General Care Discussion :: I've been bad... :(

[adam85491]

Yes. It is the most affordable UVB light you can buy at the stores. I need a UVB light and I don't think they sell them in compact bulbs at the local Petsmart. If they have that, I will get that as it is cheaper. However, the downside is that it does not provide enough heat and some people claim the UVB output is pretty low. It is probably between 3% and 5%.

[Kallistos]

Yes, I used it for quite awhile actually. It provides enough UVB rays depending upon which one you purchased. There's 3 different types, 13 watt, 20 watt, and desert 7%. My assumption is that 13 watt provides 3%, and 20 watt provides 5%. So, the 20 watt or desert 7% should be fine as long as there's nothing in between the basking area and light that filters out the UVB i.e. glass/mesh. On a seperate note, I don't think any of them provide significant heat so a regular household bulb 40-60 watts can be used for heat.

[adam85491]

Isn't the Desert 7% a flourecent light that fits inside a hood, while the 13 and 20 watt require an ESU brand Clamp Lamp?

[Kallistos]

We're discussing ESU's line of Compact Fluorescent Lamps that fit into a regular light bulb socket. ESU reccomends their clamp lamp for their lights in an attempt to make you buy their lamp. ANY brand of lamp can be used with ANY bulb as long as the lamp is rated for the bulb. Actually, you can save a lot of money if you get your lamp at the hardware store. (Got mine rated for 300 watts for $7)

EDIT for adam: here's the link for your reference

LINK

[adam85491]

I know, but I only thought there was a 13 watt bulb and a 20 watt bulb. I searched up that Desert 7% one and only found a flourecent bulb that had to fit into a hood because it was like eighteen inches long.

[SpotsMama]

3% UVB is really low. According to this link both the 13 watt and the 20 watt only provide 3% UVB. I believe it's a flourescent bulb so won't provide heat.

http://www.reptiledirect.com/browseprod ... -Lamp.html

If you look at a mercury vapor bulb (MVB), which is very powerful, note that it needs to be in a ceramic fixture and you must be sure to get a FLOOD light instead of a SPOT light. The spot lights are just too powerful for our setups. You're probably not going to find a spot light on the shelf in a pet store but they are available on-line.

[steve]

Just a little clarification and sorry for jumping in this late... UVA and UVB rays are not visible light and do not provide heat. Heat usually comes in the form of thermal or infrared radiation.

Jennifer, you can get a MVB and it will provide UVA, UVB and heat. Or you can get a fluorescent UVB lamp and add a heat lamp of your choice. Honestly... it costs about the same if you consider that a $50 MVB is replaced once a year, and a $25 fluorescent is replaced twice a year. The MVB will use more electricity but provides much more UVB. I lean towards the MVB.

RES will convert UVB into Vitamin D3, which is a supplement in certain pellets. Vitamin D3 aids in calcium absorption. It is better for them to produce their own D3 through UVB than as a supplement.

[JNZBCBnLIL]

so I found out today that this new bulb provides ABSOLUTELY no heat- unless of course my new thermometer isn't working correctly- but I am waking up bright and early to go to Petsmart to get what I need! I couldn't find an MVB bulb there though? I really really really want Leo to bask again... I'm so worried that he's not! I love my little guy so much!

[steve]

You still need a separate heat source with a fluorescent... a regular light bulb would do.

[SpotsMama]

Like Steve said, you could go either of two ways. (1) You can get a 100 watt MVB flood light and a ceramic fixture and it will provide heat, UVA and UVB. Or (2) You can get two bulbs - a flourescent bulb from the pet store which will provide UVA and UVB plus a regular household light bulb that will provide heat.

[JNZBCBnLIL]

O so the light I have been using has had UVA/UVB in it but I just haven't been providing the heat needed? I plugged in the old bulb today so I could return the new bulb and it made the basking dock around 95 degrees- is that too hot?

p.s. I CAUGHT LEO BASKING TODAY!!

[marisa]

I've never seen a 5% ESU compact flourescent. Is it something new?

If you've got a 75-gallon tank, a combo mercury vapor light would really be better than a compact flourescent and heat source.