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Post by sheilap on Dec 6, 2007 6:15:19 GMT -8
Great news on Lola! I found her a 50 gallon tank for the meanwhile on craiglist for 25 bucks.
What is a UVB mercury vapor lamp does it help with humidity or huh? I want to know what the word vapor is for. Also when I get her her new tank today and purchase this light do I still need to purchase a uva tube light or can the uvb serve as a uva also?
Shall i purchase a hood with light fixtures or a metal screen top and place the ceramic light fixtures on top?
I'm sure i will have more questions concerning this new tank but cant think right now.
Ohhhh also like these volcanos and waterfalls that produce fog are they recommended or useless?
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Post by Merlin on Dec 6, 2007 6:34:27 GMT -8
The mercury vapor light is a bulb light similar to a small streetlight bulb, The vapor part refers to the gas vapors inside the bulb and will not do anything for humidity. The UVB light will also produce UVA.
Go with a screen top but make sure the openings in the mesh are no smaller thatn 1/8 of an inch. Any less and it starts to screen out the UVB.
The aquarium hoods with light fixtures are useless. The bulbs you will need are too big. The mercury vapor light will need a ceramic socket and a metal dome.
The fancy volcanos and waterfalls are interesting but the ig will most likely use them for a toilet.
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Post by prism_wolf on Dec 6, 2007 6:37:31 GMT -8
The fancy volcanos and waterfalls are interesting but the ig will most likely use them for a toilet. And exactly the reason why I took the garden waterfall out this week...  |
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Post by sheilap on Dec 6, 2007 6:40:24 GMT -8
Ok so I should just purchase the mesh lid. Can I continue to use this 5.0 UVB reptiglo compact light I have now? Its 26 W.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 6, 2007 7:24:31 GMT -8
No. Those are not adequate for iguanas. You either need the mercury vapor lamp or 2 flourescent tubes that stretch the length of the tank. Since you are having to buy everything anyways I would go with the MegaRay Mercury Vapor from reptileUV. The initial purchase price is about the same but it will be cheaper in the long run and provide MUCH more UVB light.
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Post by prism_wolf on Dec 6, 2007 7:27:17 GMT -8
I agree with Merlin 150%. The merc vapor is a heavy-hitter in the UVB world. There's nothing like it. The compact is just not for iguanas - period.
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Post by sheilap on Dec 6, 2007 9:19:12 GMT -8
I cant find myself around the reptileUV website to find the MegaRay Mercury Vapor
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Post by prism_wolf on Dec 6, 2007 9:36:32 GMT -8
In the top, left-hand corner there's a purple button that says "Our Products". It's above the iguana face... ;D. You'll be looking in the 120V (USA) menu and choosing between the "Self Ballasted" or "External Ballasted".
Read the differences between them and then if you would like clarification on anything you can ask here.
Just as a side - I prefer the External Ballast. It's better to have independent control over the UVB and the heat. A lot of people use the heat/UV combo of the self ballasted, though for the convenience of one fixture. To me - convenience is not a huge part of iguana care. It's what's right for the ig...and why hubby says the animals get better care than the people do... ;D.
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Post by sheilap on Dec 7, 2007 9:38:40 GMT -8
One more question about this bulb. Do I have to buy the whole kit or can I just use the dome ceramic fixture i have?
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Post by LotharsPeople on Dec 7, 2007 10:45:31 GMT -8
The externally ballasted kit only includes the ballast box and the bulb itself. You need to provide the ceramic socketed fixture to plug into the ballast box
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