Different UVB sources

[TheLastGreen]

Coincidentally saw these different types of UVB sources and I have a few questions about them
LED bulbs

Are LED lights safe and effective?
Spiral bulbThese are obviously a risk due to uneven coatings during production, I have no questions on them
Halogen bulbs
Are these safe to use, are they effective?
UVB tube bulbs
These are the safest of all options, I also have no questions on them as well
So what do you guys think about the these options?

 

[Tom]

I've tested three different brands of the first type. As far as I can tell, they are safe, but they don't produce a lot of UV, and what they do produce is in a fairly narrow cone directly under the bulb. @Markw84 gave me a fourth one of that type that does make a fair amount of UV. I've had it over one of my dragons for a few months now and no problems to report. Still making good consistent UV, so says my meter. I can't remember the brand name off hand. I'll try to remember to look at the box later today.

The cfl types should never be used. I've personally seen them damage reptile eyes and so have other members here. My tortoise vet friends have also seen burned reptile eyes under some of these bulbs from their clients. Some people use these bulbs and don't see any issue. Not all of these bulbs cause the problem. Sometimes people mount them too close or use them incorrectly in some way, but some percentage of these bulbs are simply damaging. I won't use them and recommend other's don't use them either. In addition to this problem, they are not effective UV sources for most tortoise housing situations.

The mercury vapor bulbs are not safe or reliable, and they also cause excessive carapace desiccation, which in turn causes pyramiding in young growing torts. You can use them over adult animals if you monitor them closely with a UV meter, but be prepared to replace them frequently. Set the height carefully with a digital thermometer placed under the bulb for an hour or more.

Florescent tubes: These are the best, safest, and most effective indoor UV sources, but there are some caveats: The type in your picture is a regular T8 bulb. These are weak UV sources and don't do much. It is also a 5.0. The 5.0 types produce hardly any UV at all and are a pointless waste of time and money. You need the HO 10.0 type, and the correct fixture to run it. You also need a UV meter to set the height correctly, in the same way you need a thermometer to set your temperatures correctly. The Arcadia brand is available all over Europe and is of very high quality. They make a 12% HO bulb and sell it as a package deal with the fixture and reflector. These are my preference and work the best for my purposes, and I'll bet you can get them there. They make them in several lengths, and it doesn't matter which one you use. It does not have to cover the entire top of the enclosure, and they only need to run for 2-3 hours mid day.

I have since found a new option that I am really liking. The HO tubes from Arcadia are great, but I run them in closed chambers in a warm reptile room, and they generate too much heat for use on hot days here. ZooMed recently came out with a new type of LED UV bulb and they work great. Strong consistent UV, in a long lasting LED format that uses very little electricity and generates very little heat comparatively. I have no idea if they are available over there yet or not, but its worth a look:

 

[TheLastGreen]

I've tested three different brands of the first type. As far as I can tell, they are safe, but they don't produce a lot of UV, and what they do produce is in a fairly narrow cone directly under the bulb. @Markw84 gave me a fourth one of that type that does make a fair amount of UV. I've had it over one of my dragons for a few months now and no problems to report. Still making good consistent UV, so says my meter. I can't remember the brand name off hand. I'll try to remember to look at the box later today.

The cfl types should never be used. I've personally seen them damage reptile eyes and so have other members here. My tortoise vet friends have also seen burned reptile eyes under some of these bulbs from their clients. Some people use these bulbs and don't see any issue. Not all of these bulbs cause the problem. Sometimes people mount them too close or use them incorrectly in some way, but some percentage of these bulbs are simply damaging. I won't use them and recommend other's don't use them either. In addition to this problem, they are not effective UV sources for most tortoise housing situations.

The mercury vapor bulbs are not safe or reliable, and they also cause excessive carapace desiccation, which in turn causes pyramiding in young growing torts. You can use them over adult animals if you monitor them closely with a UV meter, but be prepared to replace them frequently. Set the height carefully with a digital thermometer placed under the bulb for an hour or more.

Florescent tubes: These are the best, safest, and most effective indoor UV sources, but there are some caveats: The type in your picture is a regular T8 bulb. These are weak UV sources and don't do much. It is also a 5.0. The 5.0 types produce hardly any UV at all and are a pointless waste of time and money. You need the HO 10.0 type, and the correct fixture to run it. You also need a UV meter to set the height correctly, in the same way you need a thermometer to set your temperatures correctly. The Arcadia brand is available all over Europe and is of very high quality. They make a 12% HO bulb and sell it as a package deal with the fixture and reflector. These are my preference and work the best for my purposes, and I'll bet you can get them there. They make them in several lengths, and it doesn't matter which one you use. It does not have to cover the entire top of the enclosure, and they only need to run for 2-3 hours mid day.

I have since found a new option that I am really liking. The HO tubes from Arcadia are great, but I run them in closed chambers in a warm reptile room, and they generate too much heat for use on hot days here. ZooMed recently came out with a new type of LED UV bulb and they work great. Strong consistent UV, in a long lasting LED format that uses very little electricity and generates very little heat comparatively. I have no idea if they are available over there yet or not, but its worth a look:

View attachment 344034

Perfect, perfect, perfect, thanks Tom, I do appreciate your well explained advice! One last question. With the LED product, it also has a UVB range, so should I also stick with the T5 option? (I've even seen a T2 option)
Also is UVA harmful to torts? I see some LEDs mix UVB and UVA

 

[Tom]

Perfect, perfect, perfect, thanks Tom, I do appreciate your well explained advice! One last question. With the LED product, it also has a UVB range, so should I also stick with the T5 option? (I've even seen a T2 option)
Also is UVA harmful to torts? I see some LEDs mix UVB and UVA

@Markw84 will explain all of this much better than I can.

The ZooMed LED UV bulb emits the correct spectrum of UVB for what our tortoises need. Most bulbs that emit light are also emitting UVA, so this isn't anything we need to worry about.

The Arcadia or ZooMed florescent tubes are the ones that emit strong UVB, last a long time, and are most effective. You want a "T5 HO" tube in either. I like the Arcadia 12% HO or the ZooMed 10.0 HO.

 

[Markw84]

Perfect, perfect, perfect, thanks Tom, I do appreciate your well explained advice! One last question. With the LED product, it also has a UVB range, so should I also stick with the T5 option? (I've even seen a T2 option)
Also is UVA harmful to torts? I see some LEDs mix UVB and UVA

"UV" is referred to in 3 different categories - UVA, UVB, and UVC. All are what we call UV light. The difference is the wavelenght of the light. The longer UV wavelengths produce UVA. That is wavelengths just shorter than the violet light we can see visibly. (Hence - "Ultra" violet.) UVA is invisible to humans, but not to tortoises. A good portion of the UVA range is visible to them. This adds a much more vibrant and contrasty color to objects and they use this to help identify foods. Ever see the pictures representing flowers as bees and some birds see them? That is what tortoises are seeing. So they see a much different view of the food items they are really attracted to than we do. So UVA is a vital part of them seeing the world "normally" to them. UVA also is considered vital to overall well being and also is used to trigger daily and yearly rhythms in most animals. It is the intensity of the UVA that does the most to trigger brumation in the temperate species. So the answer is - UVA is not only not harmful, but actually quite beneficial and necessary for a tortoises overall well-being. The shorter wavelenghts of UVA also do contribute to aging and sunburn in humans. It deteriorates plastics and fabrics. I believe it can indeed contribute to pyramiding in tortoises if overdone. So as with most things, moderation is key.

UVB is the bioactive wavelenght of UV light. Shorter wavelenghts than UVA and longer than UVC. These are the wavelenghts that are needed for the metabolism of vitamin D3 in the skin. But too much can be extremely dangerous. Sunburn, eye damage, cancers, etc. because this wavelength is bioactive - which means it triggers biological/cellular activity.

The wavelengths shorter than UVB are the UVC. This is extremely dangerous and destroys cells. In nature on earth, UVC does not exist because all the wavelengths shorter than UVB are totally filtered out by our atmosphere. If it were not, life would not exist on earth. That is why UVC generating lights are used to sterilize things. It kills things! Which includes any bacterial or virus or cells of any type that are exposed to it. ANY electomagnetic energy ("light") with a shorter wavelength than UVB is deadly. That would include the UVC, then X-rays, and Gamma rays.

So all the UV lights that we buy that are made to generate UVB for our reptiles also generate UVA. They also generate some visible light - light with wavelenghts longer than UV - so we can see the light is on. As a result, the UVA they generate is actually more than the UVB as the longer wavelengths are easier to produce. A typical 12% UVB light I use the most is actually producing "light" that is 12% UVB, 35% UVA, and the rest visible light and a small portion as heat (IR) Some of the newer LED UV lights will be exceptions to this as LEDs produce very specific wavelengths, not a broad spectrum. So you can get LEDs that are producing UVB and very little other light. So be sure to check the specs on those bulbs. I would always want a bulb, or combination that produces about 3x the amount of UVA as it does UVB for a more natural lighting. Since reptiles see the UVA, that is an important trigger to where and how much to bask. Without the UVA, that trigger would be lacking.

 

[Paschendale52]

I recall a thread a while back where @Markw84 mentioned the LED bulbs by Vivtech as working pretty well. They look pretty similar to the top picture you shared.