as you may or may not have noticed on many herp sites from australian america and around the world, say that your UVB bulb should be replaced every 6 months, when in actual fact this is not true.. a standard UVB globe stops emitting UVB rays succesfully after aproximately 3000 hours of use, given that the globe is used say on arverage 10 hours a day, it would last you aprox 10 months, not 6 months as these incorrect sites state. infact my, REPTISUN 10.0 UVB globe states that the globe will emitt an adiquet amount of UVB for a year, doubling the myth of UVB bulb life logetivity. although this may vary between brands, wattage and whether the globe is 2.0, 5.0, 7.0 or 10.0..
Please also note that your reptiles will only benefit from the UVB bulb if they are within an adiquet distance from the bulb, a 5.0 bulb's rays with only benifit your reptile if it is within 12" (30cm) of the bulb, and with a 10.0 your reptile will only benefit if they are within 20" (51cm) of the bulb... also, an extremeley high percentage of the UVB rays emitted from any bulb, are reflected off of the waters surface, thus the use of UVB bulbs over the water surface of you turtle tank, is almost useless... i suggest saving your money and simply lighting the dry, basking spot of your enclosure with UVB lighting, if you still want light over the water, i suggest using a normal bulb. or flurescent tube.. MUCH cheaper!!
i expect that the life longetivity of UVB bulbs will be a contraversial subject, but the truth is, that a 6 month replacement is really not necessary, and that you would be saving money if you bought a 10.0 bulb say every ten months, in the long run this saves you money and will benefit your animal greately as it will gain UVB rays at a much higher rate, and more succesfully, not just when on its basking spot, most people have enclosures that are 2 foot high, and thus a 10.0 bulb reaches up to 90% from roof to floor, spreading the possible usefulness of UVB to cover most f your cage area..
if anyone has questions or thoughts simply post or pm me..
thanks for your attention, i hope you consider this imformation it will benefit your animals and save you money.. thank you
.KIRBY.
Please also note that your reptiles will only benefit from the UVB bulb if they are within an adiquet distance from the bulb, a 5.0 bulb's rays with only benifit your reptile if it is within 12" (30cm) of the bulb, and with a 10.0 your reptile will only benefit if they are within 20" (51cm) of the bulb... also, an extremeley high percentage of the UVB rays emitted from any bulb, are reflected off of the waters surface, thus the use of UVB bulbs over the water surface of you turtle tank, is almost useless... i suggest saving your money and simply lighting the dry, basking spot of your enclosure with UVB lighting, if you still want light over the water, i suggest using a normal bulb. or flurescent tube.. MUCH cheaper!!
i expect that the life longetivity of UVB bulbs will be a contraversial subject, but the truth is, that a 6 month replacement is really not necessary, and that you would be saving money if you bought a 10.0 bulb say every ten months, in the long run this saves you money and will benefit your animal greately as it will gain UVB rays at a much higher rate, and more succesfully, not just when on its basking spot, most people have enclosures that are 2 foot high, and thus a 10.0 bulb reaches up to 90% from roof to floor, spreading the possible usefulness of UVB to cover most f your cage area..
if anyone has questions or thoughts simply post or pm me..
thanks for your attention, i hope you consider this imformation it will benefit your animals and save you money.. thank you
.KIRBY.
