Which florencent bulb is best to use with panthers the 5.0 or the 10.0?
Stephanie
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
10.0 or 5.0 and why?
chameleons4you
Aug 22, 2005 06:34 PM
Replies (4)
Carlton
Aug 23, 2005 12:04 PM
The numbers are a measure of the light's output in a particular part of the light spectrum. I am not very good at explaining this technically, but more output in the wrong part of the UV spectrum isn't better. UVA can be too high for chams. What brands of lights are we talking about? I think there is a forum about UV lighting somewhere that may be able to answer your question much better.
jono
Aug 24, 2005 12:34 PM
The numbers you are referring to (5.0 and 10.0) are the percentages of UV light being produced in the UVB range. This is typically defined as light in the 290-320 nm wavelength. This is teh type of light so vital for D3 synthesis and calcium metabolism in herps.
Keep in mind that when comparing a 5.0 to a 10.0 the comparison is only 100% valid if you are loking at bulbs of teh same manufacturer. For example, 5% of bulb "A" may actually be more than 5% of bulb "B" if bulb "B" is an altogether more powerful bulb. Make sense?
The new Zoo Med 10.0 is a great bulb. Their 5.0 has been an industry standard for years, but the 10.0 has some added benefits. For one, it will project the UVB further (up to 24 inches) and will shine more light through a screen top (which nearly all keepers have).
If your chameleon is being maintained indoors in a vertically-orieted screen cage (which it should) then a 10.0 is your best bet. Even if your cage is much taller than 24 inches (stated range of UVB from that bulb) you will be okay, as your lizrad will seek out UVB exposure by basking in teh top of the cage (jusat as it would for heat).
Hope this helps...
Jono
Carlton
Aug 24, 2005 10:26 PM
Thanks for that! Has this bulb been independently tested and compared to the old standby 5.0? I have not seen it yet.
jono
Aug 25, 2005 07:38 PM
I beleive it has been tested independantly, but I have not seen the results personally. Zoo Med has a great staff in product development, and in my discussions with them, I have been convinced of this bulbs qualifications. I have used the bulb myself, and seen major differences in animal behavior and appearence. That's good enough for me.
Jono
