Mercury vapor bulb & light fixture

[TortitudeLove]

I know the recommendation here is the MVB. I've read people get them at home improvement stores cheaper than pet stores. I've gone out to a few and none of them had ceramic sockets. Isn't that critical for a MVB? I see porcelain sockets sometimes. At one store today, I saw a MVB that was skinny rather than a big flood light shape. Difference between them, could I use ether type? An employee suggested maybe using a bulb designed for growing plants instead. Would that provide enough of what my tortoise needs?

 

[Tom]

I know the recommendation here is the MVB. I've read people get them at home improvement stores cheaper than pet stores. I've gone out to a few and none of them had ceramic sockets. Isn't that critical for a MVB? I see porcelain sockets sometimes. At one store today, I saw a MVB that was skinny rather than a big flood light shape. Difference between them, could I use ether type? An employee suggested maybe using a bulb designed for growing plants instead. Would that provide enough of what my tortoise needs?

You can not find the correct UV bulb at a hardware store. The MVBs used for reptiles produce the correct spectrum of light and UV. Hardware store bulbs do not give off any UV. And not everyone here likes or recommends MVBs. I don't care for them and they don't work for my applications. They also stop producing any UV after 3 months now, so they are temperamental, expensive and ineffective after 3 months. I prefer regular hardware store flood bulbs and long florescent tubes for UV.

Plant bulbs are not correct either. PLants need different lighting than reptiles, and plants don't need UV.

To run a MVB, you need a large-domed fixture with a porcelain or ceramic socket. Like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-150-...oduct__slid_&gclid=COLwiZH5v80CFUdrfgod-PkJmQ

 

[TortitudeLove]

You can not find the correct UV bulb at a hardware store. The MVBs used for reptiles produce the correct spectrum of light and UV. Hardware store bulbs do not give off any UV. And not everyone here likes or recommends MVBs. I don't care for them and they don't work for my applications. They also stop producing any UV after 3 months now, so they are temperamental, expensive and ineffective after 3 months. I prefer regular hardware store flood bulbs and long florescent tubes for UV.

Plant bulbs are not correct either. PLants need different lighting than reptiles, and plants don't need UV.

To run a MVB, you need a large-domed fixture with a porcelain or ceramic socket. Like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-150-Watt-Incandescent-Brooder-Clamp-Light-HD-303PDQ/204684496?cm_mmc=SEM|THD|GDN|27|204684496&cm_mmc=SEM|THD|google|dynrmkt|_thdmarcom}&mid=c|dc_mtid_8903gg550522_pcrid_85866935789_pkw__pmt__product__slid_&gclid=COLwiZH5v80CFUdrfgod-PkJmQ

Where did you hear about them lasting only 3 months? I've seen clamp lights such as that in store but they never mention ceramic, only porcelain.

 

[Yvonne G]

Same thing. Only difference is one has been kiln fired a bit longer.

 

[Tom]

Where did you hear about them lasting only 3 months? I've seen clamp lights such as that in store but they never mention ceramic, only porcelain.

Either ceramic or porcelain is fine. Just don't use the plastic Bakelite type.

I was under the impression that the MVBs produced good UV for at least 6 months. I had one that gave great UV even after four full years of use. Apparently they are making them differently now, or perhaps sourcing them from different sources now. @deadheadvet informed us that according to his UV meter, they only make UV for about 3 months now.

 

[deadheadvet]

@Tom is correct. I have tried multiple brands of MVB. I have checked them w/ aUV meter and found that the level of UV after 90 days is minimal. I use UV T5.0 bulbs and separate heat source. T5.0 have lasted at least a year. Nothing is better then real sunshine, so best advice is to get them outside during the warm seasons and manage them during the winter w/o too many health issues. They will do so much better being outside. Winter housing, they sleep most of the time and eat. Minimal activity. Outside, incredible difference. Very active at dawn and dusk.

 

[Pearly]

I know the recommendation here is the MVB. I've read people get them at home improvement stores cheaper than pet stores. I've gone out to a few and none of them had ceramic sockets. Isn't that critical for a MVB? I see porcelain sockets sometimes. At one store today, I saw a MVB that was skinny rather than a big flood light shape. Difference between them, could I use ether type? An employee suggested maybe using a bulb designed for growing plants instead. Would that provide enough of what my tortoise needs?

I use fluorescent tubes for UVB. I thought paying 65$ for a bulb that would last only 6 months was bad enough, and after hearing they only last 3 months... I'm even more convinced that this is throwing hard earned money down the drain. Tubes work great, and I using reg white bulb during a day or black bulb or CHE at night is what I've been doing. It works great.

 

[jaizei]

@Tom is correct. I have tried multiple brands of MVB. I have checked them w/ aUV meter and found that the level of UV after 90 days is minimal. I use UV T5.0 bulbs and separate heat source. T5.0 have lasted at least a year. Nothing is better then real sunshine, so best advice is to get them outside during the warm seasons and manage them during the winter w/o too many health issues. They will do so much better being outside. Winter housing, they sleep most of the time and eat. Minimal activity. Outside, incredible difference. Very active at dawn and dusk.

Which brands of MVB did you test? It's kind of an important detail. Powersuns and other bulbs commonly available in pet stores/off the shelf have been know to be unreliable for years.

 

[Alexio]

At the exotic pet store I go to the man who owns it if fairly knowledgeable as far as tortoises and reptiles.
He said from his experience the MegaRay is the best MVB.
He only sells that brand and personality guarantees it for 6 months and will replace it if it stops working or producing UV light.
Try getting that guarantee from zoo med.

That being said I use t10 strip Uvb bulbs in about half my enclosures. I have actueally been doing some low-key experimenting with MVB vs heat and UV strip combo. I have been monitoring (trying) electricity consumption vs longevity of bulbs and finally overall health of tortoises. I have babies in separate tanks some with bulb and UV combos and some with MVB I am trying to see if growth , activity, and appetite are factors as well.

 

[deadheadvet]

Zoomed gives a 1 year guarantee on their bulbs. W/O a UV meter how do you know the UV is not depleted?

 

[Alexio]

Zoomed gives a 1 year guarantee on their bulbs. W/O a UV meter how do you know the UV is not depleted?

But will they actually replace the bulb for you?

 

[deadheadvet]

yes, you pay the ship

 

[deadheadvet]

it got old after a while, now I only use T5.0
WWW.1000bulbs.com
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/89115/SUN-904302.html
This is what I have been using last few years.

 

[deadheadvet]

I tested Powersun, Megaray,
The Zoomed T5.0 did well. but the Sunblaster are less expensive and have lasted just as long.

 

[Alexio]

it got old after a while, now I only use T5.0
WWW.1000bulbs.com
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/89115/SUN-904302.html
This is what I have been using last few years.

I was just checking out that link. These lights produce UV? If so it would make sense that the highest quality light you could find would be intended for hydroponics because that ( unlike the reptile industry) would actually have years of expensive research to find the best light in terms of output spectrum and longevity.
Have you tested any of the Arcadia brand high power UV lights?

 

[deadheadvet]

They seem to be popular in UK, but have not looked into them, since I don't use MVB bulbs anymore, not going to spend the money to test them out.

 

[Markw84]

A bit of confusion here...

T5 or T8 is the type and size (diameter) of the tube. You can buy the t5 or t8 and sometimes old t12 FIXTURES at a hardware store or Lowes or Home Depot

Do not confuse with 5.0 or 10.0, or 12.0. Those refer to the % of UV light being produced in the whole spectrum of that bulb. You need a reptile bulb for your fixture to get these. From a pet shop or online dealer.

So you will find.

A t8 5.0 bulb. That is the larger diameter bulb with what some call a "forest species" lesser 5% of the spectrum in the UVB range.
or A t8 10.0

A t5 12.0 ho bulb. That is a smaller diameter (which produce more intense light) bulb with 12% of the light in the UVB range. If you see "HO" it is the "high output" version.
or a t5 10.0
or t5 5.0
Etc, etc.

 

[BrianWI]

Plant bulbs are not correct either. PLants need different lighting than reptiles, and plants don't need UV.

Well, unless you are using UV for stress to increase cannabinoids in your pot plants.

 

[Tom]

Well, unless you are using UV for stress to increase cannabinoids in your pot plants.

This is outside the realm of my experience. I will defer to your first hand knowledge.

 

[BrianWI]

This is outside the realm of my experience. I will defer to your first hand knowledge.

As we've seen, there are many things I know way more about