UVB and vitamins...

K

kinyonga

Chameleon Queen
LED lights safer, more effective in producing Vitamin D3 than sunlight...
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170913193101.htm

Vitamin A in the skin...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11770712/

Evidence of vitamin D synthesis in insects exposed to UVb light...
"This study indicates that: 1) migratory locusts, house crickets and yellow mealworms can synthesise vitamin D3 de novo after UVb exposure, but attain different concentrations, 2) higher vitamin D levels can be attained with exposure to higher UVb intensities, and 3) vitamin D3 levels in yellow mealworms increase until a maximum concentration is reached during prolonged UVb exposure"...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29232-w
 
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kinyonga said:
LED lights safer, more effective in producing Vitamin D3 than sunlight...
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170913193101.htm

Vitamin A in the skin...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11770712/

Evidence of vitamin D synthesis in insects exposed to UVb light...
"This study indicates that: 1) migratory locusts, house crickets and yellow mealworms can synthesise vitamin D3 de novo after UVb exposure, but attain different concentrations, 2) higher vitamin D levels can be attained with exposure to higher UVb intensities, and 3) vitamin D3 levels in yellow mealworms increase until a maximum concentration is reached during prolonged UVb exposure"...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29232-w
Click to expand...
I read this study and provided all of my insects UVB. Then I was reminded how light damages vitamins so I turned it off. I've been relying on the feeder's "maintenance diet" for increasing vitamin D from now on.
 
I wonder if wild chameleons are deriving A significant amount of dietary D3 from endogenous production in diurnal insects
 
Klyde O'Scope said:
https://www.amazon.com/10-0-Spectrum-Sunbathe-Reptile-Lizard/dp/B0836LTT1K
Not the same mfr. AFAIK.
They appear to be in line with linear fluorescents, but I wish they had put the distance-exposure data in UVI for easier comparison.

Another plus is no mercury like fluorescents.
Click to expand...

Not that im endorsing this, but here is the same setup with measurements.

Looks like the 20 watt has 4x the UVB leds, and by the measurements they put out 4x the UVB.
SO looks like the 20 watt puts out a UVI of 2-3 between 20cm-15cm. That is respecible. Infact if you do the 35 or 40 to one conversion, you are still getting over 1.5 at 25cm.

But the link is only for the 9 watt, but it still puts out 1.33 at 15cm and still a usable .75 at 20 cm.


https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Sunbathe-Reptile-Lizard-White/dp/B083LLW3T6

611q-TjHbQL._AC_SL1001_.jpg
 
Kaizen said:
I just ordered an LED UVB, merely to test and evaluate it. I’ll post the results as soon as I have them. I suspect the problem will be similar to those of the compact fluorescent: light spread. We shall see...
Click to expand...


I dont want to piss in your cheerios, but you need to take the same steps as the CFLs unfortunately. Spend a few bucks on a UVC test card. As its much easier to get a UVC led vs a bone growing zone UVB. Your 6.2 and 6.5 meter will register non terrestrial UVC as good UVB/UVI. After all the 6.5 is for measuring natural sunlight, not artificial light.
 
The problem with CFLs (as I understand it) was that many people were using them incorrectly.
They're supposed to be mounted horizontally //// and they were using them vertically Ξ.
 
nightanole said:
I dont want to piss in your cheerios, but you need to take the same steps as the CFLs unfortunately. Spend a few bucks on a UVC test card. As its much easier to get a UVC led vs a bone growing zone UVB. Your 6.2 and 6.5 meter will register non terrestrial UVC as good UVB/UVI. After all the 6.5 is for measuring natural sunlight, not artificial light.
Click to expand...
No worries. It’s not going to be used for anything living...just thought I’d check it out and see what it’s about.
 
Klyde O'Scope said:
I did not know that. Are you saying readings of Reptisun or Arcadia linear fluorescents are no good?
Click to expand...


"reptile bulbs" have 1 phospor that shines in the Bone growth wavelength of UVB. So you can use your 6.5 for that, since that phospor bleeds up into the UVA section and your 6.5 is not as sensitive to UVA. See my next post for the other explanation.
 
Klyde O'Scope said:
The problem with CFLs (as I understand it) was that many people were using them incorrectly.
They're supposed to be mounted horizontally //// and they were using them vertically Ξ.
Click to expand...

CFLs had 2 problems. The first problem is the first generation of bulbs about 15 years ago bleed down into the UVC section instead of bleeding up into the UVA section. They put out the correct amount of UVB bone section. This is what caused all the eye/skin problems. They were all recalled, but it took a few years to get them all out of service.

But the main problem with CFLS is they just suck for light in general. They marketed them to humans as a replacement for an incandescent. its a curled up florescent that looks exactly like an incandescent. But think about it, over half of the tube is blocked by the adjoining tube, and only the light that goes straight out goes into the cage. The rest is blocked. So only around 25% of the light is getting into the lizard cage.

So it doesnt matter if its horizontal or vertical or has a reflector. A cfl only "shines" in the "hanging lantern" application where the bulb is un hooded and in the cage or in the middle of the human room several several feet from the nearest wall. Thats how you get max light.
 
nightanole said:
So it doesnt matter if its horizontal or vertical or has a reflector.
Click to expand...
I don't follow that part. If a reflector ~doubles the UVI from a linear UVB, it should do the same for a CFL hung horizontally. The bottom half should shine down, and the top half (or most of it) should be reflected down by the reflector.

I'm not trying to make an argument for CFLs; I'm using linears exclusively (though I did use a CFL during "The Great UVB Debacle"; it was just a few inches above my baby beardie's basking perch, and I monitored it with a solarmeter until I finally got the correct linears delivered in one piece.) I'm just not following your explanation.

A cfl only "shines" in the "hanging lantern" application where the bulb is un hooded and in the cage or in the middle of the human room several several feet from the nearest wall. Thats how you get max light.
Click to expand...
Yes, but that's omnidirectionally. Not much use in a reptile enclosure. Not in either of mine, anyway.
 
Klyde O'Scope said:
I don't follow that part. If a reflector ~doubles the UVI from a linear UVB, it should do the same for a CFL hung horizontally. The bottom half should shine down, and the top half (or most of it) should be reflected down by the reflector.

I'm not trying to make an argument for CFLs; I'm using linears exclusively (though I did use a CFL during "The Great UVB Debacle"; it was just a few inches above my baby beardie's basking perch, and I monitored it with a solarmeter until I finally got the correct linears delivered in one piece.) I'm just not following your explanation.


Yes, but that's omnidirectionally. Not much use in a reptile enclosure. Not in either of mine, anyway.
Click to expand...

The smaller the diameter of the tube, the higher the reflector efficiency. A cfl is a huge diameter compared to a T5. You could in theory make an efficient parabolic reflector for a CFL, but hit would be HUGE. I mean we gained 33% more light efficiency going from a T8 to a T5. Now imagine going backwards to to a several in wide cfl. And on top of that you still lose all the light that is shining internally of a CFL, and all the light that is just shining onto other coils. Back to the T5, if you have a "quad" fixture with a mono reflector, your effecenty is down to 66%.
 
I'll take your word for it. (y) I probably couldn't remember the math, and I'm not about to run an experiment. This enclosure is already 30% over budget (rough guesstimate).
 
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