Uvb

[tryme]

I read some where that UVB can penetrate thin glass and plastic. Is this true? If so how much will go through the glass/plastic and how much will be absorbed in the glass/plastic and not go through. By plastic I mean like the see through plastic you often get on exo-terra Faunarium.

 

[MattiBee]

just from googling quickly it seems that if uv can penetrate glass then its only a small percentage. but it does seem that some uv gets through. I do not know much myself though.

 

[ChromaChameleons]

I have also read that some plastics will pass some UVB light. How much , I don't know. What I do know is that my UVB meter measures 0 mW/cm2 when i measure through a double glazed window.

 

[tryme]

Ok so double glazing doesn't allow ANY uvb through? Could you possibley measure other transparent plastic or thin glass, say the glass from a fish tank? That would be really useful information for alot of us especially me. Thanks a million

 

[Simon]

Is this for an exo-terra Faunarium? If so they have the vents along the top which would mean it woudnt need to penetrate anything if the tube was across the top

 

[Justin Carl]

Here is a good thread.
This is why I encourage people to use the search option.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/uv-windows-7776/

 

[tryme]

Not only that but was wondering if it did penetrate plastic so i could use the same one uv tube for both my enclosures

 

[ChromaChameleons]

i tried measuring several items with my UVB meter. The source was a reptisun 5.0. Measurements were all taken at 6".


no obstruction 18uW/cm2

through reptarium suntack 9 uW/cm2

through double pane glass 0uW/cm2

through aquarium glass 1uWcm2

through plastic ( critter keeper) 10uW/cm2

through aluminum bug screen 12uW/cm2

 

[tryme]

Ok thanks mate so basically the only thing that stops uvb penetration completely was the double glazing window (double pane glass)?

 

[ChromaChameleons]

Yes, but I would want to test other plastics before suggesting they are OK. I'm sure different plastics at different thicknesses are going to pass different percentages of UVB. The shocker is the reptarium suntack fabric. I had measured it before, but from memory , I never imagined it to be that bad.

 

[tryme]

Yeah I guess so. So what is a reptarium suntack? is that the flexarium from Exo-Terra?

 

[ChromaChameleons]

same thing.. different manufacturer.. one is Apoggee and the other Exoterra

 

[tryme]

Oh ok, well this is very useful information I hope other people read this thread thanks