time to look.

Any chance you would use the meters from the UVB Project to check the different types of bulbs and typical terrariums or conversions used? Cost may be an issue, but it would be cool to see what comes closest to the real thing.

BTW- I've noticed the driving arm thing after a couple road trips ;o)
 
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Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
Kevin McRae said:
You've never been driving with your arm resting along the window and get a sunburn? Has happened to me before.
Click to expand...

have had my arm get hot but it *never* gets burned through the window... and I'm ginger so burn like a b****!

maybe they make windows differently in the states? I believe UV passes through plastics.
 
Kevin McRae

Kevin McRae

Member
Graham_s said:
have had my arm get hot but it *never* gets burned through the window... and I'm ginger so burn like a b****!

maybe they make windows differently in the states? I believe UV passes through plastics.
Click to expand...

I'm in Canada and have veichles that were made both on the US and in CAN and I've had them in all. It all depends on the windows tints. I read that UVA easily passes through glass.

The only time I get it is when I drive far distances across the province or the country. If you take the trans Canada highway west across Canada your arm is against the window beside the sun at the hottest point of the day, the strongest the UV is. Drive 1000 KM in a day and it has an effect. ;)
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
Kevin McRae said:
I'm in Canada and have veichles that were made both on the US and in CAN and I've had them in all. It all depends on the windows tints. I read that UVA easily passes through glass.

The only time I get it is when I drive far distances across the province or the country. If you take the trans Canada highway west across Canada your arm is against the window beside the sun at the hottest point of the day, the strongest the UV is. Drive 1000 KM in a day and it has an effect. ;)
Click to expand...

ok fair enough. It must just be the fact that we rarely get sunlight here in england then!
 
Scott F

Scott F

New member
" A single sheet of window glass secures adequate protection from harmful radiation. Such glass filters 22% of UVA and 96% of UVB radiation (Gehrmann, 1987)." Jukka Lindgren

Hey MonteQ's, this should answer your questions......now get that glass top of your turtle tank!
 
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MonteQ's

New member
Lol - Thanks Scott! I'll have to check out that link from the other thread.

Actually, I already moved her to my newly remodeled pond a couple months ago. Still has alot of little work left to be done, like better lighting...lol But she's happy.:)

pn-2-1.jpg


Hope that wasn't too off topic...
 
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MonteQ's

New member
Thanks guys! She's a Yellow Bellied Slider...nothing too special, but she's my buddy. Someone found her and brought her in to the pet shop I worked at in High School. The owner wasn't allowed to sell her, so he let me take her home. ;)
 
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SteSk

New member
im still having issues, im building a rack and was hoping to use aquariums for my phelsuma.. and if "96%" of UVB gets blocked by the glass, what's my next best solution?
 
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