Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how many of you use powersuns mvb bulbs with your water dragons over fluorescent tubes.. i am just about finished with the new water dragon cage and would like to see what everyone thinks of the bulbs before i purchase them.. on my old cages i used multiple uvb fluorescents..any opinions on what you think is better would be great

alissa

Well the main problem with the flourecent UVB bulbs is they only have a effective range of 2 feet, for the UVB they need. Powersuns have about 6 feet at least. So Id with the powersun, I did, plus its cheaper then like 6 big flourescent tubes! Its hte only bulb I use, I havea basking bulb, but I rarely use it, cause it gets WAY to hot with both those suckers on.
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www.mplionhearts.com

I highly recommend powersuns. They replaced a bulb that burned out early free of charge. My dragons are so much healthier since I switched over from the tubes.

I was surprised at how little "light" they actually shed. The debate still seems to be going back and forth. I have heard people give completely contradictory information pertaining to the usefulness of the PowerSuns - but the negative appears to be speculative and anecdotal. I've also seen lots of folks rave about positive benefits to their animals - again anecdotal but if even a little true, and it benefits captive herps (that don't get full sun) - they are worthwhile. For now, I feel like I don't know enough to make a solid opinion about their performance.

They certainly aren't as bright as the big apple capture the sun bulbs, but those bulbs die after a week or two, while the powersuns last forever.
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well my cage is 4x2x5 about 300 gallons respectively.. and when i build cages this big i used to use 4 flourescents and one basking spot...do the powersuns not give of as much light as reg basking bulbs??? wouldn't you use fluorscents as extra lighting.. at least that is my plan..

alissa

I don't know what they are talking about them not being bright. When I pull up to my house it looks like I'm landing small aircrafts in my livingroom. Since your enclosure is so big you may need more than one light. Its hard to say without pics. I imagine you will have more than one basking area so spots or other MVB bulbs will probably be used. I have three different brands of MVBs and I dont notice a difference between them. I just go with whichever is the better deal. Initially they are more expensive but when you figure they could last up to 2 years and flourescents must be changed every 6 months, they are well worth it. Plus like the first responder said their range of UVB is greater and they also produce heat meaning you may not need other heat bulbs. I highly recommend them.

I use the Powersun and the T Rex 100 watt spot fort warmer days.
They are pretty cool. Essentially, a MVB is a high power fluorescent as both do have mercury in them. The only ones brighter would be high pressure sodium bulbs, LED(light emitting diodes)s and maybe metal halides, although I do not know if these give off UV of any kind. All of these, especially LEDs have lives as long as 200,000 hrs.

Whoa, more then one powersun for a 300 gallon?!?! NO!!! Bad Idea, unless you WANT it to be 120 degreese in there. Mines a 350 gallon, and the only light I have in there is the powersun. Sure you can add more flourescents, to add more color, otherwise everything gets a yellowish look, but thats about all theyd be good for. Its alot more money too though. I think 1 powersun will cover all your lighting needs, including basking, more lights, are just extras, I highly recomend you avoid another 160 watt or 100 watt basking bulb, and deffinetly not another powersun, way too much heat.
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www.mplionhearts.com

The 160 watt one. or is it 150...
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www.mplionhearts.com

When it comes to full spectrum lighting. I take the radical stance that "the emperor has no clothes!" Any bright lighting will improve the vigor and mood of your waterdragon. While natural sunlight has been proven to improve health by stimulating D3 synthesis, artificial has not been proven. Too many times I have heard of people relying on lighting to balance their lizards D3, only to end up with metabolic bone desease. A phosphorous free, calcium/D3 suppliment is a proven and far cheaper way to do this.

this is what i have been doing the past couple of years ..uvb tubes.. and dusting food every other day with calcium and d3... i am something of a worry wart on the subject of proper uvb and d3... i have different suppliments for every species of lizard i own.. i add minut doses of d3 to regular calium for the leos.. i give d3 daily to every other day to the beardies and limit d3 to the water dragons.. i also am not sure if i am ready for mvb bulbs... i always thought they gave off alot of uvb for a tropical species.. whereas they might be ok for desert animals... but i am in a quandry as of how to get uvb to every foot of the cage .. i really don't feel like wiring fluorscents in the new cage and i really don't have that option anymore as the outside facade was put on yesterday....i also agree with you that light intesity and full spectrum is most important.. at least in this instance.... but i still provide uvb of sme sort more as a security blanket and in case i slip up on suplimenting... when i started dealing with water dragons ten years ago..i did not find any product with d3 in it just a very general multi-vitamin...people keep recommending mvb and i am not so sure.. mvb has great qualities.. bright. long lasting..high uvb....but i am unsure as if it is the direction i want to go.. you make a lot of good pionts.. many of which i have already thought myself

alissa

continue to use the suppliments. The light will not cause an overdose of D3, since the waterdragons body will only synthesize what it needs. You won't find it in a multivitamin it is usually in with the Calcium suppliments. People have been saying that artifical uvb light is essential for the last 20 years and people have been buying lights even though bulbs that can produce the needed spectrum have only been around for the last 5 years, so for 15 years or more people were buying so called fulspectrum lighting that wasn't doing what they thought it was. Most studies that I have seen with regard to the current selection of available lighting suggest that most do not produce the spectrum claimed and or produce it for a limit period of the bulbs life, like the first 3-6 months. The bottom line is why bother with the expense when suppliments are proven to work? I've never used them and my dragons are fine.