Chloe Chameleon
Member
Hi, wondering how often the UV bulb should be replaced.
Thanks.
Thanks.
UV lighting question
- Thread starter Chloe Chameleon
- Start date
Usually around 6 months. What kind of bulb do you have?
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think that's backwards.
First, what kind of bulb is it? T8 or T5?
T8s are recommended to be replaced after 6 months
T5s are recommended to be replaced after 12 months
BUT the best way to tell is with a UV meter (e.g. Solarmeter 6.5). I'm still rocking a T5 10.0 after 13 months, and it's still at full strength.
Thanks for correcting me, my mind was on T8sI think that's backwards.
First, what kind of bulb is it? T8 or T5?
T8s are recommended to be replaced after 6 months
T5s are recommended to be replaced after 12 months
BUT the best way to tell is with a UV meter (e.g. Solarmeter 6.5). I'm still rocking a T5 10.0 after 13 months, and it's still at full strength.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
No biggie. BT-DT.
Typically Arcadia brand bulbs are replaced every 12 months and reptisun brand bulbs are replaced every 6-9 months.
These would be T5 or T8 bulbs. So the long linear ones. If you have one that screws into a dome fixture it is the incorrect UVB lighting for your chameleon.
So the replacement schedule is based on the brand, not the bulb type?
Of course things like this can be a bit variable and are always best measured with a solarmeter (if you have one- they're expensive)
Typically that is the rule of thumb on each type... Arcadia brand has a longer bulb life... Reptisun says theirs last longer... But most who use them replace them every 9 months rather then a year.
Key to either is that if you have a solarmeter 6.5 you get much more time out of them the issue with using them longer without using a solarmeter on them is that you won't know how much they have degraded. IME it is different.
How soon do you think the solarmeter pays itself off (ie, reducing the frequency of replacing bulbs prematurely)?
I get about 16 months out of my bulbs... But that was not my main reason for getting it... You do not know exacts without it. I supplement little to no D3 so I have to know exactly what my UVI level is to ensure I do not hurt my chams. I keep the boys between a 3-4 uvi. I do weekly checks to make sure the bulbs are functioning properly.
How long did it take for you to get so good at this?
How long did it take for you to get so good at this?
I lurked for 6 weeks before I even made my account here. Then I lurked and read everything I could for months. I listened to tons of chameleon breeder podcasts too.
BUT I read what other people posted that had real experience. That is what taught me quite a bit. Especially when they were specific in their feedback. Made it easier for me to understand.
I still am far from knowing everything. But I have a firm comfort level in the hobby now. I was a disaster the first 6 months though
Sounds like it kinda goes that way for most people during the first 6 months. I super wish I knew about this forum before getting my first cham.
I lurked for 6 weeks before I even made my account here. Then I lurked and read everything I could for months. I listened to tons of chameleon breeder podcasts too.
BUT I read what other people posted that had real experience. That is what taught me quite a bit. Especially when they were specific in their feedback. Made it easier for me to understand.
I still am far from knowing everything. But I have a firm comfort level in the hobby now. I was a disaster the first 6 months though
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
That seems to be contentious. Some people may have brand loyalty; I have none as I have both brands, and no complaints about either. My Reptisun T5 has been running 14 hrs//day for 13 months, and is still as strong (via Solarmeter) as it was on day 1. Reptisun's warranty is for one year, and I haven't seen any complaints online that they weren't lasting at least that long.
The two boxes above are the same quote. IDK why it split into two.
In https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/an-in-depth-look-at-uv-light-and-its-proper-use-with-reptiles/
Dr. Frances Baines says:
That depends on how many reptiles (bulbs) you have, which only makes sense. The more bulbs, the more savings by squeezing extra months out of each. It also depends on the economic life of the meter.
Before I bought a Solarmeter, I ran a few models. With only one reptile (bulb) it didn't necessarily make economic sense, but there was still good reason to have one, e.g. precise placement & peace of mind. The more reptiles over one, the more sense it made. I knew I had one reptile, expecting a second, and my Missus is researching a third. IIRC, the break-even point for me was two reptiles/bulbs. I'm not sorry, but if I need another, I'd probably look into a DIY.
Similar threads
