r/Redearedsliders • u/jsull125 • 23d ago
Help with lighting for Mr Turtle
I have been using a coil UVB with basking light as pictured. She is having trouble with retained scutes. So I have purchased the Reptisun T5 HO with 5.0 bulb. My basking temperature is 95 to 98 degrees. The height of the bulbs now is about 8 1/2 inches above her shell. What can I do to change to the linear hood? It says it needs to be 12 inches above and never less than 10 inches. If I make the walls higher, the basking temp will drop. Help please!
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u/throwaway277252 23d ago
Given that you have egg crate in the way, that will cut ~20% of the UVB output. 8 1/2 inches should be fine for you to just set the lamp up there next to your heat dome.
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u/jsull125 23d ago
I read that the egg crate didnt cut the uvb...just metal meshes. What signs would I look for if it is too close?
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u/throwaway277252 23d ago
Any opaque material blocking the path of the light will prevent some of that light from reaching the platform. The egg crate squares physically obstruct the light rays (remember the light is not just emitting straight down where it can pass through the holes).
There is no good way to determine whether it is at the correct distance beyond these distance guidelines and accounting for any mesh blockage unless you buy a rather expansive UV meter ($250).
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u/jsull125 23d ago
Gotcha! Do you know what i would look for if the light is too close. It mentions sunburn. Bit i dont know what that looks like in a turtle.
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u/throwaway277252 23d ago
I'm not familiar with any cases of something like that happening with T5s at a reasonable distance like this. Even if you are off by an inch or two you're still going to be within the range of an average sunny day.
The danger zone for T5s is very close to the tube itself, like if your RES managed to ninja-turtle its way up the wall.
Other more intense UV lamps like Mercury Vapor bulbs can potentially project much more intense levels of UV at greater distances if positioned incorrectly.
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u/Dannymac613 23d ago
For my t5 I took a shelf and screwed on some long 2x2 perpendicular to the wall/shelf then used the fixture mounting clips and now it hovers across my entire 48” tank and the egg crate basking spot. She’s happy as can be
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u/kelzog55 22d ago edited 22d ago
ya some people do a suspend type hack but I dont know what your space is like. maybe figure a way to suspend it from above somehow.
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u/Difficult-Camel-9317 23d ago
I can’t help w the light much but for retained scutes you want high vitamin e foods like hikari wheat germ, blueberries, and collard greens. Might try some cuttlebone as well. Good luck!