Arcadia T5 60cm 24w UVB Tube

• Three UV-B strengths in one length - Forest 6%, Desert 12% and Dragon 14%, all 550 mm/22" and 24 W, so the fixture, controller and reflector carry over if your UV-B needs change.
• T5 HO (high output) - needs a matched T5 HO controller; it will not run correctly, or at all, on a standard T8 or non-HO T5 ballast.
• 7000K colour temperature (7500K on Dragon) with 30% UV-A, for a daylight-balanced basking spot rather than a flat white line of light.
• 12 month rated lifespan - UV-B output falls well before the tube stops lighting, so it's a consumable on a fixed replacement schedule, not fit-and-forget.
• Published UV Index gradient - Arcadia measures and publishes UVI at distance for each strength, so you can set up to a target index rather than guessing from wattage.

Readings are Arcadia's own, taken in open air with a Solarmeter 6.5, lamp only, no mesh or glass between the meter and the tube. Anything you put between the lamp and the animal - fine mesh, glass, acrylic - will reduce what actually reaches the basking spot below these figures, so treat this table as the maximum available UV Index at that distance, not a guarantee.

Arcadia does not publish a 300 mm reading for Desert or Dragon - both list closer mounting as not advised, which is why those cells read as a caution rather than a guessed number.

Matched against our UV zone bands (Cryptophotic 0-2, Mesophotic 3-5, Euphotic 6-7, Heliophotic 8-10):

• Forest 6% sits in the Cryptophotic-to-Mesophotic range across its published distances (UVI 1.2-4.5). Arcadia lists it for chameleons, day geckos, iguanas, water dragons, map turtles, dwarf crocodiles, rainbow whiptails and blue-tongued skinks - species that live under canopy or in filtered light rather than open sun.
• Desert 12% reaches from Cryptophotic at 600 mm up into Euphotic at 380 mm (UVI 2.4-6.5). Arcadia lists it for bearded dragons, uromastyx, tortoises, freshwater turtles and agamids kept in large, tall enclosures.
• Dragon 14% is Arcadia's highest T5 output, running Mesophotic to Euphotic across its published range (UVI 3.2-7.0). Arcadia's own guidance is 350-400 mm as the upper-index basking distance for species that need a UVI of around 6.0, such as adult bearded dragons.

These are Arcadia's own species lists, not a substitute for checking your individual animal's requirement - use a UV Index meter at the actual basking spot where you can.

Because Dragon and Desert are not advised closer than 380 mm, and Forest's closest published reading is 300 mm, the enclosure needs enough internal height between the mounting point and the basking perch to reach those distances - roughly 40 cm of clearance for Forest at its most intense setting, and closer to 45-50 cm if you want room to move the basking perch further from a Desert or Dragon tube for a lower index. A tube mounted flush against the canopy of a short enclosure will run more intense in UV terms than the table above suggests once the animal is close enough to it, so measure the actual gap you have before choosing the strength.

If you are not sure which your animal needs, Arcadia's Desert 12% is the more commonly recommended starting point for adult bearded dragons and uromastyx; Dragon 14% is for animals in enclosures too tall for a 12% lamp to reach a UVI of 6 at a sensible mounting distance.

This listing is the tube only. A T5 HO controller/ballast and a reflector are required to run it and are sold separately - a T5 HO lamp run without the matched controller will not produce its rated output and may not start. A guard is recommended wherever an animal can reach the fitting.

Suitable for: reptile and amphibian enclosures needing a linear UV-B source, matched to species by strength as above; freshwater turtle basking areas; enclosures at least 24" (60 cm) tall for the higher-output variants.

Not suitable for: nocturnal species with no UV-B requirement; enclosures too short to reach a safe mounting distance for the strength chosen; running on a non-HO T5 ballast.

Do not look directly at an operating UV-B lamp. Position the fitting so the animal cannot climb onto or make direct contact with the tube - direct contact risks thermal and UV burns, and this is more often a problem for arboreal species than the distance table above accounts for. Fit a guard where climbing access is possible. UV-B output does not pass through ordinary glass or most acrylic in any useful amount, so the tube must be mounted with a clear, unobstructed path - ideally inside the enclosure or immediately above open mesh - to the basking area.

Replace on a 12 month cycle regardless of whether the tube still lights - UV-B output declines well ahead of visible light output failing, so a tube that looks fine can be delivering a fraction of its rated index. Keep the tube and reflector free of dust, which measurably cuts output.

• Arcadia T5 90cm 39W UVB Tube - the next size up, for longer enclosures, same three UV-B strengths.
• Arcadia T8 60cm 18W UVB Tube - a lower-cost T8 alternative at the same 60 cm length, in Forest 6% and Desert 12%.

Arcadia does not publish a fixed warranty term on UV-B tubes - they are a consumable with an expected 12 month working life due to natural UV decline, which is not a fault covered under a defects warranty. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless of any manufacturer position. This is a glass fluorescent tube; standard freight applies, packed to avoid breakage in transit.

Can I run this on my existing T8 ballast?

No. This is a T5 HO (high output) tube and needs a T5 HO controller. It is a different fitting to T8 and will not run on a standard T8 or non-HO T5 ballast.

How do I know which UV-B strength my reptile needs?

Match your species to the list in the "Which strength do I need?" table above, then check the UV Index your species needs at the basking spot against the distance table - Arcadia's own species lookup tool covers less common species in more detail than we can here.

Does mesh on my enclosure reduce the UV Index shown in the table?

Yes, materially - the figures above are Arcadia's open-air readings with nothing between the lamp and the meter. Any mesh, and especially fine mesh or a double layer, will cut what reaches the basking spot. If your enclosure is meshed, mount the fixture on the inside where possible, or check the actual UVI at the basking spot with a meter rather than relying on the open-air table.

Why is there no 300 mm reading for Desert or Dragon?

Arcadia does not publish one - both are listed as not advised at that distance, which at 12% and 14% UV-B is intense enough to be a welfare risk at close range for most species these lamps are used with.

How long will this tube actually last?

Arcadia rates it for 12 months before UV-B output has declined enough to need replacement. It will usually still light well past that point, which is why a calendar reminder is more reliable than judging by eye.