Hi everyone! I haven't been on for a while, NIbbler is loving life and happy as can be. I am planning on going to a MVB for his house hold basking spot. This spot is in the kitchen, its were he warms up when he is free to run. I would like any info on these types of bulbs, please only reply if you have experience with them first hand. Thank you!
MVB thoughts?
- Thread starter odiwan
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What do you want to know?
They are very good for some situations and not so good for others.
Cons:
1) They must be mounted vertical only, no tilt.
2) They are VERY fragile while hot, you don't want to be moving them around.
3) They cannot be put on a dimmer, to adjust heat levels the only option is to move them up and down, farther or closer to the basking spot.
Pros:
1) They give you an "all in one" solution. Light, heat, and UVB at the same time.
2) They have a slightly different spectrum of UV than the tube florescents, I like to give my dragons both options (plus some natural sunlight now and then too).
3) They last about 1 year, as opposed to 6 months for florescents.
Neither/Both:
1) They run pretty hot. It can sometimes be a challenge to get the right temp.
2) They have a minimum safe distance away from the basking spot (usually 12")
3) They require a ceramic base, deep dome, fixture to be safe.
And just for you:
1) Prolonged exposure to UV light will fade carpet, tiling, etc.
2) Prolonged exposure to a spot-light type heat zone will affect flooring as well.
They are very good for some situations and not so good for others.
Cons:
1) They must be mounted vertical only, no tilt.
2) They are VERY fragile while hot, you don't want to be moving them around.
3) They cannot be put on a dimmer, to adjust heat levels the only option is to move them up and down, farther or closer to the basking spot.
Pros:
1) They give you an "all in one" solution. Light, heat, and UVB at the same time.
2) They have a slightly different spectrum of UV than the tube florescents, I like to give my dragons both options (plus some natural sunlight now and then too).
3) They last about 1 year, as opposed to 6 months for florescents.
Neither/Both:
1) They run pretty hot. It can sometimes be a challenge to get the right temp.
2) They have a minimum safe distance away from the basking spot (usually 12")
3) They require a ceramic base, deep dome, fixture to be safe.
And just for you:
1) Prolonged exposure to UV light will fade carpet, tiling, etc.
2) Prolonged exposure to a spot-light type heat zone will affect flooring as well.
Wow thank you Soulwind, That was great info. I have been doing some research and i believe the MVB will be great for this situation. My Dragon has a (balcony) area in our kitchen, (he spends most of his days there) it is very open and already has a ceramic dome hanging directly over his basking spot. single on/off switch no dimmer, and can only be adjusted by raising and lowering. I have found out it's the one most MVB manufacturers recommend. Now if you could help with one more thing? Bulb wattage? My Dragon is 4 1/2 years old and as far as i know at that age the real hot basking years are over? And his actions definitely agree with that info. He really basks in short bursts when he is in real sunlight, it makes him crazier than normal. So would the lower wattage bulb 100-125 watts be better than the 160 watt for his situation, or does the wattage difference change the UVB and not just the heat? Any more help would be much appreciated, 
PS:
The Spot were his balcony is in the kitchen is covered with rock and tile and there is a mat underneath, its about 6 square feet so the basking light only hits the middle. The floor should be safe. And yes i know he is spoiled rotten, my wife wouldn't have it any other way, ha ha ha!
PS:
The Spot were his balcony is in the kitchen is covered with rock and tile and there is a mat underneath, its about 6 square feet so the basking light only hits the middle. The floor should be safe. And yes i know he is spoiled rotten, my wife wouldn't have it any other way, ha ha ha!
JMO on MVB's...
The problem with MVB's is that the UV output varies greatly, not only from different manufacturers, but also within some companies depending on what brand you buy.
Some bulbs can be good out of the box but fall off sharply, in UV output, quickly. And some bulbs have tested very poorly when brand new.
So, again IMO, you need to be careful when buying an MVB and only purchase those that have very good and consistent test results.
Or you need a solar meter to test and confirm the output of your particular bulb.
The problem with MVB's is that the UV output varies greatly, not only from different manufacturers, but also within some companies depending on what brand you buy.
Some bulbs can be good out of the box but fall off sharply, in UV output, quickly. And some bulbs have tested very poorly when brand new.
So, again IMO, you need to be careful when buying an MVB and only purchase those that have very good and consistent test results.
Or you need a solar meter to test and confirm the output of your particular bulb.
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