Dean23708 just shared a new project: "Handheld UV Meter"
UV is important to reptiles (and people) in processing vitamin D3 which is needed to absorb calcium. Without it reptiles often suffer from Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) which leads to weak bones and can be fatal. Thankfully, pet shops have the answer, UV producing globes which can stave off the dreaded MBD. These are in the form of T8 florescent tubes or compact florescent globes and go for $50+ each. And, yeah, they need to be replaced periodically. How do I know if I replacing a globe while it is still producing enough UV? How do I know I haven’t waited too long? The standard wisdom is to replace them every 6 to 12 months which can add up across multiple tanks not to mention the environmental impact of whatever goes in to making them.
Or, I can measure it. UV meters sell for $400 but I thought I might be able to do something myself.
I had an Arduino Uno R3 and a TFT touchscreen lying around so I picked up a UV sensor and gave it a go.
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