Habitat - Indoor :: just one bulb?

[Pluckt007]

is there a small bulb out there thats full spectrum and emits enough heat and light small enough for only a 10 to 20 gallon tank. what im using now is an incandecnt desk lamp and a clamp lamp with a blue full spectrum bulb that costs like 10 bucks from petsmart. does that seem right? can i switch to a really small mercury vapor bulb or something. do i really got to go and spend like 50 bucks just on a light bulb?! anyways, all the help would be the best.

[SpotsMama]

I'm afraid until you have a much larger tank - 55 gallons and up - you'll need to go the two bulb route. Once you get a big tank you can use a mercury vapor bulb, but they don't make small ones for the small tanks.

The incandescent desk lamp is fine. However, the "full spectrum" bulb isn't providing what the turtle needs. What he needs is UVB light. Only bulbs that say they provide UVB (it must be specific - full spectrum or UVA won't do it) on the packaging will actually provide it. Packages that say 5.0 or 8%, for example, are good as the percentages refer to the UVB that they provide.

The UVB bulbs are all pretty pricey, however if you shop on line you can get much better prices. Here's a link with some good bulbs. The Repti Glo's have a good reputation. You need a minimum of a 5.0 bulb - don't bother with the 2.0's - and go for the higher wattage bulbs when you have a choice. You can get tube fluorescents or compact fluorescents.

[kmichael55]

yup, I second everything spotsmama said, buying a full spectrum bulb is a waste of money, a regular household lightbulb will do just fine for heat, it's the UVB that needs to be a specialty bulb, and yes you do need it

[powerofvoodoo]

I just realized that the petstore sold me a UVB only lightbulb but told me it was UVA/UVB. =(=( Looks like a trip to the campus bookstore to buy a new lamp is in order tomorrow.

[marisa]

UVB bulbs do emit UVA rays as well, and it should say on the box about what percentage of each the bulb emits. A UVB light and a regular lightbulb for heat should work just fine.

[industrial_girl_2000]

The all-in-one MVB bulbs are extremely strong & you need to have a much bigger tank than just 20 gallon. The min required tank size for my 100W Powersun UV is a 75 gallon tank (I've got a 90 gallon tank so it's ok for me to use for my RES).

I agree with what everyone here said already about having the 2 bulbs.

[Pluckt007]

alright, but the uvb reptisun 5.0 and such are only in those long white tubes. would i want that for a 2incher, that means i gotta buy another aquaruim top(#3). everybody here has like a million gallon tanks. i just have a 10 gallon, should i just go out a buy a bigger tank and bigger things? im going to have to eventually. and that blue 10 dollar petsmart bulb is pure bull ? dont bother with it? i gues jsut buy a little compact floro bulb thats only produces uvb, and well be cool?

[steve]

The reptisun and reptiglo do come in tubes or compact fluorescents (CF). The CF will fit into most normal lamps, so I wouldn't worry about a new hood. That petsmart bulb isn't bull, it just does not produce UVB. Go ahead and order a reptisun or reptiglo and see if you can return the other.

As for a larger tank, you just missed out on a great sale at petco. But save up for the next one. Remember, you can always use a rubbermaid storage container when that 10 gallon is outgrown.

[powerofvoodoo]

How often is the petco aquarium sale? And do you need to have a P.A.L.S card to get the sale?

[Pluckt007]

yeah, 1$ a gallon is cool....so, still gatta go with the reptisun 5.0 in compact florecent form, and keep the desk lamp. because the desk lamp is only uva, the 5.0 is the uvb. i think i got it, just a simple "yeah, that sounds about right" from anybody will be cool---thanks

[marisa]

You do need a P.A.L.'s card for taking advantage of sales. But you can get one free the next time you're at a Petco.

Yes--the Reptisun 5.0 compact flourescent with a regular lightbulb (desk lamp) is about right. Have the basking area temp 88-90F.

[SARAM521]

What is the difference between a reptisun and a reptiglo compact bulb?

[SpotsMama]

They are just two different brands.

Reptisun is a well known bulb from a reputable company (zoo med). They make both tube fluorescents and compact fluorescents. The compact fluorescent bulbs, if put too close to a basking turtle, have been know to cause pretty serious eye problems. If directions on distance and breaking in the bulb are strictly followed, then they are ok. The reptisun tube fluorescents are fine. I haven't heard of any problems with repti glo bulbs.