ReptiSun question - 10.0 tube 18" brand new?

[blondie098]

Ok, I've been around the boards for a little while now, and have really read up on the lighting issues. I would not call myself an expert, but have taken notes on all the lighting issues to give my two proper husbandry.

We use the PowerSun MVB UVB bulbs, 100watt for each enclosure, in the deep-dome fixtures. Well, last time we ordered lights, we got two of the ReptiSun 10.0 UVB bulbs (tubes) for "emergency" purposes incase an MVB ever went bad, got broken, etc. When we rescued Xena last December, she had a hood fixture with a Glo, so we tossed that but kept the fixture.

Well, that day came, Crash's bulb started acting funny yesterday. We turned it on, and it came on, then went off, then on-off-on-off cycling. No funny smells, not sure if its the fixture or the bulb. We shut it down immediately, don't want to endanger my baby.

So out comes the strip fixture from under his tank (we've got his tank on one of the wooden enclosed fishtank stands so we can hide all our extra "beardie stuff" supplies / hornworm breeding supplies) -- we hook it up, and he looks at us funny.

First, it's giving off a purplish color? In know we're used to the MVB, but it just looks really a weird color!

Secondly, Crash decided after breakfast to lay on his water bowl right under this strip light. Ok, it's supposed to be one of the good bulbs -- so we left him alone ... a couple hours later, he looked nearly lethargic?! What the heck? I reached in and petted him, he barely opened his eyes. Shut down the new strip light immediately and hugged my soggy-bellied baby.

Third, he perked up within 10 minutes of me shutting off the lamp! Could I have a bad bulb? It's brand new, we purchased it from petmountain. Does the time of ownership go from purchase date? Or plug-in date?

 

[spurlee01]

Some times my light will do the flickering when it comes on. At times this may last like 15 seconds. It has always started to work though. The ligh is sort of purplish- but not majorly. Just to be sure, you are using a basking light along with it right? Last, beardies do take time to adjust to new light. I've noticed people seeing similar issues with beardies for a week or so after switching from the reptisun to the arcadia (in the UK of course). I think I've heard a week without UVB when you're switching lights can be good. I have used the reptisun 10.0 with my girl the entire time I've had her and have not had any problems.
Sara

 

[blondie098]

my PowerSun Mercury Vapor Bulb is the one that was doing the on-off-on-off -- that's why we weren't sure if it was the bulb or the deep-dome fixture.

The strip light came on right away, but was the purplish coloring. Crash just was not his normal self after a couple hours of the new lamp, and he was right under it. It was about 16" above him (the package says 20" by the way, I know mods have said 6" before for strips?), he's in a 40 breeder (36x18x16). So we shut it down & he perked up within 10 minutes to his "normal self".

We had bought the strip figuring we ordered a bunch of other stuff, and if we were paying shipping from CA anyway, what's another $20 for the light (well, we bought 2, just incase one broke during ship, doesn't hurt to have the spare bulb we figured).

So the purplish is normal? I've seen pics of people's enclosures and they look so brightly lit up with the ReptiSun 10.0 -- mine didn't seem to put out much brightness at all, I would classify it as "dim".

Yes, both cages have additional lampa for heat, we've got the husbandry down pretty good since joining this site last year. We have a dual-temp digital thermo that gives us instant reads, we have the thermo that heating contractors use. This light episode just happened to be a new thing, and he didn't act the way we've always known him to act.

Traci / Gina / Diane / Vicki -- is the "age" based on when you buy the bulb? Or when you first plug it in?

 

[spurlee01]

The UVB light by itself does look purplish but once you turn the basking light on it's fine. I'm almost 100% positive the "date" of the bulb is from the time you turn it on. We also keep extra bulbs on hand "just in case" and wouldn't do this if they had to be replaced 6 months from the purchase date.
Sara

 

[diamc]

Hi there, what wattage basking bulb are you using, it is a white one, right? Is it right alongside the Repti-Sun? Do you have a hood that allows for the UVB to go right down in the viv or is the hood open causing the rays to penetrate from the sides as well as the bottom? Could you post a pic of the way the tank is now?

The fluorescents don't give off bright white light, more a muted tone. The 6 mo date is from when you start using it.

 

[blondie098]

Thanks, Diane -- we think we've nailed it down to the PowerSun bulb going bad, it cycles but won't fully come on now. Swapped a regular basking bulb in there, and it worked fine (and another bulb, too) -- so we are pretty certain the dome is ok. The bulb is 8 mos old, so technically should have 4 months left.

So we gave Xena's PS to Crash, and put the strip light on Xena (she was used to those before we got her, even tho her other owners used a horrible bulb for her)... She sat under it for about an hour, then went and hid under her cave. We're going to give it another day or so to see if she likes it, but ordered 2 Mega-Ray's anyway. (we like the MVB because of the heat factor!)

Does anyone know how the warranty works on the PowerSun MVB's? We had bought that particular one 8 months ago, thru our vet (paid about $60) before we found petmountain -- if it's warrantable, I'd like to get the replacement to have a "spare"... do we contact our vet? Or the mfg? I still have the box it came in, as well as the vet bill to prove date of purchase.

 

[spurlee01]

My boyfriend had a reptisun 10.0 burn out after 2 months and called zoo med directly and they replaced it without any problems.
Sara