recommended light bulb brands?

[stinax182]

i'm getting a sulcata tortoise and need to buy a new uvb and heat lamp, but there are sooooo many options. does anyone have any suggestions? what kind of bulb and a good brand? my tortoise is a foot long and 19 lbs.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I see you're in Maryland, but is it possible to keep him outdoors during the warm months?

Preferred brands for most keepers seem to be:

ZooMed PowerSun Mercury Vapor Bulbs (basking heat + UV)

ZooMed ReptiSun tube florescent bulbs (NOT compact florescent bulbs!)
- 5.0 rating, reaches a distance of about 12 inches
- 10.0 rating, reaches about 18 inches

Exo-Terra ReptiGlo tube florescent bulbs (NOT compact florescent bulbs!)
- 5.0 rating, reaches a distance of about 12 inches
- 10.0 rating, reaches about 18 inches

ceramic heat emitter bulbs (most any brand will do as long as the fixture socket is ceramic and rated properly for the wattage)

 

[wellington]

Ditto

 

[stinax182]

I see you're in Maryland, but is it possible to keep him outdoors during the warm months?

no, it's actually massachusetts. and she will definitely be outside apr-sept, weather permitting. i can definitely give her at least a half hour of real sunshine a day, but for the winter months, oct-mar, she will be in the basement. i know there's 3 types of bulbs, mvb, coil and tube, which kind is better of those?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Oops! Had my state abbreviations mixed up!
---
Four actually...

1) MVBs are essentially a two-in-one combo bulb that offer both basking heat and UVA/UVB rays. They typicall come in higher wattages (100 watts<). Disadvantage is that if you need to nighttime heat, you will need a...

2) Ceramic heat emitter bulb (CHE). These are incandescent heat emitters that give off zero visible light. Great for providing supplemental or nighttime heat. Must have a fixture with ceramic socket.

3) Tube floresent bulbs are the old school standard for offering UV lighting for reptiles. They come in three diameter sizes: T-10s, T-8 (most common) and the newer T-5 (the skinniest). Avoid T-5's as they are too intense for most tortoises, at least forest species IMHO, causing blindness.

4) Compact florescent bulbs are usually avoided by tortoise keepers because they also are known for causing blindness, especially the coil/spiral-shaped ones. Allegedly, the design flaw was rectified by the manufacturers, but hobbyists still claim to have issues. Another factor is that these bulbs are designed to be mounted horizontally, not vertically in a dome fixture pointing down. This may be one reason people were having problems. Also, some CFBs are not coil-shaped, they're just a straight-loop.

It is still unclear if the blindness issue is a result of all CFBs regardless of position, just the coil-shaped ones, and/or just cases where they were incorrectly mounted in a vertical position. IMHO, since nothing is conclusive, they should be avoided altogether until some definite answers are had. Better safe than sorry, right?

 

[jaizei]

Another factor is that these bulbs are designed to be mounted horizontally, not vertically in a dome fixture pointing down. This may be one reason people were having problems. Also, some CFBs are not coil-shaped, they're just a straight-loop.

Which brand of CFLs are you referring to when you make this statement?

 

[stinax182]

1) MVBs are essentially a two-in-one combo bulb that offer both basking heat and UVA/UVB rays. They typicall come in higher wattages (100 watts<). Disadvantage is that if you need to nighttime heat, you will need a...

2) Ceramic heat emitter bulb (CHE). These are incandescent heat emitters that give off zero visible light. Great for providing supplemental or nighttime heat. Must have a fixture with ceramic socket.

i already have a 60 watt CHE so i think i'll just get a MVB along with it for the day.
i'm still not 100% sure what size tortoise i will end up adopting....nothing over 20lbs. but if worse comes to worse, i might end up buying a baby from a breeder. in that case, i will probably run the CHE on a thermostat 24/7 and the MVB on a timer for 12 hrs. plus, the tortoise table will be right next to an open window as well

thank you for the advice, i currently have a comp. fluorescent bulb for my chameleon, but it's mounted horizontally. so i might want to change that when i have the money!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Another factor is that these bulbs are designed to be mounted horizontally, not vertically in a dome fixture pointing down. This may be one reason people were having problems. Also, some CFBs are not coil-shaped, they're just a straight-loop.

Which brand of CFLs are you referring to when you make this statement?

This was pretty much a generalized statement regarding all reptile-specific compact florescent bulbs. I wasn't targeting a specific brand or company. Because I do not use them and have no intention to, I really do not keep up with which brand makes coil shaped ones, and which brands make straight ones, which brands specifically mention on the packaging to mount horizontally, etc etc.

To me, it makes sense that all CFBs should be mounted horizontally, although only (apparently) a couple companies specifically note to do so. Perhaps the others haven't caught wind of all these issues yet.

 

[jaizei]

Another factor is that these bulbs are designed to be mounted horizontally, not vertically in a dome fixture pointing down. This may be one reason people were having problems. Also, some CFBs are not coil-shaped, they're just a straight-loop.

Which brand of CFLs are you referring to when you make this statement?

This was pretty much a generalized statement regarding all reptile-specific compact florescent bulbs. I wasn't targeting a specific brand or company. Because I do not use them and have no intention to, I really do not keep up with which brand makes coil shaped ones, and which brands make straight ones, which brands specifically mention on the packaging to mount horizontally, etc etc.

To me, it makes sense that all CFBs should be mounted horizontally, although only (apparently) a couple companies specifically note to do so. Perhaps the others haven't caught wind of all these issues yet.

So you have no basis for the statement you made regarding CFLs being designed for horizontal mounting? How can you say that some companies do something without knowing which companies you're referring to?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

So you have no basis for the statement you made regarding CFLs being designed for horizontal mounting? How can you say that some companies do something without knowing which companies you're referring to?

Oh stop trying to start something.

When all this CFB hooplah started, I researched the matter a couple years ago, and if I recall, it was Exo-terra that specifically advised mounting the bulbs horizontally. In fact, that is why they sell those horizontal fixtures for their fancy terrariums. But people still keep putting them in dome fixtures, which is not what they were made for.

 

[jaizei]

So you have no basis for the statement you made regarding CFLs being designed for horizontal mounting? How can you say that some companies do something without knowing which companies you're referring to?

Oh stop trying to start something.

When all this CFB hooplah started, I researched the matter a couple years ago, and if I recall, it was Exo-terra that specifically advised mounting the bulbs horizontally. In fact, that is why they sell those horizontal fixtures for their fancy terrariums. But people still keep putting them in dome fixtures, which is not what they were made for.

I am not trying to start anything, I just think that we should provide accurate information. If the lamps were intended to only be used in specific fixtures, they would have used a different base to ensure that. Making a self ballasted CFL with an E26 base was done so they could be used in many different fixtures.

Exoterra :

The advantage of the Exo Terra Repti Glo Compact Fluorescent bulb is its size and the fact that it is self-ballasted. A regular screw fitting is sufficient to operate these bulbs. The spiral shape of the bulb enables vertical or horizontal mounting without compromising performance.

Zoo Med's instructions show them in both.
http://www.zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFiles/reptisun10cf.pdf
http://www.zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFiles/reptisun5cf.pdf

Zilla

Get all this in a family of high-efficiency bulbs designed to fit most major fluorescent fixture types (compact, T5 and T8). Incandescent lamp users also have the option of a Coil Bulb that screws into a standard light socket. Desert 50 bulbs are designed for 3500 hours or twelve full months of average use.

If your opinion is that they should be mounted horizontally, then that is fine. But I do not think it is correct to state that they are designed to be mounted that way.

 

[Tom]

They shouldn't be used AT ALL, in my OPINION.

 

[Annaliisas]

They shouldn't be used AT ALL, in my OPINION.

LISTEN TO TOM!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Exoterra :

The advantage of the Exo Terra Repti Glo Compact Fluorescent bulb is its size and the fact that it is self-ballasted. A regular screw fitting is sufficient to operate these bulbs. The spiral shape of the bulb enables vertical or horizontal mounting without compromising performance.

Zoo Med's instructions show them in both.
http://www.zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFiles/reptisun10cf.pdf
http://www.zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFiles/reptisun5cf.pdf

Zilla

Get all this in a family of high-efficiency bulbs designed to fit most major fluorescent fixture types (compact, T5 and T8). Incandescent lamp users also have the option of a Coil Bulb that screws into a standard light socket. Desert 50 bulbs are designed for 3500 hours or twelve full months of average use.

If your opinion is that they should be mounted horizontally, then that is fine. But I do not think it is correct to state that they are designed to be mounted that way.

I'm just going by what other tortoise keepers have said. I'm with Tom...no one has had a tortoise go blind from a tube florescent and no one has had a tortoise go blind from a MVB. Seems that only CFBs seem to be the issue. There is still confusion whether it is all of them or just the coil ones.

I actually beat you to the punch yesterday, but no has yet to comment. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Compact-Fluorescent-Bulbs-THE-Discussion?pid=511217#pid511217

Exo-Terra "kinda" alludes to the fact that their fixtures are "specifically designed" for their bulbs, hinting at a horizontal mounting.

 

[jaizei]

Exoterra :

The advantage of the Exo Terra Repti Glo Compact Fluorescent bulb is its size and the fact that it is self-ballasted. A regular screw fitting is sufficient to operate these bulbs. The spiral shape of the bulb enables vertical or horizontal mounting without compromising performance.

Zoo Med's instructions show them in both.
http://www.zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFiles/reptisun10cf.pdf
http://www.zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFiles/reptisun5cf.pdf

Zilla

Get all this in a family of high-efficiency bulbs designed to fit most major fluorescent fixture types (compact, T5 and T8). Incandescent lamp users also have the option of a Coil Bulb that screws into a standard light socket. Desert 50 bulbs are designed for 3500 hours or twelve full months of average use.

If your opinion is that they should be mounted horizontally, then that is fine. But I do not think it is correct to state that they are designed to be mounted that way.

I'm just going by what other tortoise keepers have said. I'm with Tom...no one has had a tortoise go blind from a tube florescent and no one has had a tortoise go blind from a MVB. Seems that only CFBs seem to be the issue. There is still confusion whether it is all of them or just the coil ones.

I actually beat you to the punch yesterday, but no has yet to comment. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Compact-Fluorescent-Bulbs-THE-Discussion?pid=511217#pid511217

Exo-Terra "kinda" alludes to the fact that their fixtures are "specifically designed" for their bulbs, hinting at a horizontal mounting.

Exo-terra clearly states the bulbs can be used either way without compromising performance. Them trying to upsell and get you to buy a fixture as well doesn't mean anything.

There is no point in continuing this thread.The other thread blew up and I do not have time to respond to it right now but will later.

 

[Tony the tank]

I recommend Megaray UVB bulbs... Tough company to do business with but there bulbs put out a lot of UVB rays.....they are somewhat expensive.. And they had some issues with quality control a few yrs back... But I purchased the Megaray ZOO bulbs (275 watts) the bulbs are tested and UVB output written on box at required distance)..16 month ago and still getting 275 micro watts at 33"... I have been running the same 6 now in my indoor enclosure 14 hrs a day....(1 casualty I hit the bulb cleaning the pen)

Now I need to order a few more as backup....that is going to be a problem as they do not like to sell he Zoo bulbs without discussing the setup first...

All in all a very good product in my opinion....

 

[stinax182]

I recommend Megaray UVB bulbs... Tough company to do business with but there bulbs put out a lot of UVB rays.....they are somewhat expensive.. And they had some issues with quality control a few yrs back... But I purchased the Megaray ZOO bulbs (275 watts) the bulbs are tested and UVB output written on box at required distance)..16 month ago and still getting 275 micro watts at 33"... I have been running the same 6 now in my indoor enclosure 14 hrs a day....(1 casualty I hit the bulb cleaning the pen)

Now I need to order a few more as backup....that is going to be a problem as they do not like to sell he Zoo bulbs without discussing the setup first...

All in all a very good product in my opinion....

thanks!