RESs and a Repti glo 5.0 Compact

[mel262011]

As most of you know I rehomed my tortoises. I will not be taking care of torts anymore due to the large grocery bill and humidity issues and temp issues I was having. I decided to go with something simpler, so I am now taking care of RESs. They are great animals and I can take care of them on my budget.

Anyways, here is the question: Is it okay to use the compact light bulb?

 

[ascott]

IMHO...I would treat the lighting a bit the same for turtles as with tortoise....I believe that a bulb for heat and a long tube uvb is the best set up...again, IMHO

But wait around and I am SURE others will have their opinions and husbandry practices to share as well....

I just love this little turtle species as well....they just have this great little expression on their faces...as well as they are almost as happy to see you as the dog when you get home...LOL (they of course are always hopeful for the food prospect...they are like the goldfish of the turtle world )

 

[mel262011]

I do have a basking light in there that I keep on about 12 hrs a day. I also have a filter, underwater heater, and a rock for them to climb on to get to the basking area. It stays at 78-80 degrees all the time.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I mentioned this in another thread, but those compact Flo bulbs are designed to be mounted horizontally, NOT fixated in a normal dome-like lamp fixture. The whole issue of blindness aside, you (or the turtle, rather) will receive the maximum output of UVB from the bulb this way.

Placing it in a dome fixture and pointing it straight down into the enclosure is like throwing half of the money you spent away.

 

[mel262011]

Okay. So I should be using a straight bulb and not a curly one?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Okay. So I should be using a straight bulb and not a curly one?

Either that or get the correct fixture for the CF bulbs: one with horizontal (side-to-side) sockets.

 

[mel262011]

Okay, thanks!

 

[Momof4]

To make it simple a MVB works well. One light for heat and UVB.

 

[mel262011]

Okay, I got the correct fixture for the CF bulb

 

[Tony the tank]

Okay. So I should be using a straight bulb and not a curly one?

Either that or get the correct fixture for the CF bulbs: one with horizontal (side-to-side) sockets.

Interesting..I have never heard of placing a CFB horizontaly...Also how would a dome Fixture decrease the amount of UVB??

 

[WallieTheTortoise]

I've been using a 50watt heat bulb and a 10.0 UVB reptisun compact since July with no problems

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Interesting..I have never heard of placing a CFB horizontaly...Also how would a dome Fixture decrease the amount of UVB??

It has something to do with the design of the bulb itself. Think about it. You yourself don't even see the shape of the coils unless you turn the bulb on its side. The way the UV is radiated from the bulb is essentially in a cylindrical pattern. So logically, you want to place the bulb horizontally to receive the full UV benefit of the bulb.

Placing a CFB in a dome fixture pointing directly into the cage, the animal is only getting a fraction of the UV output that it COULD be getting if the bulb is in a horizontal placement. BTW, there's not much UV coming out of the "end" of these bulbs either.

[This was mostly reference from the UV guide UK website, but its temporarily under construction].

There's nothing particular harmful about using a CFB in a dome lamp (although actually, I brought this up in another thread wondering if the reason so many people were having their tortoises going blind from CFBs was because using them in dome fixtures). I just figure if one is going to pay $15+ for the bulb, use it in the most effective manner possible.

 

[Tony the tank]

I'm havent tested that ...but I can tell you this from what I have seen..My buddy uses a couple of these bulbs in a few of his enclosures... And I decided to check the output..And I have to tell you..I was impressed by the numbers... At 12" with a 10.5" reflector the output was 72um which is quite impressive..at 16" it was 50um(which from what I have been told is the min required for usable UVB...

Also by using a non reflective fixture the UVB dropped considerably 12" 52um..

I did notice one thing which I found odd..The UVB seemed stronger (2-3um more)at the edge of beam..instead of the middle as with most MVB..I also noticed I couldn't get a steady reading throughout the beam..It fluctuated rapidly in a scale of 1-5um..almost as if the UV output was flickering... Not sure if it was this particular bulb or if it's something inherit in the CFB design..I have not noticed it with tube flourecent bulbs..or MVB..

From what i have read..Reptiles can see the UV spectrum..Now the question is whether the animals can see this flickering and whether it could effect them psychologically or can cause eye issues..

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I did notice one thing which I found odd..The UVB seemed stronger (2-3um more)at the edge of beam..instead of the middle as with most MVB.

If the bulb was in a dome fixture, than that could be the reason. Remember that I said the UV emission is stronger from the sides of the CFB, not the end.

Just see an visual analogy, imagine that the visible light is actually the UV output of CF bulb. Place a black circle at the end of the bulb before turning it on. At the bottom of your cage, you'll essentially see a ring of light (around the area covered by the circle). The light you see represents the UV emission.

That's a very rough and approximate example, I know...but for everyone who uses CFBs, use that analogy as a guestimation to see how much UV your tortoise is NOT getting from that bulb when you use a dome fixture...as opposed to having it in a horizontal fixture.

 

[Tony the tank]

But going on your analogy..and from what I have see..a non reflective ..fixture or no fixture will make the bulb practically useless at distances greater than 10"... Closer and then you risk the chance of having issues with UVC..(most UVC output dies at 3-4" but some go further depending on quality control)

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

But going on your analogy..and from what I have see..a non reflective ..fixture or no fixture will make the bulb practically useless at distances greater than 10"... Closer and then you risk the chance of having issues with UVC..(most UVC output dies at 3-4" but some go further depending on quality control)

I wasn't saying not to use a non-reflective fixture. There are plenty of horizontal fixtures that have reflective materials in them (just as standard florescent fixtures for aquariums have). There are other more economical alternatives of course, but the fixtures that ZooMed and Exo-terra make specifically for their CFBs have reflectives.

Just the dome-shaped fixtures where the bulb is pointing directly down are the ones I would suggest not to use for CFBs.

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TO THE MODS: Is there any way the CFB discussion portion of this thread can be moved to perhaps...here?: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Coil-Type-UV-Bulbs-Don-t-Use-Them?page=2#axzz1cZFNuqTr