# any sugestions on lighting??



## reptile.obsessor (Dec 16, 2011)

so im going to go buy new everything so im 100% i have good brand lighting because my tegu deserves the best since i live in washington and it wont get much outside time except in the short summers..
what do you suggest i get?
uv, uvb, heat lamps, everything
and anything extra to spoil her or that might help..
so many brands claim to be the best but you guys have experince with what works and what doesnt. THANK YOU


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## reptastic (Dec 16, 2011)

You cant go wrong with wvb(mercury vapor bulbs) they supply uvb and heat and last longer than the tube lamps, the top brands are repti sun, trex, rerptiglo and i think weston makes one not sure, im missing one cant think of the name lol to early and they are the best of the best, another member will hopefully chime i


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## laurarfl (Dec 16, 2011)

Weston is the glass manufacturer, makes a few that are sold actually. Perhaps MegaRay is the one you are thinking about.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/lightingsurveyintro.htm is a good place to start for basic info. I think most people agree that mercury vapor bulb are good to use, but many people have differing opinions about which is best. I've always used PowerSun 100 or 160 watt with no problems. I can also get them at a reasonable cost.


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## reptastic (Dec 16, 2011)

Yes it was megaray, thanks laura, im a bit special this morning lol


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## teguboy77 (Dec 16, 2011)

I use almost every kind of mercury vapor bulb,some good,some bad,the one i personally like is megaray,but there customer service sucks,i still have two bulbs on back order from nov,but great bulb.Another bulb i like is reptisun 10.0 fluorescent bulb always available good uvb output good price,last long just my opinion.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 16, 2011)

teguboy77 said:


> I use almost every kind of mercury vapor bulb,some good,some bad,the one i personally like is megaray,but there customer service sucks,i still have two bulbs on back order from nov,but great bulb.Another bulb i like is reptisun 10.0 fluorescent bulb always available good uvb output good price,last long just my opinion.



Talk to bob maccargar tonight from reptileuv,my two bulbs were being shipped out tonight sounds great to me


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## dragonmetalhead (Dec 16, 2011)

I really like the Zoo Med Power Sun bulbs myself. They supply heat, UVB, and UVA and in one. I use them for all my lizards and have never had problems with them.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 16, 2011)

I stick with megaray lol.Whatever works for you.


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## james.w (Dec 16, 2011)

I like the SolarGlo from ExoTerra. I tried a PowerSun and my tegu rarely basked. So for heat and UVB, I would recommend a MVB. Which one is up to you, everyone has a different opinion on them it seems. If your enclosure isn't big enough for a 100+watt bulb, I would go with a flood lamp from Home Depot 45-55W for heat and a repti-Sun 10.0 tube fluorescent for UVB.


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## got10 (Dec 16, 2011)

try westronlighting


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## laurarfl (Dec 19, 2011)

Wasn't Westron the manufacturer that caused the issues with MegaRay? It seems there was a quality control problem that resulted in low UVB output.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

laurarfl said:


> Wasn't Westron the manufacturer that caused the issues with MegaRay? It seems there was a quality control problem that resulted in low UVB output.



I though it was ECONLUX.I'll stick with megaray as the two bulbs i order from them are on there way already shipped.I had a talk with bob maccargar friday and we were talking other bulbs a he told me somethings i didnt know about other bulds i've used in the past i had questions about,he gave me good info.Another thing if your keeping reptiles inside and using MVB bulbs i would invest in a solar meter instead of asume your bulb is doing a good job cause honestly you dont know without a solar meter bottom line,plus you pay good money for MVB bulbs and at least by know your bulbs working right you atlest get your moneys worth and give your reptile the proper UVB.


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## james.w (Dec 19, 2011)

What did he tell you about the other bulbs? 

In my opinion a solarmeter is only good if you know how much UVB your reptile requires.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

He said there some bulbs out there you have to have the bulb real close,closer that 12'' and there some other wave lenght other than uva,uvb that they need that some bulbs dont produce it for there immune system.Also some of the bulbs that you have to have really close to the reptile is putting off to much uvb something along those lines cant remember it all if anybody really wants to know heres his phone # call him 1-252-240-9088.Well in my opinion you dont know what your bulbs puttin out at all without a meter ,might be putting out no UVB,and regardless nobody really knows how much UVB is needed so meter or not i'd rather now if my bulbs working right or not,in my opinion.


james.w said:


> What did he tell you about the other bulbs?
> 
> In my opinion a solarmeter is only good if you know how much UVB your reptile requires.


Not only that how do you know your bulbs putting out UVB six months or less?????


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## james.w (Dec 19, 2011)

The only way I know is based in the health and growth of my animals. What numbers prove that a bulb is working "right"?


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

The health and growth has to due with diet as well correct,and basking temps right????????My reptiles are healthy as well but at least i know my MVB bulb is putting out uvb,jamesw you dont even know if your is,so if you just know from your reptile growth and so on why buy MVB if you have no clue your bulb is working correct or even putting out any numbers you know why cause you dont know without a solar meter.


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## james.w (Dec 19, 2011)

How much uvb does your rhino require a day? 

You are correct that diet, basking, etc also contribute to the health. What I am saying is that since my tegu is healthy he must be getting what he needs. I don't have a solarmeter and never will because the numbers mean nothing. I don't know what the proper amount my tegu needs, nobody does. 

I am stating my opinion as you are, I am not saying you are wrong or right, just giving the OP different opinions so he can make an informed decision.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

There is no easy answer to this. For millions of years, our reptiles have lived in a world in which UVB, UVA and visible light are all around them, and different species have evolved in every ecological niche, with behaviours (such as basking preferences) and body characteristics (such as thick or thin skin, heavy or light pigmentation) to equip them to use what UVB is available to them, in the most efficient way possible. 

It would seem logical that keepers cannot go far wrong if they seek to emulate the natural UVB environment inhabited by the species they keep. 

There is hardly any scientific data to back the recommendation of any particular level of UVB for any particular species. Most suggestions are still based on keepers' personal experiences although slowly, new data is being collected and advances in our understanding are being made. Studies on UVB light, basking preferences, and vitamin D3 production are appearing steadily, and work has been done on species as diverse as chuckwallas, iguanas and chameleons. 

This information is from UV GUIDE UK.

I'm not sure how much he needs but i know darn straight my bulbs after 4 months is still putting out UVB do you???And i'm stating my opinion and a fact you dont even know if your bulb is putting out any UVB correct???I got my solar meter due to the fact i want to know my MVB is doing its job weaher its 20MW or 250MW but atleast i'll now if its still putting out any UVB at all,but you''ll just guess .


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## james.w (Dec 19, 2011)

You are correct that I am guessing, but how do you know that the amount your bulb is putting out is safe. What good does it do to know your bulb is putting out 20MW if.that is nowhere near enough or if 250MW is dangerously too high? Your facts of knowing a number mean nothing without knowing how much uvb it requires. 

In reality we are both "guessing" just doing it in different ways.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

Well i'm assuming they are exsposed to high amounts of UVB from were there from,at the same time WITH MY SOLAR METER at 18'' my bulb is putting out 117mw and that isnt no guess because my solar meter reading.Now my point is your bulb at 4 months might not be putting out jack right,and your paying good money as well,so if someone has a meter at least they know when there bulb is working and when it isnt.Yeah were both guessing but i know my bulbs putting out some kind of uvb,and you'll always be guessing.


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## james.w (Dec 19, 2011)

Yeah, but considering I get my bulbs for free I'm not paying good money.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

Ok thats great considering they might not last longer then 4 months,hey i'm just trying to help but again its just our opinion.

More information from UV GUIDE UK.
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Iguanas appear to have requirements - and behaviour patterns - somewhere between the two. Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) have been observed to bask for long periods in full sunlight early and late in the day, when UVB levels are lower, then move to leafy shade during the heat of the day. Here they avoid the high UVB of the tropical noonday sun, which can be as high as 450 uW/cm², but they continue to be exposed to considerable amounts of reflected and diffused UVB which may reach values little different from those of the morning and evening sun in which they bask freely; levels of 200uW/cm² have been recorded.27,32 

One author recommends keepers of green iguanas to make levels of at least 75-150 uW/cm² available to their animals for at least 6 hours a day, and reports that iguanas, given the opportunity to do so, choose to bask at these levels. 32,33 Another study indicates that an absolute minimum of 10uW/cm² is required for maintaining adequate vitamin D3 levels, but the author recommends that keepers aim for a gradient of 20 - 40 uW/cm² in the iguana's basking spot. 27 These levels would all be around the very minimum level a wild iguana would experience during the day, whilst in deep shade


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## james.w (Dec 19, 2011)

I agree that you are helping, different opinions and experiences is what reptile keeping is about. Your opinion and experience has been helpful and is respected on this forum.


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## teguboy77 (Dec 19, 2011)

Likewise with you,your always helpful and give great ideas...


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