General Care Discussion :: Latest Trip to PetsMart

[Peva]

So I went to Petsmart today and got some new stuff. Lets make a list.

1. Snails. Small, pest Snails. The guy was really nice and gave them too me for free. I got nine of them and at the moment they are just in a 1 gallon pail. Brixie is ok to eat them right? The snail shell wont be bad for her, will it? I hear that they are good for cleaning up algae.

2. New hood and bulb. I got a new hood for a heat bulb, and a uvb heat bulb. Here are pictures.



The bulb. Right kind of bulb?




New hood. Don't worry, that glimmer is just the flash.

So is that hood good? It will lay on top of the black metal hood that I have. Should I return it and get a regular lamp? Cause that wouldn't be a problem.

Peva-out.

[PridgNYC]

Repti glo 2.0 is more of a general full spectrum light,good for growing plants and algae, but it provides little UVB and is meant to be used in combination with a Repti Glo 5.0 or 10.0 which provide more UVB. None of the above provide much UVA which you also need, do you have a heat lamp? (a regular incandescent bulb will work, or the splashproof halogen (Turtle Tuff)) I would take the 2.0 back and get either the 5.0 (if your basking lamp will be close to your basking area (less than 12" or closer with a screen) or a 10 if your lamp will be farther away or needs to go through a screen with less then 1/2" grid.

[Peva]

Ok, so the hood is good, so return the bulb and get a 5.0 bulb?

[Love of Animals]

Unfortunately, PridgNYC is right. You need the 5.0 if unobstructed. If there is a screen between light and your basking area then get the 10.0. You can use the hood you already have for your heat bulb and the new hood for your UVB bulb. Bring the other one back so you get a credit towards the proper one.

[Peva]

Will do, I'll tell the people I need the 5.0 bulb.

[PridgNYC]

Love of Animals and I said that if there is a screen between the bulb that has less than a 1/2 inch grid (okay, I said that last part), use the 10.0. The 5.0 is for unobstructed 12 inch or less distance.

I was out on a screen search today, because my RES has started trying to climb through the hole I cut through my egg crate to give me an unobstructed path from the bulb to the basking area. The only screens I was able to find are the critter screens at petland which have a 1/8th inch grid. You can rest your light right on these screens, but they block a lot of it. If you have a screen with less than 1/2 inch grid go with the higher power light. Egg crate (light diffuser) has a little more than a half inch grid, but it is thick, so you lose a lot of light through reflections from the plastic grid, that is why I cut a hole through mine for the lights to shine through. I am using a 5.0, about 8-10 inches away from the platform (depending on evaporation), along with a Turtle Tuff halogen for the UVA heat.

[Schimpf]

Just wanted to give a little FYI for people with no screens and 12" or less to the water,
the Repti Glo 5.0 UVB has a turtle on it. Thats how my not so turtle savvy hubby
figured out what UVB to get.

[Peva]

I got the 10.0 since it cost the same as the 2.0
Yay! Brixies tank in finally all set up!