uvb lighting question

[steve1]

i have my new baby gu that i need to go out and buy him a uvb bulb, i dont think a mercury vapor will be good at this point in time as i think it throw off too much heat, hes in a 20 gallon (temporarily) and im using an under the tank heater and a che for heat atm i just have a feeling that a mv will throw off too much heat so really my question is do these small fluorescent bulbs that they say produce uvb actually do so? like this one?
zoo med

 

[laurarfl]

I agree, MVB is prob too much for a 20 gal tank. The compact/coil lights do produce UVB, the problem is that they are very focused. Some animals react to them with eye inflammation similar to snow blindness in people. I think a better choice would be a linear tube hung inside the tank below the screen, within 8" or so of the basking spot at floor level.

http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=553

There are different brands. They say they are effective up to 20", but that isn't enough UVB at that distance to be worth anything.

 

[Renske]

In europe we use Solar raptor. Its the best uvb in te world. We can buy them in 35watt, 50watt, 70watt, 100watt, 150watt and 160watt. But i don't know if there is an american version of the solar raptor...

We use it on all our animals. And they love it. They get very nice colors of it.