I was advised that there is a light controller you can get that is not dictated by the length of the bulb but rather by the wattage, the example they gave is in the UK. http://www.arcadia-uk.info/product.php?pid=74&mid=12&lan=en&sub=&id=4 Do I have to go through them if they ship to the US or is there a US side option? I would so love to be able to use any length bulb as long as it was the same wattage. If anyone can help I would be so grateful! Then I could use my 15 inch bulb and not feel I wasted time and money getting it.
I have that same exo terra controller and I like it. The light comes on sometime between 7am and 7:30 and goes off between 9pm and 9:30 it has settings for 10, 12, or 14 hour daytime settings. The only con to it is that you HAVE to use 2 bulbs. Which is fine for me cause I had plans of using in 2 vivs but I haven't got my other viv yet so I have a bulb on with no use for it yet.
Using 2 different bulbs is fine as long as the wattage difference isn't more than 10%. Some people use a full spectrum fluorescent to add additional light to their vivs without adding extra heat. The full spectrum will also help bring out their colors more.