UV bulb lifespan: Mercury and flourescent

[Mount_Prion]

I know companies market their products as lasting longer than they're effective for.

My mercury vapor bulb says it comes with a one year functionality guarantee, and the 48'' flourescent UBA tubes I have say they last either a year or 9 months on the packaging (I forget which).

I generally change out my UV bulbs every 6 months just to be on the safe side. Am I being too aggressive?

I'm especially curious about the mercury bulb as I just installed one this week and I've never had one before, so I've really no clue how long they go till the UV production drops off.

Also similarly curious about the bulbs in UVB sterilizers, although that's less of a herp thing usually.

 

[Edwardo]

You can always invest in the solarmeter 6.2, (amazon has them), Its the only accurate way I know of, to check the effectiveness of UVB output.

 

[F1 VET]

I know companies market their products as lasting longer than they're effective for.

My mercury vapor bulb says it comes with a one year functionality guarantee, and the 48'' flourescent UBA tubes I have say they last either a year or 9 months on the packaging (I forget which).

I generally change out my UV bulbs every 6 months just to be on the safe side. Am I being too aggressive?

I'm especially curious about the mercury bulb as I just installed one this week and I've never had one before, so I've really no clue how long they go till the UV production drops off.

Also similarly curious about the bulbs in UVB sterilizers, although that's less of a herp thing usually.

Yeah that's a bit aggressive, do you offer any of your reptiles outdoor sunlight? For instance I let my old man beardy bask outside in a kiddy pool on weekends thus the lighting system stays off so you can do the math with the days you don't use them as well. And companies always want you to buy more so I think even a year is fine, especially with a 48" tube. The MVB bulbs are definitely 1 year because mercury vapor degrades at a slower rate then tubes, Approximately 30% degradation over the span of the bulbs life, as opposed to some crappy uvb's @ 80% deg lol....also you can buy a meter and measure the existing output yourself:http://www.reptileuv.com/solartech-solarmeter-uvb-meter-model-6.2.php

I've always stuck to 10 months on the tubes and I don't use the cfl uvb because their starting to link bad vision and blindness for reps on these bulbs. With such high output in such a compact space the reptile/s can stare at it and over time it degrades their vision. Apart from turtles I would never recommend cfl uvb!


Are you talking about the ion sterilizers? Cuz those are crap for sure. I got two and they both burned out within days....


BTW nice chatting, haven't been around much lately, how you been?



×Go S Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 3x WDC!!!×
__________________________________________________________________

Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763

 

[Mount_Prion]

Yeah that's a bit aggressive, do you offer any of your reptiles outdoor sunlight? For instance I let my old man beardy bask outside in a kiddy pool on weekends thus the lighting system stays off so you can do the math with the days you don't use them as well. And companies always want you to buy more so I think even a year is fine, especially with a 48" tube. The MVB bulbs are definitely 1 year because mercury vapor degrades at a slower rate then tubes, Approximately 30% degradation over the span of the bulbs life, as opposed to some crappy uvb's @ 80% deg lol....also you can buy a meter and measure the existing output yourself:http://www.reptileuv.com/solartech-solarmeter-uvb-meter-model-6.2.php

I've always stuck to 10 months on the tubes and I don't use the cfl uvb because their starting to link bad vision and blindness for reps on these bulbs. With such high output in such a compact space the reptile/s can stare at it and over time it degrades their vision. Apart from turtles I would never recommend cfl uvb!


Are you talking about the ion sterilizers? Cuz those are crap for sure. I got two and they both burned out within days....


BTW nice chatting, haven't been around much lately, how you been?



×Go S Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 3x WDC!!!×
__________________________________________________________________

Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: [url]http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763 [/URL]

Thanks! Somehow managed to miss the response to this thread this whole time.

I've been working from home a lot recently, which ironically means I spend less time bored on the internet. And I've been keeping less fish and more herps due to my old flooding issue.

I expect to be back in the game more when I move in a year or two at max.