# Cheap UVB lights



## philbaines (Aug 23, 2007)

now im not sure if anyone has seen these so ill link them anyway!

Reptile


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Interesting, these lamps _appear_ to be comparable to the Reptisun 5% tubes;

Table 2.

UV-lamps for terrariums: Their spectral characteristics and efficiency in promoting vitamin D3 synthesis by UVB irradiation Check out the "Spectrum curves" tab 

But I wouldn't feel confident using them till I'd tested them myself, given that we now know there are many other factors than simply knowing the level of UVA/B emitted and the spectrum of the lamp, that can cause damage.

If you go to the full article in PDF form, you'll see that the results reveal that the Reptisun 5% actually emits over 6% of it's total irradiance in the UVB range, while the Narva Reptilight only emits 4%. 
More importantly, of the % in the UVB range, actual irradiance within the crucial 290-300 uW/cm2 range is what counts (and = D3 production). 

The Narva reptilight produces a little over half as much useful UVB as the Reptisun 5%.
The best lamp on test in the study is the Reptisun 5%, which produces less than half of the UVB in the D3 production range that the _SUN in FINLAND_ emits.

You get what you pay for. The Reptisun 5% is low irradiance for the majority of species we have available to us in the pet trade, do you really want a tube which is only half as good as that?


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## philbaines (Aug 23, 2007)

£8 odd for a 4 foot uvb tube is spot on..

I no jack about the UV part off it but you should try them out lotte.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

philbaines said:


> £8 odd for a 4 foot uvb tube is spot on..
> 
> I no jack about the UV part off it but you should try them out lotte.


£8 odd for a 4 foot tube which is essentially useless for UVB purposes isn't really spot on.

Knowing what you are buying when it comes to specialist equipment is much more important than price


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## philbaines (Aug 23, 2007)

well i think you have proven a point there,

Me not knowing anything about all that you put above would go and buy them lamps as it says its a replacement for the reptisun 5% at a fraction off the price,

Lotte what's your opinion on the exo terra UV compact bulbs?
im useing the 5% and 10% on my frogs


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

philbaines said:


> well i think you have proven a point there,
> 
> Me not knowing anything about all that you put above would go and buy them lamps as it says its a replacement for the reptisun 5% at a fraction off the price,
> 
> ...


 
Hiya Phil, 

It's a treacherous world of UVB confusion out there!!!

The lamp in question actually claims to be a comparable replacement for the ExoTerra Repti*glo* 5% (Not the ZooMed Repti*sun *5%) which may be an accurate claim, however we do know that the Reptiglo tubes are pretty poor compared to Reptisun tubes of the same "%".

UV Guide UK - Ultraviolet Light for Reptiles - 2005 Reptile Lighting Survey
A read of the UVguide website is a must for everyone, it's interesting and accessible to just about anyone 


In answer to your question about ExoTerra compacts. 
I wouldn't use any ExoTerra UVB lghting equipment whatsoever, it is worth the money to buy the ZooMed Reptisun products which actually provide what they claim to.


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