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So i had a longer Zilla fluorescent tropical 25 light (cylinder type fixture) but I was having issues with fixing it to the wall/tank and well...last night it some how fell off the tank and busted up. So I decided to go a different route and get a flucker's clamp lamp (easily attaches to the side of tank and is the same thing I'm using for my basking light) and a zilla tropical series 25 fluorescent COIL bulb. My question is, are these bulbs just as good as the longer cylinder fluorescent lights? I imagine because of the fixture itself it will project the UVB rays in a more directed spot on the basking platform. The UVB light index on the back of the package is exactly the same as the cylinder type bulb so I just want to make sure I'm setting it up correctly. Its about 6 or 7 inches away from the basking area (possibly futher, about the same distance as my basking lamp). I will take pictures if needed.

Yeah the CFL uvb bulbs work well. The distance of the basking bulb is determined by temperature of the basking platform. The distance of the cfl uvb bulb will have a distance recommendation on the packaging. The two bulbs might not end up at the same height.

Are they just as good as the long tube fluorescent bulbs? I think they are better because as you mentioned the UVB rays are more concentrated on the basking platform.

Very cool. I feel better about it then. Yeah I figured out the "sweet spot" distance for my lights to keep temps around 90 degrees. Turtles seem even happier with the new filter and lighting situation. I had to rearrange the whole tank so they spent a good hour or so scouting it out probably wondering what happened haha. Its certainly a heck of a lot easier to maintain my tank now that I got the clamp lamp for UVB as well. Before it felt like I had to take a part a car just to get at my turtles.

Heres a picture of my lighting set up. Both should be about 7-8 inches from the dock. Its hard to see in the picture. 20gal Tall tank as well. The UVB is at the top and UVA/basking bulb is bottom of picture. Temps stay around..90-95. They usually move around the dock, sometimes into the water covered part to cool off if they feel too hot.