Equipment Review and Discussion :: Let me rant about reptile lighting...

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Post Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:47 am   Let me rant about reptile lighting...

First, are MVBs even worth the money anymore? ReptileUV was great in its prime: affordable, knowledgable, well-to-do. I'm not a fan of going to ZooMed for every tool I need for taking care of my turtles (minus Mazuri food). I don't like their non-domestic manufacturing, large company attitude, sometimes low quality, and high prices.

A nice deal on a proper MVB these days is $60-70+shipping, and us Reptile caretakers are lucky to gain a year of usable UVB from the bulbs. The customer service is adequate, but so was ReptileUV's. I feel there is a monopoly on the reptile mercury vapor bulb business, and I'm not happy. What are the choices other than PowerSun? There is another name, but that is just the PowerSun in a different box. I could buy 3 of the coil UV bulbs for the price of one MVB, and that will give me a strong 18 months compared to a strong 8 months and a weaker 4 months.

Is the group of people giving correct lighting to their reptiles being kept indoors so small that no other companies see the point in pursuing the market? I would love to see some competition, and resulting price lowering. I would gladly support a smaller company as long as they do their homework prior.

I get my reasoning from a completely separate, but easily as small, market. Car audio. The serious car audio fanatic world is as small, if not smaller than, the pet turtle world, but there are a plethora of reputable companies to choose from when buying wiring, speaker drivers, sound dampening, high-output alternators. Most of these products are only purchased once and used for years, a little different than the time-driven market of pet care, but if there is room for competition in that market, why not in Reptile lighting?
-Chris
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Post Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:34 pm   Re: Let me rant about reptile lighting...

I have the exact same thoughts. It seems like they didn't give it enough time or they think it' too extreme. Obviously they're still making other types of UVB lamps, maybe they don't want to cannibalize their own business.
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Post Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 3:50 pm   Re: Let me rant about reptile lighting...

I agree Steve. I think we will see a change soon the MVB might be come extint in a few years. I have been reading about L.E.D. lighting and there might be some promise with a very adequate UVB and full spectrum L.E.D. light. The L.E.D. will be dimmable to program for day night cycles with morning and afternoon lighting. Very cool if you ask me! Some say the price might be high initially but will drop very fast due to competition in the market. Another bulb that is emerging is the Metal-Halide. Bob Mac at Reptileuv, has these bulbs and they produce great LUX, UVA/UVB and heat! But are very pricey, one kit is $140 and are on back order, but once you get the kit then you just have to replace the bulb. I would get a couple bulbs tho because availability is so scarce. I'm gonna give this a try when I change Toku's bulb again, of course I will have to preorder one about a month or two out from his bulb change.

Chris: You are right the MVB market is not very good, the only decent bulb we have here in the U.S. is the Mega-Ray and the PowerSun. The Mega-Ray is a superior bulb but a lack of consistent availablity is a major problem. I get my Powersuns on Amazon for $40, but the Mega-Ray is a few dollars more than that. I guess you get what you pay for. I'm happy with the Powersun but do want to upgrade to a better system! There is a very good MVB by Arcadia but I havent found a U.S. distributor. Arcadia is a European reptile lighting company. They are talked highy of by the folks over the pond, producing good UVB, and light. Their version of ZooMed but might be better! They can get the ReptiSun but seems like they get the Arcadia tubes instead. Just my two cents on the subject;)
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Post Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:41 pm   Re: Let me rant about reptile lighting...

Exactly! First time I have spent more than $1000 for primary setup and now I have a full box of unnecessary purchases. It is because I never ever had an aquarium at home before and I believe in all stiсkers on the package. But I am the surgeon and I thought that I can to not know all about turtles or on setups of aquaterrarium because it is not my profession. At the end, I was wrong. Must to think twice or may be more times especially if you have said at the moment of shopping that your turtles are so important for you; you know nothing what you need for them and your hand holding a gold credit card. :)
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