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I just got this Repti Glo 5.0 Compact Tropical Terrarium Lamp (13W) for UVB. It's about 7-8in above the basking area. Is this to high?

Is this too weak for a 8in (shell) RES?
Should I have gotten the 26W? Or the 10.0?



The 10.0 are very expensive...and it says "Desert".

It should be OK. I think their 5.0/26W is better. Their 10.0 is OK to use too but avoid the Reptisun 10.0.

How much did you get he 5.0 for?

I paid $18.99 for the 13W at a local Petsmart. It was only $1 more for the 26W. I figured I would save a few dollars on the electric bill if they had the same UVB output.

The problem is...I'm not reaching the target basking temp. I guess I gotta get a 2nd lamp for a basking bulb.

Any recommendations on basking bulb?

I use the 26W/5.0 of that bulb for the UVB, and a 60W incandescent (regular) light bulb for heat. That's probably the simplest and cheapest basking bulb. In my other tank, I use a halogen reading lamp, and I think the bulb is 60W as well, but it feels warmer.
You'll want to use a thermometer to check the temperature, and aim for high 80's to low-mid 90's F.

stopgaming wrote:I just got this Repti Glo 5.0 Compact Tropical Terrarium Lamp (13W) for UVB. It's about 7-8in above the basking area. Is this to high?

Is this too weak for a 8in (shell) RES?
Should I have gotten the 26W? Or the 10.0?



The 10.0 are very expensive...and it says "Desert".

I heard the compacts were bad as it blinds some Animals some were okay with it but some weren't. Maybe some animals were just more susceptible to this. I would probably put it 1ft away if I had it and had no choice, I wouldn't risk it though.

stopgaming wrote:I paid $18.99 for the 13W at a local Petsmart. It was only $1 more for the 26W. I figured I would save a few dollars on the electric bill if they had the same UVB output.

The problem is...I'm not reaching the target basking temp. I guess I gotta get a 2nd lamp for a basking bulb.

Any recommendations on basking bulb?

What I heard from other sources is that, it doesn't matter what Wattage the UVB only lights are. They produce the same UVB regardless, My guess is it's probably only brighter and maybe a little warmer?

The ZooMed Reptisuns were the ones that caused a lot of the problems, though any UVB bulb can be dangerous. Always keep an eye out for symptoms and follow the directions carefully.

I haven't specifically looked into CFL wattage and I would think brightness but also distance would be different.

Yeah I had the Zoo Med compact when they first came out. caused big problems, but the company recognized the issue and did a recall several years ago. They have since, delivered a safer product but you still need to follow all the procedures for a burn in period, etc.

Unless you pay for the $80+ MVB stuff, you still need a heat source.

Personally, the other day I simply got tired of trying to keep up with the times. I took my dual bulb hood (intended for a heat light and UVB Coil), tossed two incandescent bulbs from from dining room fixture in it for heat, and then purchased a cheapie 15" strip light that covers the length of her basking area. I popped in an old-fashioned Repti-Sun UVB strip light and I am happy.
Sometimes I think going back to the "old way" is the simplest - proven and safe.

I don't think they did an actual recall, just updated the instructions. While that's very important, a recall of the defective bulbs would have been nice. It was an excruciating ordeal, it took forever to figure out what the problem was.

so the advisable brand is the repti-glo, and not zoomed? thanks

For compact bulbs, both are OK though the repti glo tends to be weaker and the reptisun tends to be too strong. Either way, make sure they are burned in first and always keep an eye out for symptoms.

thanks! bought the zoomed 26watts UVB for my turt!

I use a triple combination because of my larger tank size. I have the Zoo Med Turtle Tuff Basking bulb and the Repti-Glo Trompical UVB (can't remember if its the 13w or the 26w) bulb over the basking area. I also use a Repti-Glo Full Spectrum over the Water area to allow proper lighting there for plants.

$60, powersun MVB. Once a year, done.