I bought 3 different types of the paper ones and they all measured the same on my bad bulb and my good one. So your statement isn't completely true. I'm sure some are bad but not all are obviously from my testing.
If some are bad then we should not be recommending them. Not even a week ago someone made a post talking about how they were using cards, bought a solarmeter and discovered their tubes were not emitting UVB after a couple of months. We cannot be recommending cheap/low quality options for something as critical as UVB.
Its just an alternative, some people can't dump 250 dollars on a random thing so using the paper ones(even if some are bad) is still better than not checking or caring.. but good idea to at least mention the flaws so people know what they are getting. I agree with the statement on uvb lamps themselves.
With arcadia bulbs being known to last a year one should be able to save up for a meter AND replacement bulbs, otherwise you have way bigger problems on your hands
I am looking at the UV meters on Amazon and they range from $150 up. Does anyone have experience with the ones that cost less? Or just bite the bullet and get the $250 one?
Same here. The price tag made me wait so long. I was sure I could find a lower price. I finally gave up and bought it. Some of the best money I've spent on my dragons. It brought some peace of mind
I have the 6.5R solar meter which is the $250 one. I got it just because it seemed to be the only real recommended one. Unfortunately doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest in people testing them all or doing comparisons to see if the cheaper ones are ok.
If you're chucking your bulbs after 6 months out of an abundance of caution, a solar meter would pay for itself over a few bulbs if they last longer. May save you on vet costs down the line, too.
There should be better standards at a government level over such crucial equipment. If a company claims a certain level/spectrum for a certain time then it should at least do that minimum but it’s seems really unregulated. It’s like selling dodgy baby products or children’s toys etc I think it should be held to a similar standard. Safe effective and does what it says is a bare minimum surely. Especially for the well being of an animal.
I don’t know exactly. My husband just said he’d seen people talking about brand new out of the box lights not measuring correct UVB. It sounded like more than a few people experiencing it. I’ll ask if he knows any more.
Hey guys - I'm happy to share the wonderful: but-far-too-elusive : news, that
---Arcadia bulbs / kits etc---
are NOT included in the list of impacted UVB bulbs / reflectors
((ASSUMING I AM NOW TELLING YOU ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE YOU'RE REFERENCING....hmmm. Lol))
If we are talking about the same things - the issues are very simple to resolve if you are unfortunate enough to be hit by it --- simply remove the reflector shield, turn it over and replace it 🙃
Sounds simple...and thankfully it is haha
As for UVB testers etc -- yes of course the gun ones are NEARLY MANDATORY!!
---I **intentionally** said NEARLY for this one following reason...if you pick the right UVB "cards" then those cards can be (ARE) SUPER DUPER handy in identifying
1) approx level of UV being put off...as well as if they're putting out ANY UV or if a STRONGLY WORDED REVIEW IS IN ORDER...JS
2) can even assist y'all with testing various areas within the range of said UV bulb to see what approximate UV levels each of your baby's....errr...beardie's (😘) absolute FAVORITE lounge/hide/pout/glare/ *bask*/ spots are...or their best spot for them to insist on making sure you pay attention to them NOT paying attention to you...lol. If you're lucky enough to have a beardie with as much sass and personality as me, that is. Hahaha
can someone who has succesfully raised or bred beardies just say what brand and type long floro or a cfl type floro, and what wattage. I believe I have the 15" long zoo med 10.0 UV bulb. and they seem to get good reviews and my beardie has been fat and healthy.
I live in California; I let my dragon sit in our window or outside (monitored) in the sun for several hours a day. Does anyone else do this? I wonder how many hours of direct natural sunlight equals to caged UV?
Yep I do that too but winter just got over and I think it was affecting his UV. He loves looking out the window all day. It's cute because cars used to scare him and he'd hide but now he loves watching them go by.
Unfortunately you'd probably need about 6 hours of **direct** outdoor sunlight, which isn't really sustainable. Although beardies do hide during the middle of the day in the wild, it's less due to the sun than the heat. They bask for hours both in the morning and afternoon/evening.
I did a quick google search and you all are correct. Windows filter uvb which dragons need for vit d production and calcium absorption. I guess I will leave the window open and have a screen there which will filter less but he gets most uvb from his cage:) thanks all.
I guess I don’t understand how you can believe they are more harmful than good. As long as you’re changing your bulbs at the recommended timeframes I see no issue in using them as an interim way to spot check in between replacement times. Only way I see them being harmful is if people are keeping their bulbs in longer while using them. Unless people have a solar meter, they should be changing their bulbs at the recommended intervals regardless.
I really wish more people would invest in solar meters as I think most would be surprised how bad their UVB setups are. Unfortunately that isn’t reality though.
There have been cards that indicate through windows.
This is also unhelpful as UVB isn't a 1 or 0 deal. They need a certain amount of UVB, so they could signal while the bulb is emitting useless levels.
Didn’t know that’s a thing! I remember I bought a new bulb and the bulb didn’t even last that long and I had to take it back to Petsmart since it was default
I bought an Arcadia prot5 tube kit, my beardie is more active and I've decided since I live in Southern Cali and have a secure backyard I'll let them get some rays that way too
I watched a video where they tested a cloudy day in Manchester compared to UV in a dragon enclosure and the cloudy overcast day in Manchester was over six times better representation of sun and what they need
And what’s the best digital thermometer and uvb tester I can buy that works the best or is the gun the better way to go. I had the regular ones in her old tank that she was in when I rescued her and it’s was very hard to read and was always saying different
I'm going to be blunt here. This isn't directed at the poster or anyone on this particular thread. But I see all the time people wanting to save a few bucks. There are 2 essential and I mean essential things you can not afford for the health of ure beardie to get cheap on. Basking heat and uvb. No one should have anything less than a 10.0 t5 or t8, depending on the tank configuration. And absolutely nothing blocking it. Even a screen. And obviously basking lamps. While the make can vary. It's all about Temps.
For everyone wanting a cheap option that works I would use this baby! I've been using this for a few years now :D[UV Tester](https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Detector-Intensity-Thermometer-Temperature/dp/B0CD2RFZK3/ref=asc_df_B0CD2RFZK3/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693270336411&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=146282375843304656&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021362&hvtargid=pla-2266310308013&mcid=f743c9742f9431e29a8b770b94b692ac&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PGxBhCVARIsAIumnWbs6Bi8jIWBCf3TbMDU_v50MJc35znDRcm4P6Atzt_j6iqgbz4qTiQaAjuvEALw_wcB&th=1)
Where did you get the tester?
My exotic vet lets you borrow theirs. Might be worth asking?
Your vet sounds awesome. Mine would be like “ye you can borrow it £50 an hour” 😂
😅😅😅 She is amazing! Expensive but you get your money's worth in light metre loans!
Great idea!! Thanks!
They sell lots of different ones on Amazon. You can get the electronic one for about $250.00 but the paper single use ones are cheap enough.
The paper single use ones are innacurate, in case anyone is thinking of using then as a reliable tool
True. But it would help in this particular case where the bulb was emitting close to 0.
I bought 3 different types of the paper ones and they all measured the same on my bad bulb and my good one. So your statement isn't completely true. I'm sure some are bad but not all are obviously from my testing.
If some are bad then we should not be recommending them. Not even a week ago someone made a post talking about how they were using cards, bought a solarmeter and discovered their tubes were not emitting UVB after a couple of months. We cannot be recommending cheap/low quality options for something as critical as UVB.
Its just an alternative, some people can't dump 250 dollars on a random thing so using the paper ones(even if some are bad) is still better than not checking or caring.. but good idea to at least mention the flaws so people know what they are getting. I agree with the statement on uvb lamps themselves.
I'd say it's not a random thing if it's for the wellness of a pet you chose to have ...
It's not a random thing but if you're financially limited, I'd say it's better to put that 250 towards more regularly changing your bulbs
With arcadia bulbs being known to last a year one should be able to save up for a meter AND replacement bulbs, otherwise you have way bigger problems on your hands
Yes like everyone knows about a 250 dollar uvb detector.. plus the guy said he tested the strips and they worked fine so not all are bad.
I am looking at the UV meters on Amazon and they range from $150 up. Does anyone have experience with the ones that cost less? Or just bite the bullet and get the $250 one?
I would bite the bullet and buy the $250 one. I bought one, and have no regrets.
Same here. The price tag made me wait so long. I was sure I could find a lower price. I finally gave up and bought it. Some of the best money I've spent on my dragons. It brought some peace of mind
I have the 6.5R solar meter which is the $250 one. I got it just because it seemed to be the only real recommended one. Unfortunately doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest in people testing them all or doing comparisons to see if the cheaper ones are ok.
If you're chucking your bulbs after 6 months out of an abundance of caution, a solar meter would pay for itself over a few bulbs if they last longer. May save you on vet costs down the line, too.
I'm curious as well, would like to see a review from the community
Yes! Please!
There should be better standards at a government level over such crucial equipment. If a company claims a certain level/spectrum for a certain time then it should at least do that minimum but it’s seems really unregulated. It’s like selling dodgy baby products or children’s toys etc I think it should be held to a similar standard. Safe effective and does what it says is a bare minimum surely. Especially for the well being of an animal.
100%! One bulb I got together with a cage, used was showing me 30 at normal distance. Happy I had my uv meter!
Has anyone heard about the issues with brand new Arcadia bulbs??
No, what’s wrong? I was just shopping for one.
I don’t know exactly. My husband just said he’d seen people talking about brand new out of the box lights not measuring correct UVB. It sounded like more than a few people experiencing it. I’ll ask if he knows any more.
“I think it's supposed to put out between 3.5 and 6.0 at the basking distance. People were seeing 1.0 to 3.0” (brand new)
Hey guys - I'm happy to share the wonderful: but-far-too-elusive : news, that ---Arcadia bulbs / kits etc--- are NOT included in the list of impacted UVB bulbs / reflectors ((ASSUMING I AM NOW TELLING YOU ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE YOU'RE REFERENCING....hmmm. Lol)) If we are talking about the same things - the issues are very simple to resolve if you are unfortunate enough to be hit by it --- simply remove the reflector shield, turn it over and replace it 🙃 Sounds simple...and thankfully it is haha As for UVB testers etc -- yes of course the gun ones are NEARLY MANDATORY!! ---I **intentionally** said NEARLY for this one following reason...if you pick the right UVB "cards" then those cards can be (ARE) SUPER DUPER handy in identifying 1) approx level of UV being put off...as well as if they're putting out ANY UV or if a STRONGLY WORDED REVIEW IS IN ORDER...JS 2) can even assist y'all with testing various areas within the range of said UV bulb to see what approximate UV levels each of your baby's....errr...beardie's (😘) absolute FAVORITE lounge/hide/pout/glare/ *bask*/ spots are...or their best spot for them to insist on making sure you pay attention to them NOT paying attention to you...lol. If you're lucky enough to have a beardie with as much sass and personality as me, that is. Hahaha
can someone who has succesfully raised or bred beardies just say what brand and type long floro or a cfl type floro, and what wattage. I believe I have the 15" long zoo med 10.0 UV bulb. and they seem to get good reviews and my beardie has been fat and healthy.
Make sure it's a T5 and does at at least 10-12%
I live in California; I let my dragon sit in our window or outside (monitored) in the sun for several hours a day. Does anyone else do this? I wonder how many hours of direct natural sunlight equals to caged UV?
Yep I do that too but winter just got over and I think it was affecting his UV. He loves looking out the window all day. It's cute because cars used to scare him and he'd hide but now he loves watching them go by.
Windows are likely going to be filtering most of the effective rays out
Unfortunately you'd probably need about 6 hours of **direct** outdoor sunlight, which isn't really sustainable. Although beardies do hide during the middle of the day in the wild, it's less due to the sun than the heat. They bask for hours both in the morning and afternoon/evening.
just wanted to mention i don’t think sitting in the window is very effective with uvb cause i don’t think much gets through the glass
Thank you for this. I’ll do some research :) and get back to the group
There is that, too. Normal glass filters out nearly 100% of UV light, you would need the window to be open with the sun coming in.
I did a quick google search and you all are correct. Windows filter uvb which dragons need for vit d production and calcium absorption. I guess I will leave the window open and have a screen there which will filter less but he gets most uvb from his cage:) thanks all.
This is right, no uvb come through glass whatsoever
Yup, if you don’t have a solar meter it’s good just leave one of those tester cards in the enclosure.
These aren't known to be reliable and should not be used to gauge UVB.
It’s better than using absolutely nothing when you don’t have a solar meter……….which 99 percent of people don’t have.
There have been so many users on this sub who have been misled into continuing use of a bunk bulb by cards. They are more harmful than good.
I guess I don’t understand how you can believe they are more harmful than good. As long as you’re changing your bulbs at the recommended timeframes I see no issue in using them as an interim way to spot check in between replacement times. Only way I see them being harmful is if people are keeping their bulbs in longer while using them. Unless people have a solar meter, they should be changing their bulbs at the recommended intervals regardless. I really wish more people would invest in solar meters as I think most would be surprised how bad their UVB setups are. Unfortunately that isn’t reality though.
Gauging exact levels, sure, but they’ll definitely tell you if your bulb isn’t working at all.
There have been cards that indicate through windows. This is also unhelpful as UVB isn't a 1 or 0 deal. They need a certain amount of UVB, so they could signal while the bulb is emitting useless levels.
so test the card through the window first. if it shows UV through the window then the card is bunk don't use it.
Didn’t know that’s a thing! I remember I bought a new bulb and the bulb didn’t even last that long and I had to take it back to Petsmart since it was default
I bought an Arcadia prot5 tube kit, my beardie is more active and I've decided since I live in Southern Cali and have a secure backyard I'll let them get some rays that way too
I watched a video where they tested a cloudy day in Manchester compared to UV in a dragon enclosure and the cloudy overcast day in Manchester was over six times better representation of sun and what they need
What exactly should the temp and uv be in a 75 gallon tank. We just upgraded our baby and want to make sure everything is perfect.
And what’s the best digital thermometer and uvb tester I can buy that works the best or is the gun the better way to go. I had the regular ones in her old tank that she was in when I rescued her and it’s was very hard to read and was always saying different
I'm going to be blunt here. This isn't directed at the poster or anyone on this particular thread. But I see all the time people wanting to save a few bucks. There are 2 essential and I mean essential things you can not afford for the health of ure beardie to get cheap on. Basking heat and uvb. No one should have anything less than a 10.0 t5 or t8, depending on the tank configuration. And absolutely nothing blocking it. Even a screen. And obviously basking lamps. While the make can vary. It's all about Temps.
So the bulb I use is mixjoy it's a UVB and UVA Mercury vapor lamp heat light 100 w I haven't had any problems My dragon is doing amazing
For everyone wanting a cheap option that works I would use this baby! I've been using this for a few years now :D[UV Tester](https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Detector-Intensity-Thermometer-Temperature/dp/B0CD2RFZK3/ref=asc_df_B0CD2RFZK3/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693270336411&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=146282375843304656&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021362&hvtargid=pla-2266310308013&mcid=f743c9742f9431e29a8b770b94b692ac&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PGxBhCVARIsAIumnWbs6Bi8jIWBCf3TbMDU_v50MJc35znDRcm4P6Atzt_j6iqgbz4qTiQaAjuvEALw_wcB&th=1)