Setting up UVB tubes on side wall help

Anthony · Honored Member Joined: Apr 13, 2006 Posts: 151

Hi, for those of you with enclosures that you use UVB tubes, how do you set them up?
I would think that if I put the tubes on the top roof, it would be too far from the tegu to be effective at all.

However, if I put it on the side wall (with the basking bulb on the roof directly above the spot where the UVB tubes are on the wall), I worry that the tegu can somehow get hurt when trying to climb onto those tubes. I see a lot of pictures of your enclosures where it seems you guys just put the tubes there with no problems, no protection wire boxes, nothing, but I do wonder. This is especially true since it will be a baby tegu and if I build a light guard, the wire mesh would have to have small holes, thus decreasing the amount of UVB.

Also do you add a reflector onto the tubes? I don't know how do I do that if they are mounted on the side. Plus, will the glare hurt their eyes?

So, if I have an enclosure and want to use tube lights, how do I go about setting them up? I will be using Exo Terra's 8.0 tubes. I wish I can get reptisuns but they are just not available in my country. I can get reptisun 10.0s but they are only of the short lengths not for me and they cost ridiculous prices here.

toxicogenic · Valued Member Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Posts: 135 Location: fl

i was wondering about that too cause im making a cage for my tegu. kinda scary..

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Diegar · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:21 pm Post subject:

Putting the tubes inside the cage, along the wall, is the best option. A wire cage around it is also the best way to go. Home Depot, Lowes, or any similar home improvement store, should have 1/4" hardwire cloth, in rolls. This will probably be your best option, as it is too small for the tegu, of any size, to fit through, and it is too big for them to get their fingers caught in it. You might want to make sure you have some kind of dremel though, since some of the edges can be a tad rough, it would be best to file them down a bit.

Good luck!
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worleygurl · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:57 pm Post subject:

A trick I learned from someone was to line the fixture I use for my fluorescent UVB bulbs with aluminum foil, shiny side out. Don't follow the sharp edges of the fixture. Let the aluminum foil form an arc so the UVB gathers and dissipates in a tighter area.

(this seemed like the best post to add this to LOL)
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Anthony · Honored Member Joined: Apr 13, 2006 Posts: 151

If I wanted to use TWO tubes in the same area, on the wall, one on top of the other, how would I arrange it, and how would I arrange the reflectors so that the bottom reflector doesn't interfere with the tube above?

worleygurl · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:49 am Post subject:

I wouldn't put one on top of the other. I would put them side by side in a double fluorescent shop light fixture...
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Diegar · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:49 am Post subject:

Go get one of the fixtures that holds two tubes. You can find the kind that are made to hang on chains from the ceiling, and they will have one reflector around both tubes.
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worleygurl · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:08 am Post subject:

I think you may be making this harder than it needs to be. Here is how I do it and it's worked well for me with several species.

You need a basking area. The basking area needs to be where they get their basking temperatures and their UVB. It should be the warmest, and best lit area in the cage. If you are using fluorescent UVB bulbs for UVB, then you will also be using some other form of bulb for heat. It may be a non light producing bulb or it may be something as simple as an incadescent household light bulb. Whatever you use, just remember that the tegu needs both heat and UVB in the same spot so he/she can get what he/she needs to grow and thrive. You also want to be sure to provide a cooler area for your tegu to be able to thermoregulate. To do this, you need to put your bulbs (heat producing bulbs) in an area that they aren't going to heat the entire cage. If you require supplemental lighting in the rest of the cage, use plain, ordinary fluorscent bulbs from Hom Depot, Lowes, etc. They are usually about $5 a bulb and put off plenty of light but no heat.

Expensive doesn't always mean better when it comes to designing your reptile cage, and most people make the heating/lighting way more difficult than it needs to be

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Anthony · Honored Member Joined: Apr 13, 2006 Posts: 151

I agree with the double fixture but don't wanna hang them with chains. I want the vertical area to be the basking bulb.
Plus don't want no tegu playing swing the see saw on the darn thing.

worleygurl · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:22 am Post subject:

Also, one thing I forgot to mention is with the fluorescent UVB tubes, they need to be 6-8" from the tegu's back for the tegu to get any usable UVB...If they are further than 8" from the tegu's back, the tegu will get few benefits from the bulb.
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Diegar · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:09 am Post subject:

MDFSCUN · New Member Joined: Aug 10, 2006 Posts: 5

Tried energy efficient bulbs as a source of sup lighting, 100 watts of light for 18 watts of elec?

rossisibe · Member Joined: Aug 07, 2006 Posts: 23 Location: Minnesota

How does one go about attaching the UV light to the side of a glass tank? I need to get the light closer but don't know how to get it there. The previous responses are all great but don't explain that part. Help.
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MDFSCUN · New Member Joined: Aug 10, 2006 Posts: 5

Cut a piece of 1/4 ply to fit the back of the tank and stick one of those nice back ground pictures on the wood and screw the tube reflector etc to the wood ( make sure the wood is sealed). Or buy a couple of good suckers and nylon strap yout light to them, not much heat generated by a uv tube.

worleygurl · Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:33 pm Post subject:

Where do you have your UVB and heat bulbs right now? On my aquariums, I put the lights on top of the cage and move the basking spot instead of the lights. In an aquarium, you usually don't have much room for extra stuff, not to mention that puts the bulbs way too close to the reptile in question. In addition to that, you have the worry of if the bulb explodes (and yes, this does happen ocassionally) the glass will be in your cage and all over your tegu. Build your basking spot up a bit. How big is the aquarium? Try using bricks to raise the basking area. I had to do this with my bearded dragon's enclosure.

Just curious, how big is your aquarium and how big is your tegu?
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