Equipment Review and Discussion :: Alert: T-Rex Mercury Vapor Bulbs **UPDATE**

[TheOneCalledRed]

Are there any Mercury Vapor Bulbs or Powersuns that are not so strong? That can be used on a smaller tank? I've been checking for a 50 watt or 75 watt bulb but from the looks of it I don't think thats happening.

[marisa]

The smallest is, I think, 100 watts. Ifyou have a regular tank and it's smaller (less than 50 gallons), it would be too strong (give off too much heat).

[TheOneCalledRed]

I know but what would be a good substitute for that? I'm looking for a bulb that has both UVA and UVB but not so strong as the vapor bulb.

[SpotsMama]

So far as I know here are the options:

1. If you have a big tank (over 50 gallons) you can use an MVB. The usual strength is 100 watts and the type is a flood (NOT spot) light. It provides heat, light, UVA and UVB.

2. Otherwise you need two separate bulbs - a flourescent for UVA and UVB and an incandescent bulb (regular household light bulb) for heat. (A porcelain heat emitter is sometimes substituted for the incandescent bulb).

There's been some chatter about halogen bulbs but I don't know of anyone that's actually using one. I don't know what a halogen bulb provides.

[dragnikla]

Someone posted a while back about whether or not there was an MVB bulb available for small enclosures. Sunforce makes a 70 watt bulb and its sold at bigappleherp.com, I haven't tried it though. And apparently power sun by zoomed 100 watt version is not as powerful as the t-rex, and doesn'tget as hot, so I should think the 100 watt (wich is also a smaller bulb) would work for a small enclosure. I know this question was asked a while back, but just incase you haven't gotten an answer I thought I would post.