What is a Mercury Vapor Bulb and How Do You Use One? 💡
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ส.ค. 2024
- Have you ever heard of mercury vapor bulbs in the reptile industry?
If you haven't, you're missing out! In today's video, we're gonna give you the ULTIMATE guide to these awesome bulbs, explaining exactly how they work, some quirks to be aware of, and why they're so much better than other UVB bulbs!
You have immense and tremendous smarts on this topic. Your voice and explanation skills are great too!
Supremely helpful!
U my good sir are a life saver
Thank you
nice video thank u! =D
Great content
Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoyed the video, be sure to stick around!
My problem with MV bulbs is too much UVB. It's really hard to get the heat you need without exposing your reptile to dangerous amounts of it. It's just easier to have separate bulbs so you can really dial it in.
We strongly encourage regular uvb testing when possible, for all relevant bulbs!
What is the best brand to buy? I have that really expensive 160 bulb that cost $65. Is there another one that does the exact same that is cheaper? Thanks
Will there mercury bulbs be enough for plants to ?
Question!
Can I use the 80W Powersun for my green iguana? It's in a 18inches tank but I'm going to out a stick inside that allows him to be about 6 inches away from the bulb.
I had an 80w powersun all in one but returned it because it was flickering blue and turning regular and also shutting off after turning it on and off. I thought it was broken but that's a feature I guess! Thank you for letting me know
6" is probably too close to the bulb. Keep in mind that even if the branch is at 6", the head and back of the animal sitting on it will add height and be even closer.
A green iguana will want a UVI index of about 3. According to Zoo Med, you would need to place the basking area in the 6-16" inch range for an 80w bulb. That height will also be determined by the temperature readings in the basking area.
Failure to turn on right away after being turned off is considered a feature, as the bulb has to cool down in order to function again. However, flickering is not normal.
So, I have a vertical tank and a baby bearded dragon. I have a 100W Mercury Vapor Bulb with the Thrive Deep Lamp. I have a digital thermometer and it's only showing up to 89 degrees Fahrenheit. I've tried putting the light deeper into the enclosure. Do I need a higher wattage MVB? Do I need to change the housing to the wire one?
Your issue may be the dimensions of the enclosure, bearded dragons should not be in a vertically oriented tank. While they do climb branches and rocks at a low level, they need more ground space than anything else. We use a 160 watt MVB on a 40 gallon breeder tank and usually get great temps at the basking spot. That's just a starting point. A larger enclosure might need a 160w with supplemental heat or if it's smaller, an 80w or 100w.
Make sure you're measuring the exact basking spot to get the correct temperature, right where your reptile would sit. We like to use infrared temp guns as they're quick and accurate.
i have a green iguana and im putting it in a 6x6 ft terrarium. the basking spot is 12 inches away from where the light source will be. What wattage would i need and would i need more than 1 bulb since its a large terrarium. i have a dual lamp fixture. thank you
We use the 160 watt mecury vapor bulbs with our iguana. For larger reptiles, you will probably want an extra bulb to create a larger basking spot. It should be big enough to cover the body of the animal. Be aware that anywhere the bulbs overlap in coverage may be warmer than your desired hot spot, especially with a combo deep dome, so check temperatures across the whole basking area with a temp gun. You may want two separate fixtures to spread them out.
Hey there, I bought about 5 mercury vapor bulbs at the right wattage as the dome thing (wall socket is fine too) they’re like $70s and they’re only lasting a month then they turn off
There are a number of things that could be going on, mercury vapor bulbs are rather sensitive. A bad dome fixture could be causing the bulbs to short out and pop. Moving them frequently, especially when they're on, can also cause damage over time or cause them to blow. Make sure they aren't anywhere that they're being bumped or moved. If they overheat, they may shut off, but it'll be temporary. As soon as the bulb cools down, they'll generally come back on again.
@@TyeDyedIguana the dome fixture I am using is the Flukers 8.5 inch sun dome. I’ve heard from a few people that the switch is a little cheap and busts every now and then. My light has only been bumped once and it was about 2 weeks ago, I usually don’t turn it off because the faulty switch sometimes doesn’t turn back on. It’s definitely not a cooldown thing because it stopped working last night and has yet to turn back on so I’m going to try to take it back and get a new bulb. But at the same time I’m not sure if it’s the fixture that’s the problem. Sorry for the paragraph haha
What mvb should I get for my veiled chameleon?
MVB's are not the best source of UVB in the case of a chameleon as it's very powerful and only pushes UVB and heat downwards into a narrow beam. Chameleons do better with a large spread of UVB across the top of the cage, where the UVB gradient goes from the top to the bottom of the enclosure vs side to side for most terrestrial animals. You'd want to look at a T5 HO fixture and start with a 5.0 bulb the length of the top of the screen cage. A 10.0 can be used if you have heavy amounts of foliage. You would then use a normal white heat bulb on one end for daytime heat.
Do I need to use the MVB bulb along side with any other bulbs? Like a uvb only bulb or basking light bulb.
it really just depends on the animal itself, if your MVB is supplying the ideal temperature and UVB input then you should be all set! If your tank if rather large and the MVB along isnt getting you to those places, adding additional lighting to compensate will surely help!
So how long does it shut off? That's bad if your not there. If your not there will it cut back on by itself once it shuts off? I don't want mine going all day without heat if it shuts off when I'm not home.
It's fine if you aren't there. If the mercury vapor bulb goes off after being bumped or moved, it will come back on after a few minutes because it needs a chance to cool down before it can do so.
The only time it will not come back on is if the bulb actually blows - these are fragile bulbs.
Is UVB only enough or both with UVB and UVA?
Collin slightly misspoke during this video. UVB bulbs produce both UVB and UVA. If you need heat, which is part of the infrared spectrum (which is separate from UVA), a mercury vapor bulb will give you both UVB and heat. Other UVB bulbs will require a separate heat source, depending on the requirements of the animal.
Hi Tye-Dyed Iguana. Is it normal that I can smell some sort of chemical odor when I have my Mercury Vapor Bulb on? I don't see any signs of burning plastic or anything, the bulb is new as well. I would like to know if there are any health implications for me and my gecko.
There might be a small amount of odor from a new bulb or fixture, but that should go away once it's had some time to burn off. If it continues to smell or if the odor is much stronger, keep an eye on it as it may indicate an issue with the bulb or fixture. Not that it happens often, but make sure your bulb isn't a higher wattage than what your fixture is rated.
What type of gecko are you using a MVB on?
It might be ozone that is produced due to uvc light, please replace the bulb as ozone in high concentrations is poisonous.
Can It hit 130 degrees 2 feet away from the ground surface without it shutting off? I need to know this before getting a savannah monitor.
It's unlikely you'll get those sort of temperatures at that distance without a supplemental heat bulb.
@@TyeDyedIguana 😱
How many inches high would u recommend to hang the light for my Hermann’s tortoise ?
It's going to depend on a few factors, like the wattage of the bulb, the size of the set up, and your room temperature. You'll probably need to hang the light and then in a little while, check the temperatures directly under the basking spot. From there you can raise or lower the bulb in order to reach the correct temperatures.
@@TyeDyedIguana I use an 80 watt powersun bulb in a zoomed deep dome reflector which increases its output. On the box for the bulb it says the maximum height for the uvb output is 16 inches, but wouldn’t it increase to a higher height with the reflector ?
Do you think an 80W MVB can be enough for a uromastyx, UV wise?
It depends on the distance between your bulb and your basking spot, as well as whether or not the bulb is mounted outside or inside the enclosure, but even the lower wattage MVBs have good UVB penetration for almost a couple of feet. With a uromastyx, usually the issue is getting enough heat to the basking area.
@@TyeDyedIguana thanks for your reply! I'm gonna mount it inside and the enclosure is 4x2x2. So, in that situation is an 80W good enough or what? And about the heat, I'm gonna add another heat lamp to bring it up for optimum temperature.
@@marawanharraz2310 You may need a higher wattage if this isn't a baby in a smaller enclosure. We use a 160 watt in the minimum 40 gal. breeder size just to achieve the correct basking spot temperatures for a uromastyx, but that's with a screen in the way. You should be fine for UVB, but it would be best if you had access to a solarmeter to test.
Is a 100 watt powersun uv heat bulb enough uvb for a baby bearded dragon or should I put more uvb on the cool side? Or is that too much uvb
We generally use a 160 watt on our bearded dragon setups, but that's assuming the enclosure is at least the size of a 40 gallon breeder. A 100 watt can be used on a smaller enclosure, but Zoo Med recommends the basking spot needs to be within 5-7 inches from the bulb to output an appropriate amount of UVB for the animal. You get more UVB range from a 160. Zoo Med's distance chart can be found here : zoomed.com/wp-content/uploads/Choosing-Correct-UVB-Lamp-2018-07.pdf
The other option is to use a separate heat bulb and a linear UVB tube. The UVB fixture should cover the length of about 2/3rds of the enclosure, that way they have an area with heat and UVB, an area with just UVB, and on the far cool side, there would be no heat or UVB.
Is 150 watts to much for a 25 gallon tank?
@@massbestexotics Very likely way too much. That strong of a bulb on that small of a tank will probably cook the animal. We generally don't do smaller tanks with our beardies, as they'll typically grow out of the smaller size within a few short months.
what is the ratio of the wattage to enclosure? thanks!
Wattage is going to depend on several factors, including distance to the intended basking spot and the type of animal that's being kept. Ambient temperatures in the room also have an effect.
@@TyeDyedIguana thanks for the reply..its a pet iguana..weather type is tropical..cage is stainless mesh..4*4*4 cage..
@@jersonsoriano3706 With an enclosure that large, a 160 watt might be okay, again though it depends on how close your basking spot is. The Zoo Med 160w Powersun is designed to be used at 16-24 inches distance from the bulb in order to get the proper UVB for a green iguana. You may have to raise or lower the bulb distance within that to get the proper temperature.
great!thanks!
UVB work time how many hours?
Are you asking how long it needs to be on during the day or how long the bulbs last total? We usually suggest setting it up on a timer for 12 on/12 off light cycle daily, or you can set the light to match sun up and sun down where you live.
I heard that mercury vapor bulbs need to run for 24hours first. Is that true?
There have been some odd bulbs that will output way too high for the first time, but most we've used are well within expected operating ranges. We always recommend purchasing a MVB from a trusted reptile company such as Zoo Med or Exo Terra, as many off-brand bulbs can be dangerous. Most of the guessing can be removed completely by utilizing a solarmeter.
is it true they can blow up?
Heat bulbs in general can explode under the right conditions, not just MVBs. Typically it occurs when the hot bulb is exposed to any kind of moisture, a stray droplet from misting an enclosure is sometimes enough to send glass everywhere! It's a rarity with mercury vapor bulbs, we've had it occur much more often with incandescent and halogen bulbs.
Are they still getting the uva and uvb on the cool side with only one bulb? My tube uvb has to go all way across basically and does good lighting up his enclosure so I do like that about the tube uvb lights. Just a few unanswered questions that I think should be clarified. I Loved the video an glad I heard about these lights just don't know if they'll be the best for me..
It's only a single bulb, it will not cover the whole tank, but a cone above the basking area where it sits. If you want further coverage, you'll need to continue to use the UVB tube lighting.
@@TyeDyedIguana wont that give of too much uvb tho?
I got banned from a bearded dragon group for recommending these bulbs. They say they fluctuate and are inaccurate and dangerous.
We've used these for years for very little issues. We do occasionally get some "off" bulbs, but we test all of our lighting here on a regular basis with a solarmeter and offer testing services for our customers as well.
@@TyeDyedIguana I'm just going to buy a meter and not worry about it! Thanks.
@@shanesubashe787 Make sure that you buy only a Solarmeter brand meter as they will be the most accurate. They can be very expensive, especially for someone who only has a reptile or two, but for the avid keeper, they're great tools to have. The 6.5R in particular gives a reading for UV index. There are lots of charts that can give you an idea of how much is appropriate for the most commonly kept reptiles. They're amazing for dialing in or detecting issues with UVB for reptiles.
Is this dangerous to humans since it has mercury in it?
The mercury vapor in the bulbs is not a concern unless the bulb is physically broken. The amount released from a broken bulb isn't necessarily harmful, but many places do recommend you air out the room for while before cleaning up the bulb. The most we usually have to worry about is the potential for burns, as the bulbs get quite hot. Care should be taken not to handle or bump them while they're still on or still hot. They do, of course, also emit UV radiation.
@@TyeDyedIguana ok Thank you very much!!!