what UV tubes do you use - Page 2

-EJ · #11 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:03 PM

I have another nasty habit of not making myself clear.

It's kind of funny bceause when I was pushing the Active UV/Dragon lights there was a well known tortoise keeper who insisted that these bulbs were worthless.

That was only about 8 years ago. While I do say they are not a necessity I also say that they are most likely beneficial.

The bulbs that are recommended to be changed every 6 months are the tube type... which actually loose about 75% of their original UVB output after the first week or less.

If you are concerned about it the Mercury vapor lamps are the way to go.

I had one that recently blew out... after 6 years. The UVB was measured just before it blew out and the output was still higher than the strongest Tube type bulb.

Check out the T-rex tortoise diet... it will resolve your particular problem for sure.

Ed

Quote:

Originally Posted by animal addict

Hiya Ed - I have read in your posts before that you dont like using things like this but I have been recommended by my herp vet to get one as unfortunately I didn't know that you were meant to change them every 6 months so for about a year my tort didnt have sufficient UVB and this has resulted in MBD which has caused my tort's shell not to grow up enough and is hence quite flat- there was some weakening in his back legs also but luckily I have managed to catch it in time and reverse this but I can't do anything about his shell as its not going to grow anymore upright - I am gutted but the main thing is it doesnt affect him in any way and I dont want to create any more problems hence need to get the best thing possible - due to the totally rubbish weather in Wales he hasnt been out much either - well he has but not enough to combat the lack of UV he's had in his inside enclosure

Graham · #12 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:04 PM

Most users of MegaRay/T-Rex lamps seem to get around 2 years at least based on 12-14 hours a day, some last longer, but inevitably as with any lamp some have shorter lives, most makes come with a minimum 6 month warranty.

You shouldn't need to change the lamp during it's lifetime, ie it's good for as long as it keeps working, even after a couple of years use it'll still be chucking out as much UVB or more than a new tube would.

-EJ · #13 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:05 PM

Until they burn out... As I mentioned in another post in this thread... I had one last about 6 years...

They usually burn out long before that.

Ed

Quote:

Originally Posted by animal addict

how long do the mega rays last for/need changing?

blondesarah · #14 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

That's odd because MegaRay and T-Rex are the exact same bulbs, made to the same design in the same factory, just different branding.

MegaRay/T-Rex are also narrow flood lamps, neither a spot nor a true flood they are between the two, Powersun are the only true flood MVB I believe, but the UVB output decays rapidly at ranges of more than a couple of feet, so it's debatable whether there's much advantage over a wide area anyway.

Well i find them much brighter than trex bulbs. Thats my opinion

blondesarah · #15 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -EJ

Until they burn out... As I mentioned in another post in this thread... I had one last about 6 years...

They usually burn out long before that.

Ed

Ed did you test the UVB output in its last year of life?

Graham · #16 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Well i find them much brighter than trex bulbs. Thats my opinion

Could be just variations in manufacture, and coincidence that your MegaRay branded ones happened to be the brighter ones, but they all come off the same production line and just go into different boxes.

animal addict · #17 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:09 PM

^^ ah thank you, will definately have to order one then - I'm just frightened now of making anything worse as it was definately the lack of appropriate UVB as the vet has said that the rest of the husbandry was fine - hard lesson learnt really

blondesarah · #18 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Could be just variations in manufacture, and coincidence that your MegaRay branded ones happened to be the brighter ones, but they all come off the same production line and just go into different boxes.

Interesting but the three mega rays i use are brighter than the trex bulbs i have

Graham · #19 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 05:17 PM

Quite likely, in the same way that two seemingly identical cars off the same production line will perform slightly differently, put different badges on them and you might think it's something to do with the brand, but it's not.

The lamps are made in production runs of several thousand and there could be slight manufacturing variations between runs, if the better ones got put into MegaRay boxes you might think that MegaRay was the better brand, but they could just as easily have gone into T-Rex boxes.

I don't think it makes a huge difference TBH, I would use either brand, they seem to have better reliability than Powersuns anyway and for my purposes the narrow flood beam is better.

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