Need help from a UVB genius!

[viaje]

I was just picking up a hood for the cage I'm tweaking for my new arrival next week, and I decided on a ESU Reptile, Slimline Reptile Fixture with super UV Lamp
lol. the names they come up with for these things.


The problem-
Anyway, unlike all the lights I've used, the one in here doesn't say "5.0" or "10.0" or whatever... so I don't know if it's the right amount of UVB or if I should just buy the kind of bulb that I'm used to. The box says "produces 3%+ UVB and 7%+ UVA" aaand... I don't know what that means.
it also has an acrylic cover over the light- will acrylic block UVB like glass does?

I have no problem returning this for a different fixture or buying a new light bulb if this isn't okay- I just wanted to try this because it was so much smaller than buying, say, a fish tank hood like I've used before.

 

[viaje]

Also, I plugged it in and compared it to my other light and they appear to be exactly the same color. I've noticed that 10.0's are much warmer in color than 5.0's which are very blue.

 

[Hilikus311]

Also, I plugged it in and compared it to my other light and they appear to be exactly the same color. I've noticed that 10.0's are much warmer in color than 5.0's which are very blue.

In my experience it is the exact opposite as far as the very blue goes. . .i wouldn't use the light it comes w/ just because it might be a risk and the percentages seem wrong. I would def. take off the acrilyic lens supplied even though some are now being manufactured w/ lens' that allow uvb to penitrate it. i was in your situation not long ago and just went w/ the zoomed hood just to avoid the whole situation.

 

[viaje]

In my experience it is the exact opposite as far as the very blue goes. . .i wouldn't use the light it comes w/ just because it might be a risk and the percentages seem wrong. I would def. take off the acrilyic lens supplied even though some are now being manufactured w/ lens' that allow uvb to penitrate it. i was in your situation not long ago and just went w/ the zoomed hood just to avoid the whole situation.

Petsmart didn't have any other non-fish hoods
well, they did, but they were compact.

This hood will fit my cage awesome compared to the rest of them, and I figured it couldn't hurt to ask and it would be easy to just buy a different bulb if people didn't think it was right. I'm not in any rush, the cage won't be occupied for several days.

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy Abby,

That fixture is fine . Go ahead and get the ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 18" linear tube to replace the ESU tube and you're all set. Keep the ESU tube as a back-up should you accidentally break the Reptisun. Try LLL Reptile for the tube. They're usually only $14 there.

 

[viaje]

Howdy Abby,

That fixture is fine . Go ahead and get the ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 18" linear tube to replace the ESU tube and you're all set. Keep the ESU tube as a back-up should you accidentally break the Reptisun. Try LLL Reptile for the tube. They're usually only $14 there.

Awesome, thanks for the great answer! I'm glad the fixture is a good one because it's so small compared to what I've used before.