MVB Users. Lets Chat.

[taransteve]

We started using the Powersun a few years ago after Zues got sick and at the time, MVB's we're "the" light to have..
after we started using the MVB we did noticed a big difference in Zues. His colors and activity level we're much improved but sadly he still wouldn't eat on his own. After we got Suezy
we had been using the Powersun for over a year with Zues and never had any problems so we used the same in her viv... they last alooong time!

But.. now she's having an eye problem and we're really not %100 sure that it's not from the light.. she's going to the Vet today.

 

[EmJagsz]

I've been interested in trying out MVBs for a while now, but I'm just starting to do research on them. I haven't been able to decide which one I would go with to try if I decided to try them out. Suggestions?

I have a 40 gal breeder, tile substrate, basking spot can be adjusted to be lower, but right now he can get within about 6 inches to his basking light at the closest.

 

[h2simms]

I currently have 1 solar glo and 2 more for the babies. I like the first one on my female and I decided I want the babies on them too! I one hundred percent recommand them! I also am using a reptisun and like those two! But I ordered a megaray and it burned out so I decided to hold off on the $60 bulb but I will be ordering another some time in a few months!

Trent

 

[christyh]

I first tried the T-Rex (because I incorrectly thought those were the Mega-rays.. didn't realize they were two different bulbs)... and my Beardie became less active and kept his eyes closed. So i then tried the Reptile-UV mega-ray bulb in which his color seemed to improve and at first more active but then again the eyes closed all the time and less activity.

So I got a repti-sun 10.0 and regular UVA basking light and he is doing much much better now. Even more color and as active as he was when I adopted him from craigslist....

So I have two expensive light bulbs i only used for a month! But its worth it to get the right setting for my beardie! I adopted another one off craigslist and got him the repti-sun 10.0 right away and she is doing great too.

Christy

 

[vickson420]

Hmm very interesting and loaded topic
I am and have been for years a pretty die hard MVB fan although I will admit being a victim of the current MVB crisis has been very trying on my beliefs.It caused my alot of grief. I am still howver using them.Currenty I am using the solar glo and the new TRex Standard UVB and they have been working like a charm.There are many positives to using MVB bulbs IF used correctly in the right environment. First off hands down an MVB bulb will emit the highest quality UVB you can found short of harnessing the power of the sun.The UVB emissions are what brought me to the MVB in the first place.When I first switched over there was an allmost instant increase in appetite and energy.Also it brought out the most amazing colors on my animals.Any of you who have seen Drago can see what a vibrant yellow/tangerine he is but that did not happen until he was under an MVB prior to this he was a much more subdued shade of beiges and yellows.While the color itself is not so all important it does show to me proof that they are reaching their health potential.I also liked the idea of knowing that the UVB was right on top of them while basking and loved the color spectrum the light gives off.The need to only replace once ayear was another positive for me and while it does cost more in electricity I did save in regards to purchase price of the bulb so basically I gave up one for another.

With all that said however if the two leading bulb manufacturers of MVB's do not get it together soon I may have no choice but to switch back to the tube as my one and only reason for using it is to give my animals the most optimal lighting possible.I dont know if anyone can honestly say that when built correctly an MVB bulb will run circles around a tube fluorescent in regards to UVB emissions but if that is no longer going to be the case then I also will no longer see the point in using them.
Just to give you and idea of the color change I was referring to I want to show you pics of Drago before and after"
Before:

after:

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

Thats A big diff V.
Now Im wondering what my colorful poopers will look like under a MVB...lol
My trouble is that my tanks are only 16 to 18 inches high. So all bulbs go on the inside, and being meleme they hold heat well.
My luck I will try 1 and cook my pooper...lol

 

[beardie parents]

Tom, if you want, you could try the system we decided to go with. We got the 60 watt eb mega ray setup. The reson we did is because of the heat problems the 100 watt trex caused. The 60 mega ray puts out the same uvb as the 100 watt with little or no heat, so you do need an additional heat bulb but you can control the heat much better with those. We have had this one one for close to a month and it has improved their appetites, even tho Rosie still doesn't have the appetite I think she should she still has an improved appetite from when we were using the t-rex 100 watt (one year of use as of March 18, 2010).

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

hmmmmmmmmm

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

To wire up all 14 of my breeder tanks with the 60 eb system will run me about 1200 dollars....lol

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Tom unless you wanna trade tanks for a bit just to try it out.

 

[h2simms]

Hey vickson, are u using the "economy" trex bulb that is around $30? Because I can't find any reviews on it! If not does anybody use them?

 

[fresnowitte]

Okay just found this thread....Tom you an I have spoke a little about this on the phone.

Okay I've used MVB's for the entire 7 to 8 years that I've owned beardies. First off I too was a die-hard MVB user. I was told by vets that this was the best to use. I started out years ago with the PowerSun's...however the 100watt was to small for a few of the larger viv's that I'd purchase during that time and the 160watt was to much. So I started using the 125watt Exo-terra Solar Glo's which got a good report from Frances Baines. I had continued to use one Powersun 100watt in a smaller viv until I purchased one of the defective ones when they made the change and nearly lost a beardie due to this...thank god I know what to look for. The solar glo's worked great for years until around the beginning of Winter last year. When I realized they were not putting off as much heat as they did in the past...leaving me with needing to add an additional light for heat....which basically defeats the purpose of 2 in 1 heat and UVB. Then I noticed that the quality of the bulb had decreased greatly. One out of every 5 was defective in one way or another. Some of the issues I could visibly see with them were that the thread portion of the bulb was coming loose, there were several imperfections in the glass(like thin spots, dimples, and bubbles). I heard that many of these bulbs were now being made in Mexico where they can be for much cheaper(just hear say). I was about to change to the Mega-ray when they started having issues so my next choice was the T-rex and they started having issues. I had never used a Reptisun so decided to give it a try on last years babies. We were so dually impressed that we decided to change the remaining 10+ viv's with the Reptisuns. What I noticed when we change was all beardies began to bask much more than ever before including Z&W and their appetites improved immensely. Let me also add that my electricity bill dropped an average of $70 a month. I no longer need to worry about power outages or spikes taking out my UVB bulbs. Which this can kill a MVB.

Tom stick to the Reptisuns! :wink:

 

[vickson420]

Hey vickson, are u using the "economy" trex bulb that is around $30? Because I can't find any reviews on it! If not does anybody use them?

Yes I am currently testing them out but not long enough to advise anyone on if the should or should not use them.The temps are good and I am not having any issues but that is about all I can say right now.I have no idea how long they will last or the exact UVB emissions as of yet.

 

[h2simms]

O ok, thanks because I think there better than the solar glo's but I haven't tried them yet.

 

[vickson420]

Well I am using both and the solar glos I am using are working quite well and UVB emissions have already been documented so they are ok to use.