# Lighting Questions



## Aidan Morrison (Apr 26, 2018)

What is the best lighting for a 8x4x4 enclosure? For UVB and basking lights?


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## VenusAndSaturn (Apr 26, 2018)

This sort of depends on the surrounding temperatures, the substrate height, and how far the basking spot or spots is. 
Personally I'm going to be doing a 160 MVB surrounded by two halogen bulbs, most likely 75 watts to get it up to preferred temps, however I may have to get more halogen bulbs to reach the temperature. 

As for just UVB I'm still figuring that out myself, I'm pretty good with bearded dragons and knowing what UVB they need, and overall I know which UVB brands/types are good or bad but with tegus it sort of feels like an entirely different thing as I dont want to provide too much UVB or too less of UVB. 
However I personally will most likely be going for a Arcadia T8 12% (Would do T5 but the enclosure has T8 fixtures). Someone more experienced can tell you more on that however. 

As for MVB's I'd recommend the Megaray. It seems to work pretty good compared to a Exo Terra Solar glo. However I believe zoomeds powersun is also fairly good.


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## Aidan Morrison (Apr 26, 2018)

VenusAndSaturn said:


> This sort of depends on the surrounding temperatures, the substrate height, and how far the basking spot or spots is.
> Personally I'm going to be doing a 160 MVB surrounded by two halogen bulbs, most likely 75 watts to get it up to preferred temps, however I may have to get more halogen bulbs to reach the temperature.
> 
> As for just UVB I'm still figuring that out myself, I'm pretty good with bearded dragons and knowing what UVB they need, and overall I know which UVB brands/types are good or bad but with tegus it sort of feels like an entirely different thing as I dont want to provide too much UVB or too less of UVB.
> ...


Ok thanks, is there actually such thing as too much UVB light?


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## Skeep (Apr 26, 2018)

@VenusAndSaturn A 160W MVB Megaray bulb puts out A LOT of UV light, the distance from your tegu will need to be quite far (as it says on the packaging/website). You will not need a fluorescent bulb IMO, just one or the other.

@Aidan Morrison Yes definitely, you can have too much UVB. The effects are similar to sitting in the sun too long yourself! You can buy a solarmeter to make sure your basking area has the correct UVB for your tegu. There are some other good posts on this site for which one to buy and what an acceptable range is.


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## Aidan Morrison (Apr 26, 2018)

Skeep said:


> @VenusAndSaturn A 160W MVB Megaray bulb puts out A LOT of UV light, the distance from your tegu will need to be quite far (as it says on the packaging/website). You will not need a fluorescent bulb IMO, just one or the other.
> 
> @Aidan Morrison Yes definitely, you can have too much UVB. The effects are similar to sitting in the sun too long yourself! You can buy a solarmeter to make sure your basking area has the correct UVB for your tegu. There are some other good posts on this site for which one to buy and what an acceptable range is.


Ok one more thing, when I get a strip UVB bulb; should the bulb be only over the basking site or like in the middle of the enclosure so that the light is pretty much covering all the enclosure? To be honest I never truly understood that part.


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## Skeep (Apr 26, 2018)

Aidan Morrison said:


> Ok one more thing, when I get a strip UVB bulb; should the bulb be only over the basking site or like in the middle of the enclosure so that the light is pretty much covering all the enclosure? To be honest I never truly understood that part.



I don't think there is a best way, as long as your tegu can escape the UVB sometimes. I only have an MVB over the basking area, but honestly my tegu is always on her basking spot or in her hide anyway. So really, if there was UVB in the entire enclosure it would be the same for her. It might just come down to what's easier for you, and which puts the bulb at the right height.


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## Aidan Morrison (Apr 26, 2018)

Skeep said:


> I don't think there is a best way, as long as your tegu can escape the UVB sometimes. I only have an MVB over the basking area, but honestly my tegu is always on her basking spot or in her hide anyway. So really, if there was UVB in the entire enclosure it would be the same for her. It might just come down to what's easier for you, and which puts the bulb at the right height.


Ok thanks


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