Equipment Review and Discussion :: UVB Bulbs

[new turtle-lover]

I'm just wondering what UVB bulbs people use. Post pictures of it if you can .

[Spookster]

I use the T-Rex 100watt Active UV Heat bulb in a 10 inch dome.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... 006+113030

[marisa]

new turtle lover, are you looking for a new UVB bulb? If so, it would be better for you to describe your set-up (tank size, basking area, what you're using now, etc.).

[new turtle-lover]

No, i'm just wondering

[marisa]

Oh, OK, just checking. I'm finding that people, in an effort to do the right thing by their turtle/s, sometimes don't get equipment that's appropriate for their set-up. The bulb Spookster's using, for example, is great for a larger tank, but wouldn't be good in a smaller tank.

[new turtle-lover]

It's ok, it never hurts to check .

[SlidersRCool]

Well I have a 39-gallon tank, and I have the basking area that you buy at the store. I have a 50-watt household lamp right now, but apparantly I need ANOTHER light.. the UVB bulb... so what do you recommend?

[jenaero]

I use the same as Spookster.

[marisa]

How far away from your turtle is the basking light now? A 39-gallon tank (really?) doesn't sound that big, and mercury vapor bulbs like the Active UVHeat mentioned above give off a lot of heat. In smaller tanks, too much, actually, and this type of bulb is not recommended for small tanks for that reason. If you really wanted to try a mercury vapor bulb (they're more expensive than regular UVB lights and should be screwed into a ceramic socket because of the heat) I'd also get a lampstand like the one Zoo-Med makes (or something similar) so the distance the light is from the basking area can easily be adjusted (you need to check the temp carefully with a thermometer).

If you don't want to do that, I'd get a Reptisun UVB light. If you were going to put it, say, about 6-8 inches from your basking turtle, I'd get a 5.0; if you were going to have it further away, there's the 10.0. The bulbs come as tubes or compact flourescents, the latter being more fragile and prone to more problems (in my experience).

[Buslady]

UVB/Heat combo light. I had a flood light last time, this time i got them a spot light...they LOVE it more than the flood.

[RESCHIU]

I used Repti-sun 10.0 UVB UVA tube light, I think it's pretty good, but it's mainly for UVB, it doesn't give off much heat so additional heating bulb might be needed. One thing you need to be careful is the way it design(tube like shape) is fragile if you handle it the wrong way. I just broke mine not too long ago as I tried to take it off from the clamp, and I only had it for 5 days :'(. probably because I handled it while it's still warm though...

[daredevilgirl013]

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_ ... 7995183612

That's what I have right now but you still need a regular light bulb to provide heat as that one doesn't kick out much.

And in the next week I'll be changing to the bulb to the one I got at Petland a Desert 7% UVB Coil Lamp by ESU Reptile.

[RESCHIU]

I'm thinking about getting one of the lighting fixture instead of UVB bulb(so I don't have to exchange between UVA and UVB bulb),
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_ ... 0333434596
do you think this can be as efficient as the UVB bulb since it covers more area in the tank?

[steve]

This bulb won't provide enough heat for basking. No idea if it would be more efficient but the nice thing about using UVB bulbs with standard sockets is that you can direct it right over the basking area.