# Florescent Tubes For UV



## Tom (Mar 8, 2011)

Okay. I'm starting to come around and get with the times. I'm working today with a guy and his crew who own and staff three reptile stores here in Southern CA. These guys work with tons of customers and their animals year after year, just like I did so many years ago. They swear to me that the newer florescent tubes really do work and really do give off adequate UV, as long as they are replaced at appropriate intervals. It echoes what a lot of other forum members have been telling me for the last year.

Things change and get better, so even though they never worked for me, back in the day, I'm willing to give them another try and keep an open mind. These guys swear by the ZooMed 10.0. They tell me they are good up to 20" away and do not do anything to harm their eyes. One guy said to me what I always say to people about the MVBs. He said he's never seen a single reptile get MBD under one of these bulbs. We talked about diet, supplementation and all the other factors and he still said that even with all those variables, he has not personally seen a case of MBD under the ZooMed 10.0.

All three of them unanimously dismissed all of the coil bulbs as ineffective, but did not regard them as dangerous. I mentioned what we've seen here on the forum many times, and they did have a vague recollection of something like that from a few years ago.

All three of them also agreed that MVBs were by far the best option for UV, but not appropriate for all situations, such as hatchlings of various reptile species in small enclosures since the smallest MVBs are 100 watts.

So there it is. Make your own decision. I think I'm going to give one a try over some babies when winter hits next year.


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## bikerchicspain (Mar 8, 2011)

I use the Zoomed tubes at work and i am getting on fine with them, I also have 2 at home in my hatchling cages, In the larger cages i use mercury flood lamps..


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## Seiryu (Mar 9, 2011)

Tom, I'm sure you know by now I use the 10.0 Repti-Suns myself. I've been using these for many years with no ill-effects.

MVB are definitely better (some), but I do think the 10.0's do just fine. You'd be surprised at how many microwatts they give off (75-150 at safe distances) whereas some MVB give between 100-300. It's not that different. I read a lot into what type of bulbs give out what readings and sadly the best website for that info has been down since mid last year.

I think part of the problems you saw with the bulbs were a couple of things. Owners having their lights too close (any UVB bulb, no matter what the output are bad when too close). Or owners having their fluorescents going through a screen top, cutting out up to more than 50% of the output, making the bulb almost useless. The screen top is probably the most common.

This is where you probably saw animals with MBD and such. 

I do think part of it is how smart you are with placement of the bulbs too. High traffic areas like feeding areas, or places you notice your reptile going to a lot are ideal. Now for most lizards, you can just buy an appropriate sized fixture and bulb and just have it run across most of the cage.

In my case with the basilisks enclosure (6Lx4Wx5H) I put their tube lights at the top of their basking spot, which I know they go to regularly. They are probably under their UVB lights for at least 4-5 hours a day, just basking and sitting there. It's almost like they "know" to go there.

I remember reading studies about chameleons, and there a few different test subjects. They put UVB fluorescent tubes in one enclosure, regular non UVB in the other. The chameleons with the UVB lights all gravitated towards them, and the ones without didn't even bother to go under the regular light.

Supplementing with d3 once or twice a week also helps. And from reading Marks (Madkins) post about d3, overdosing isn't as easy as I thought and I feel safe knowing I don't even come close to OD'ing them.


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## John (Mar 9, 2011)

I use both,the repti sun 10 works really well for other reptiles i have and is an awesome plant light knowing it is not harmful,maybe just not good enough,i continue too use them along with a 160w mega ray.too be honest tom i've used tubes for as long as they have been around.before they were marketed for reptiles i used "grow lights"i've never really had any problems with them and the grow lights worked for the application at the time,of course this was not with tortoises mainly snakes and lizards and a few species of aquatic turtles.so until i can buy a uv meter and post facts i will continue too use both instead of speculating what may be happening with either. john


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## GBtortoises (Mar 9, 2011)

I believe that getting the most safe and beneficial use of UVB comes down to two main things: Duration and distance. Replacing the lighting slightly before it's life is over and keeping it at a safe distance from the animals (_not_ the substrate). I've used a variety brands and intensity levels of UVB tubes over the years and have seen no ill effects from any of them as long as they are used correctly. I am a bit leery of the CFL coil style bulbs simply because of what I've read and looking at them logically. By that I mean that they must obviously concentrate a strong beam of light to a concentrated area based on their design and how they are typically mounted, in a fixture with a metal "hood" that directs a the beam. I'm not 100% sold on Mercury Vapor bulbs simply because I think in most situations the bulbs produce _too much_ heat concentrated in one spot. Mainly due to the fact that MV bulbs have to be of a higher wattage to produce effective UVB. They may be great for very large enclosures or in situations for lizards where the animal can climb higher, closer to the bulb to increase body heat if desired. But with tortoises which basically live on one level, the light has to be mounted at a distance for the UVB to be effective. At this distance the temperature under the bulb is _extremely_ hot. Unless you have your tortoises in a room where the ambient temperature is below 65 during the daytime I think the MV bulbs currently available are producing too much heat. Which brings me back to a flourescent UVB bulb in combination with a standard incandescent light bulb to produce heat and general lighting. Which is also by far less expensive to purchase and operate than an MV bulb, which also seems to fail more frequently too. I'll stick with what has worked-tubes & incandescent.
Coincidentally, I came across the below site (and actually saved it!) a few weeks ago:

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor-tests.htm


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## Seiryu (Mar 9, 2011)

GBtortoises said:


> Coincidentally, I came across the below site (and actually saved it!) a few weeks ago:
> 
> http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor-tests.htm



Yep this is the site I was talking about. Still has some good info, though most of it is outdated. The compacts are definitely not something you should use. I know people that have had no problems with them, and I know many more who have the same problems as everyone else. Lethargy, eye issues etc.

I just wish they would update their MVB and UVB output sections that were supposed to have been done last year. Hopefully they aren't stopping the site.


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