I've been using the Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 T5 HO for a while now but recently they have been hard to find locally. Seems most carry the Zilla Desert 50 T5. Anyone use these? Are they any good? Has anyone used a solarmeter on one? I would prefer to buy locally as I don't want to run the risk of a broken bulb and the headache of shipping back etc. Thanks.
The Zillas have had problems with their output in the past, but I don't think that's the case anymore. Unfortunately I haven't seen a T5 version of the desert 50 so haven't tested those. I've tested the T8 version and their output is pretty good. I can verify that the T5 ReptiSun 10.0 and the T5 Arcadia 12% are very good bulbs though with optimal output at 12-14'' or so for both of them.
Thanks. I ended up finding a couple local sources. The place I buy all my snakes food at can order me the Zoo Med T5s and also I live pretty close to The Bean Farm and the owner is cool with me saving the shipping and doing pickup as I have to go there anyways to pick up the big bails of aspen for my snakes anyways. Thanks for the response and i'll probably just stick with the Zoo Med T5s as I've used those a while and Harley seems pretty happy with them.