# zoo med VS exo terra



## slowpoke (Jan 10, 2012)

Got a question for you all... whats the defferance between zoo meds PowerSunâ„¢ UV is a self-ballasted mercury vapor lamp and the one that exo terra makes? (other than $40.00 more for the zoo med one) ... looks like they have the same uvb specs and every thing , are exo terras just cheep and dont last as long ...


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## StudentoftheReptile (Jan 12, 2012)

slowpoke said:


> exo terras just cheep and dont last as long ...



From what everyone tells me here, that's pretty much it! That's why I switched to PowerSun.


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## SulcataSquirt (Jan 12, 2012)

at my local pet shop they are the same price 40 dollars. Zoomed has a 1 year warranty, all you have to do is send it in to zoomed with your reciept for a replacement, and the exoterra has a one year warranty where they will actully exchange out the bulb for warranty at the pet shop by me.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Jan 12, 2012)

In other related threads where this topic was discussed, it seemed that the UV output of the ExoTerra brand wears off rather quickly, often within 6 months. On the other hand, many keepers who use the PowerSun bulbs claim that their UV meters read that those bulbs still continue to put out nearly as much as UV several months after use as they did on Day 1. That is why I switched, even though for me, it was a little more for me to get the PowerSun, even online.


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## lynnedit (Jan 12, 2012)

slowpoke said:


> Got a question for you all... whats the defferance between zoo meds PowerSunâ„¢ UV is a self-ballasted mercury vapor lamp and the one that exo terra makes? (other than $40.00 more for the zoo med one) ... looks like they have the same uvb specs and every thing , are exo terras just cheep and dont last as long ...



Everyone has pretty much summarized it. Have you priced Amazon?


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## slowpoke (Jan 12, 2012)

lynnedit ... yea i tried all of them and got the zoo med ones are all priced the same ... but i get the same info for the zoo med and exo terra that some last years and some last a week but your going to have to go through alot of bulbs on ether one to find one that will work for a long time ... so getting it online wouldnt be a good thing i would be out a light if i get one that only works for a week rather than the said time of life on the box .... i guess i could buy one extra one if one goes out , so i can take it back to the store , but then the cost of 2 alone is crazy ... ( the habitat is a big one i would need two ) ... now can i use just a normal self ballested mercury vapor lamp or are the zoo med and exo terra ones made with the right amount of uvb? right now im using the fluorescent tube kind (for the uvb)along with 2 day heat basking lights but if i can cut it to just the two bulbs for every thing i would rather do it...


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## StudentoftheReptile (Jan 12, 2012)

slowpoke said:


> ... now can i use just a normal self ballested mercury vapor lamp or are the zoo med and exo terra ones made with the right amount of uvb?



A normal self-ballasted MVB does not emit adequate amounts of UVB. Ones made specifically for reptiles do.


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## slowpoke (Jan 12, 2012)

StudentoftheReptile said:


> slowpoke said:
> 
> 
> > ... now can i use just a normal self ballested mercury vapor lamp or are the zoo med and exo terra ones made with the right amount of uvb?
> ...



ok got you , wont look at those then


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