MVB questions

[Angcious]

The t8 uvb lighting fixture doesn't work in one of mine's cages. I didn't realize it would be so hard to find another. My little one has already been without uvb for 3 days and the fixture won't arrive for possibly a week. In the meantime, I decided tomorrow that I'll get a MVB bulb. I'm considering switching to MVB for both of my guys if finding t8 fixtures is going to be this hard. But I have a few questions.
Mine don't bask on the basking spot a whole lot. During the day, especially when they know I'm home, they'll usually hang out in the middle of the cage. The current t8 is in the middle. So I'm wondering...should I have the MVB bulb moved just a little bit more to the middle of the cage where they'll spend more time, or will that mess up the gradient temps too much?
Also, I use a dimmer because I think the actual watts I needed fell in between the 2 watts available. So I use a 100w dimmed, but 75w wasn't quite warm enough. Will the dimming affect the output of uvb?

[kingofnobbys]

is it just an elcheapo T8 domestic fixture or a proper T8 reflector hood ?

If I were you , I'd retire the T8 fixture , and upgrade to a proper T5HO reflector hood and T5HO 12%UVB Arcadia tubes. You'll find your viv will be much brighter and the skinks much happier and healthier (getting more than twice the UVA & UVB).

Plenty of places on Ebay and plenty of big petshops sell these by mailorder in your country , use Google or Ebay to find them.

A good MVB should be near one end of the viv , only issues with MVBs are

>> MVB globes can not be dimmed , the globe will not function connected to dimmer.

>> hard to get the temperatures and UVA and UVB at the basking spot right simultaneously from a single light source

>> they do provide the same kind of gradient in the UVA & UVB as a T5HO (or T8) tube can with high UV at the basking spot , and a large area of moderate UV for most the rest of the viv.

[Angcious]

I did have reflectors bought separately for the t8 fixtures but I love the idea of the dome hood for the t5s, comes out cheaper to get that than to buy the fixture and reflector separately. Thank you so much for the information, I'm going to switch both of mine to these!

[Angcious]

Kingofnobbys - Don't know if you'll see this but the lighting fixture finally came today. I am so impressed! I bought a t5 plant fixture with the reflectors already on. This lighting is so much brighter and prettier! I will be switching my other bts to the exact same soon. I truly appreciate your help and suggestion!

[Suzle87]

Kingofnobbys - Don't know if you'll see this but the lighting fixture finally came today. I am so impressed! I bought a t5 plant fixture with the reflectors already on. This lighting is so much brighter and prettier! I will be switching my other bts to the exact same soon. I truly appreciate your help and suggestion!

Hi, I'm thinking of changing my lighting, could you possibly send me a link to the one you got so I can get a clearer understanding of what I'm looking for please? (for an electricians daughter I really understand lights and electrics a lot less than I should lol! at least he can install it for me) Thankyou in advance!!

edit:
Also, this is perhaps a daft question, but I have a ceramic heat bulb... am I okay to still use this or will the T5 fixture give off heat... (sorry if this is a really stupid question, im not so good with this side of things)

[Angcious]

https://www.instagram.com/p/Boc8IfXgQCo/
The 3rd pic shows a little bit the difference in the brightness between the 2 cages. 4th pic shows the boxes of the fixture and light, I bought them off Amazon.
The uvb doesn't give off heat, I use a basking bulb in addition to it

[Suzle87]

https://www.instagram.com/p/Boc8IfXgQCo/
The 3rd pic shows a little bit the difference in the brightness between the 2 cages. 4th pic shows the boxes of the fixture and light, I bought them off Amazon.
The uvb doesn't give off heat, I use a basking bulb in addition to it

thats great thankyou, do you know is 12% uvb is ok? i note yours is 10% so dont want to get too high but have spotted one on sale that is 12%, thanks

edit: one last question, and sorry for hijacking your thread somewhat... does your t5 tube go all the way across the length of the tank or is it just at the basking end? sorry for being a pain!

[Angcious]

I don't have the best understanding about the percentages so someone else will have to chime in for that. But with my uvb tube, I actually have it going diagonally in the middle of the cage because that's where my guys spend the most time.
It was kind of fascinating and interesting to me...when I first put the new light in after my poor boy had gone over a week without his uvb, he was sprawled out in the middle of the cage directly underneath it with a blissful look on his face like "Ahh this feels so good!" It was very obvious that he was responding positively to it

[Suzle87]

I don't have the best understanding about the percentages so someone else will have to chime in for that. But with my uvb tube, I actually have it going diagonally in the middle of the cage because that's where my guys spend the most time.
It was kind of fascinating and interesting to me...when I first put the new light in after my poor boy had gone over a week without his uvb, he was sprawled out in the middle of the cage directly underneath it with a blissful look on his face like "Ahh this feels so good!" It was very obvious that he was responding positively to it

haha aww that's really nice how much he's appreciated it!! thanks for getting back to me, I will definitely get it sorted for Ventress