General Care Discussion :: Sufficient UVB lighting for my RES (pics of setup)

[TravisL]

I have a 55 gal aquarium fill about 85% to the top. I have a 24" UVB bulb in the cover with no glass barrier between the water and the bulb. The basking area which provides the UVA and heat is not located under the UVB bulb. Is my turtle getting enough UVB while he's swimming around the tank.

Pictures to follow

[ljapa]

UVB doesn't penetrate very far into water. Plus, there's some research that shows they need UVB and heat at the same time to help with calcium uptake.

I'd look at adding a UVB light to your basking area.