Habitat - Indoor :: UVB lamp/hood

[fryman86]

I went to pets mart today to get a UVB fixture I was looking at a clamp lamp but noticed that the bulb would be sticking out the front of the lamp. I didnt know if this would be okay or not so I asked an employee. She told me it would not work and that I needed a UVB hood. So she sells me one and then when I open it, it states its for a terrarium not an aqurium and not to put it near water. Should I take it back? What else could I get?

[TheComputerGremlin]

Ultimately, you need something that will work for you. I probably have the hood you bought and have it resting on top of my tank. They probably told you not to put it near water because if it reflects off of it, it will magnify UV burns to humans. Anyways, the water will block UVB getting to the turtle anyways and you'd have it over their basking area. The clamp lamp wouldn't work for a compact UVB florescent, I agree.

[octpusgirl8]

Clamp lamps work fine for compact flourescents, why shouldn't they?

[fryman86]

My only concern with the clamp lamp was that since the bulb would be sticking out, the rays might night be directed enough. My concerns with the hood are 1. that it will be so close to the basking area, and 2. that with it right overtop of the basking area it will be hard to get the heat lamp to shine on the basking area. What kind of set ups do you guys have? Two clamp lamps positioned toward the basking area?

[fryman86]

So, yeah not getting a lot of responses lol. Anyway, I've decided to take it back and just go to a store called Pet Supermarket (where I got my heat lamp) and buy another of those lamps as I tested the UVB bulb in it and the lamp is large enough to completely surround the bulb.

[octpusgirl8]

I used to have a setup with 2 clamp lamps, one with a heat bulb and one with a compact UVB bulb. Now i just have one lamp with a mercury vapor bulb. Hoods can work, but they aren't as flexible as plain lamps and they can take a lot of fiddling to make them suitable.