Confirm or Deny: Zilla Fixtures All Right, but Bulbs Suck

[ElectricPaladin]

I'm a newbie looking for answers to two questions in this thread.

First of all, can anyone confirm or deny that there is something wrong with the Zilla-brand UV bulbs (though the fixtures are ok). I want to get a better read on this before I spend money replacing the bulb.

Secondly, while I'm at it, how bad is it to place a UV bulb outside the wire mesh roof of the vivarium? My book recommends against it, saying that the wire mesh can block enough of the UV to significantly reduce the bulb's effectiveness... but my book also recommends sand, and we all know how uncomplicated a decision that is.

 

[DragonJosh]

I'm a newbie looking for answers to two questions in this thread.

First of all, can anyone confirm or deny that there is something wrong with the Zilla-brand UV bulbs (though the fixtures are ok). I want to get a better read on this before I spend money replacing the bulb.

Secondly, while I'm at it, how bad is it to place a UV bulb outside the wire mesh roof of the vivarium? My book recommends against it, saying that the wire mesh can block enough of the UV to significantly reduce the bulb's effectiveness... but my book also recommends sand, and we all know how uncomplicated a decision that is.

Idk about the Zilla-brand question. As far as the mesh thing I read that it can reduce it some, but as long as your beardie can get within 6-8" of the UVB bulb it should be fine.

 

[Jess]

The Zilla UVBs are crap. Dont use them. Im not sure about the fixtures, but I would guess that theyre fine.

 

[ElectricPaladin]

For whatever it's worth, I managed to rig the UV fixture inside the viv pretty easily. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but it's certainly better, and it wasn't that hard to do, all in all.

 

[vallone530]

Reptisun 10.0. period replace every 6 months