Basking time?

[Ciddian]

Hello

I currently have one RES and one yellow bellie.
I was curious of how many hours i should have thier basking light on?
I have odd hours...So currently i have the lights on when i get home (4am) to 7 or 6 am. Is this long enough or should i have this light available to them most of the day?

I used to have the lights on during the day when i was not home but it turns the water floursent green ^^ good ol floating algae.

With the cut hours the tank is looking -much- better...but i wans to make sure this is safe for them as well.

They do have light during the day as well, two windows in the room semi covered. So they are not compleatly in the dark as well....

Thank you ! ^^

[TheLionsShare]

They should be on at least 12 hours a day.. Just get a timer for the lights.. Your turtles are basking turtles, and in the wild, they would spend most of the daylight basking to get their body temperatures up to their preferred levels.. ALl the window lighting is doing is providing them light, when really, it is heat and UV rays they need.

[Ciddian]

Ahh Thanks so much. I will pick up a timer this weekend.

Also is any repti bulb ok for turtles? As far as UV goes?

I should have known...I love watching the painteds up at our cottage. They could bask for hours upon hours

[Lrptls]

if the repti bulb emits UVB rays its ok but just UVA isnt enough.

[Ciddian]

Ahhhh thank you again ^^