Habitat - Indoor :: clamp lamps

[mkoby]

No. Only 2. You need a uvb and then a heat source. You can use a regular household light bulb for the heat/uva bulb. It's much cheaper! I do recommend splurging on a digital thermometer for the basking spot. You can get one for around $5. It's money well spent. I still have a hard time regulating the temp. I put a screen lid on the tank at night because of my cat so the lamps get moved around a bit. It sometimes takes a couple of adjustments to get the temp right.

As far as the uvb...

The 5.0 is 5% uvb the 10.0 10%. Some have mentioned eye swelling and no apparent cause except they all use the 10.0. I am keeping an eye on her and I don't leave the uvb on the whole time (when I'm not home). The heat light is on for around 12 hours a day. She won't go to sleep until all the lights are off.

The 5.0 is approx. $5 cheaper in the store than the 10.0. However you can get the 10.0 1/2 price online.

[adam85491]

I see, well I will get the 10.0 and stick it on a clamp lamp right on the side. I didn't understand what it meant when it said 10% uvb and 30% uva. I plan on getting a thermo. for the water but not for the basking area at the moment (insufficient funding). I was going to have the uvb light on from 2 pm to 10 pm, i am not comfortable leaving it on when i am not home.

[mkoby]

You can get a stick on thermometer for the water for $1. I highly recommend one for the basking area. It took me awhile to get the basking temp right. I've had it as low as 70 and as high as 110! You really need to check it approx 10 minutes after you set your lights up for an accurate temp reading. You don't want to cook your turtle!!!!! If you get the visi therm stealth heater, it's pretty acurate. I've had no problems with water temp.

[adam85491]

You can get a stick on thermometer for the water for $1. I highly recommend one for the basking area. It took me awhile to get the basking temp right. I've had it as low as 70 and as high as 110! You really need to check it approx 10 minutes after you set your lights up for an accurate temp reading. You don't want to cook your turtle!!!!! If you get the visi therm stealth heater, it's pretty acurate. I've had no problems with water temp.

thanks, i will see what temp the water is and the basking area when i get it set up..ill get those stick on thermos..do they go on the inside or outside? i won't or don't expect to have a 2nd clamp lamp for heating for a little while, however. I will try to get that accomplished though.

[cam722]

I personally am not fond of the stick on thermometers.. They aren't all accurate, You can get a digital thermometer reasonably priced and use it for both the water and basking temp checks. Once you set up the basking area you shouldn't need to keep a thermometer there all the time... so you can use the digital thermometer for both. The only time you'd have to recheck the basking temp would be if you changed the bulb or moved the light fixture to make sure the temps are correct again.

[marisa]

Just curious, but how far away is that Reptisun from the basking area?

[Muirner]

Negative, the light your describing sounds like the ReptiSun 10.0 compact flourcent. That light will put out UVB rays. The UVA output isnt enough to generate heat. That is where you'll want a regular bulb, or a lower powered "basking bulb" which is really like a spot light (but like 100watts)

Michelle - anyway you can measure the distance of the UVB light there? It looks about 2' or a lil more. I'm not sure the distance UVB travels, but i'm just wondering

[SpotsMama]

There are a number of kinds of flourescent bulbs - compact and tube. The flourescents can generate UVB and UVA. The flourescents do NOT generate heat. The Reptisun 5.0 and 10.0 are examples of flourescents. The 5.0 and 10.0 refer to the amount of UVB rays emitted by the bulbs - the higher the number the more UVB rays.

Incandescent bulbs generate heat. This is a conventional light bulb like you'd put in a lamp. They do NOT generate UVB. Some incandescent bulbs are sold for reptiles that generate UVA as well as heat and light. Also, you can get heat emitting fixtures that will emit no light at all.

Because the flourescents do not generate heat, and the incandescents do not generate UVB, you're pretty well stuck with a minimum of two lights....unless you've got a really big tank (55 gallon and up) that can accomodate a mercury vapor bulb, which provides everything.

[mkoby]

Just curious, but how far away is that Reptisun from the basking area?

Michelle - anyway you can measure the distance of the UVB light there? It looks about 2' or a lil more. I'm not sure the distance UVB travels, but i'm just wondering

It does look really far away in the picture but I just pulled out the tape measure to double check. It must have been the angle of the pic. The Reptisun 10.0 is 16 inches from the bottom of the bulb to the top of the basking dock. So, approx 14 inches from the top of her head.

[adam85491]

I am really concerned about getting this 10.0 uvb light. I do not think the pet stores near me offer the 5.0 though I Could be wrong. does it always cause problems, or more so in smaller turtles?

[Kallistos]

It's not confirmed that the 10.0 causes problems. Many of our users are still using the Reptisun 10.0 without problems. It's just that recently there's been many posts on this board and others like it of the 10.0 causing eye problems.

[Muirner]

But what kind of "eye problems" is it causing? Is it because it's UVB poisioning? Or what??

[SpotsMama]

I believe the reptisun bulbs come in both linear flourescent and compact flourescent forms. There is a reptisun 10.0 linear flourescent and a reptisun 10.0 compact flourescent.

I understood that it is the compact forms that are in question. I did not know anyone was having questions about the linear form. Is that correct?

[Muirner]

That is what i understand as well.

[steve]

Yes, it appears the issues are all concerning the 10.0 compact version. I'm sure there are thousands of people using it without incident... it's just a handful of cases right now.

Anyway, the main thing to keep in mind the distance of the bulb from your turtle.