Mercury vapor bulbs are not optimal for reptiles because they emit a bad spectrum of light. To us humams it looks white, but it is not sure how reptiles see it. I prefer metal halide lamps with 4200 K or 6500 K because they emit natural light.
mercury vapor bulbs?? anyone use them?
- Thread starter scalesandfins
- Start date
The only natural light, is from the sun.
I know several reptile keepers, breeders, and even a few that keep a wide variety for educational purposes, and they all use nothing buy MVB's because they simply are the best light on the market.
I'm talking for turtles, tegus, alligators, monitors, plated lizards, tortoises... etc..
They are full spectrum.. giving you the proper light rays, and heat all in one. Some MVBs have been tested and their lighting can give off UVA/UVB for up to 3 years.
Metal halide lights do not emit natural sunlight.. no light is capable of that. They are expensive to run, and the bulb itself is just as much as a MVB if not more, AND your electric bill will be a lot more expensive. Why spend $200-$300 on a metal halide set up when you can spend $70 and be set? Metal halides put off UVA/UVB for 12-18 mths..
[FONT=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif]Metal halide products also produce visible light and ultraviolet A and B. However, they produce an excessive amount of UVA, which can cause skin and other cancers. Metal halides produce less UVB - less than Zoo Med's reptile and iguana UVB-producing fluorescents. Because of the danger to humans, many of these products contain shields which filter out the UVA and UVB...so much so that they can end up producing too little UVB for use with reptiles.[/FONT]
I know several reptile keepers, breeders, and even a few that keep a wide variety for educational purposes, and they all use nothing buy MVB's because they simply are the best light on the market.
I'm talking for turtles, tegus, alligators, monitors, plated lizards, tortoises... etc..
They are full spectrum.. giving you the proper light rays, and heat all in one. Some MVBs have been tested and their lighting can give off UVA/UVB for up to 3 years.
Metal halide lights do not emit natural sunlight.. no light is capable of that. They are expensive to run, and the bulb itself is just as much as a MVB if not more, AND your electric bill will be a lot more expensive. Why spend $200-$300 on a metal halide set up when you can spend $70 and be set? Metal halides put off UVA/UVB for 12-18 mths..
[FONT=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif]Metal halide products also produce visible light and ultraviolet A and B. However, they produce an excessive amount of UVA, which can cause skin and other cancers. Metal halides produce less UVB - less than Zoo Med's reptile and iguana UVB-producing fluorescents. Because of the danger to humans, many of these products contain shields which filter out the UVA and UVB...so much so that they can end up producing too little UVB for use with reptiles.[/FONT]
Mercury vapor lights dont produce the whole spectrum. They produce the blues and whites of it. and a tiny bit of the orange. Sodium lights produce the orange reds exc. Thats why plant growers use mercury ones for the vegitive state of plants. and sodium ones for the flowering stage of plants. Like i said they grow good tomatos. Now if you used one of both on a setup yes you would have the full spectrum.
Ps certain times of the years example spring early summer our sun produces more blues whites. as the end of summer starts and fall begins we start geting more of the orange spectrum and shorter days. wich induce flowers to bloom.
Ps certain times of the years example spring early summer our sun produces more blues whites. as the end of summer starts and fall begins we start geting more of the orange spectrum and shorter days. wich induce flowers to bloom.
Mvb does definitely NOT produce a good spectrum, as Wckedmidas explained. See this pic here:
Now look at the spectrum of a Metal halide:
Definitely more natural than mvb, it even prduces a little amount of uva and uvb.
By the way: in Europe there are metal halide lamps specially designed for herps with good uv output. The best thing is that they are way less expensive than the ones for fish tanks. Also if you are too cheap to buy a new metal halide lamp for several hundred bucks, go to ebay, buy a used one and a new bulb.
Now look at the spectrum of a Metal halide:
Definitely more natural than mvb, it even prduces a little amount of uva and uvb.
By the way: in Europe there are metal halide lamps specially designed for herps with good uv output. The best thing is that they are way less expensive than the ones for fish tanks. Also if you are too cheap to buy a new metal halide lamp for several hundred bucks, go to ebay, buy a used one and a new bulb.
Do mercury vapor lamps come with something to attach to the tank? I ask cuz I recently got some res turtles (donated) and need one for my basking zone for my 125g
great info guys! alot i didnt know, thanks! and z you just screw them into a normal fixture. thats why they are so great.
i think halides would be over kill on reptiles. i have 2 250 watts on my reef and thats ALOT of light. but corals sure do love it
i think halides would be over kill on reptiles. i have 2 250 watts on my reef and thats ALOT of light. but corals sure do love it
Mvb does definitely NOT produce a good spectrum, as Wckedmidas explained. See this pic here:
Now look at the spectrum of a Metal halide:
Definitely more natural than mvb, it even prduces a little amount of uva and uvb.
By the way: in Europe there are metal halide lamps specially designed for herps with good uv output. The best thing is that they are way less expensive than the ones for fish tanks. Also if you are too cheap to buy a new metal halide lamp for several hundred bucks, go to ebay, buy a used one and a new bulb.
I am curious to how long you have been keeping reptiles to say the MVB bulbs are wrong for reptiles. I have researched a lot of animals everything from tegus to turtles to beardies and most of those keeperes use MVB bulbs. They are a great bulb for reptiles and I haven't heard of anyone who has had problems with them. I definatly would not reccomend spending hundreds on a metal hilide. Just get a MVB bulb.
To the OP I use a powersun for my tegu. I have heard great things about mega ray's but when I tried to order them most of the products were on backorder and customer service was terrible. It took like a month for them to respond to my email. I have read they have gotten better now.
almost all the mvp. metal halide sodium lights require a special balast. now if you are trying to do it for cheap. wich sounds likeyou are. home depot and lowes sells outdoor wich means weather proof. lights for your shed garage. they have them in 75 watt configureation. for around 75 bucks. ide recomend geting the of the mvp or metal halides and get a sodium one. one white blue one and a orange one. to cover the whole spectrum. and could be done for under a 180 bucks
check these links. by the way for the ones that only come on at nighttime. you can take a cut the daylight sensor and wire directly or just place ductape or paint over the sensor
http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Lithonia Lighting 1-Lamp Metal Halide Flood Light
Model # OFL 100M 120 LP BZ M4 Internet # 100626328 Store SKU # 364924
(3) Write a Review
$89.97 /CT-Carton
http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Lithonia Lighting 1-Lamp Sodium Flood Light
Model # OFL 70S 120 LP BZ M4 Internet # 100626324 Store SKU # 600017
(3) Write a Review
$72.97 /CT-Carton
if you wana do it on a budget there u go. cheapest way to do it.
check these links. by the way for the ones that only come on at nighttime. you can take a cut the daylight sensor and wire directly or just place ductape or paint over the sensor
http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Lithonia Lighting 1-Lamp Metal Halide Flood Light
Model # OFL 100M 120 LP BZ M4 Internet # 100626328 Store SKU # 364924
(3) Write a Review
$89.97 /CT-Carton
http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Lithonia Lighting 1-Lamp Sodium Flood Light
Model # OFL 70S 120 LP BZ M4 Internet # 100626324 Store SKU # 600017
(3) Write a Review
$72.97 /CT-Carton
if you wana do it on a budget there u go. cheapest way to do it.
@rrcoolj: i keep all kinds of reptiles over 14 years now and I have used all kinds of lamps since then. Regular light bulbs, flourescent tubes, mvb's and metal halides, etc... Besides that I work in a big pet shop where I can test all kinds of different models cause we have a herp, freshwater and seawater department. That's why I am confident that I know what I say. I know that mvb's WERE used for a long time, but now there is better material available, so why not use is? I know 250w or 400w lamps which are used for seawater tanks are too powerful for many herps, but there are models with 70 and 150 watts which are perfect. The german company that produces the metal halide lamps for herps even offers a 35w version!
I agree with you.. Honestly, almost everyone I know who is really into reptiles uses MVBs. Metal Halides are really harsh on your electric bill as well.
I personally will never use anything but MVBs.
To OP, if you want to know what to use.. I would recommend going to a reptile based forum and seeing the answers you get on there.
