Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What I should get in regards to the UVB light. and vitamins.
So here is the list off the reptile direct site.
And I would appreciate a hand.

Which one should I buy?
Might as well start with the right one.

exo terra repti glo 8.0:
33% UVA - 8% UVB - Recommended in combination with Repti~Glo

Repti Glo 5.0 Tropical Terrarium Lamp :
30% UVA - 5% UVB - - Recommended in combination with Repti~Glo -

Iguana Light 5.0 UVB:

ReptiSun 5.0 UVB

VITAMINS (which ones?)
Rep cal Phosphorous - Free Ultrafine powder
Rep cal Calcium with Vitamin D3 (5.2 oz)
Rep cal Herptivite Multivitamin
Rep cal Calcium (4.1 oz
Rep cal Bearded dragon food

Sorry to ask this because I know you have already answered it
a million times. But I am confused. Too many products
Starting with the name Repti.

Thanks, Radena

I recommend not getting repti-sun seeing as how I had mine for 3 months and it blew.I would say repti-sun 5.0 but you gotta replace it every 6 months and it has to be within 12 inches of the basking spot.

Of the strip lights you listed the Reptisun 5.0 or IguanaLight 5.0 (same bulb) beat out all the others in test after test i've seen and has proven itself for many years. If you prefer the highest UVB output though you will need to get a MercuryVapor Bulb but they are more expensive and seem much more delicate and prone to shorter life spans. For MVB's the PowerSuns seem to be the top choice. The Sun blows all of the other lights away, is free, and should not burn out for millions of years.

I was confused to, then heard about the Mecury Vapor Bulbs-the all in one! I bought the PowerSun 100 and 160 watt bulbs. They are great for uvb (note, must get a ceramic lamp fixture to put it in b/c of the temps it gets to), just need an extra heat source to get the basking temp up the proper degrees, I use a normal 100w house bulb in a walmart $5 alum lamp fixture (this is with the 100w powersun in a 40 gal breeder tank). The 160w has a 40-60 normal house bulb with it, can't remember right now.

Last thing, yes they are expensive, but so are the other uvb bulb set ups. And the warrenty says that you need to put the bulb directly over the basking site pointed straight down at the basking site b/c otherwise it will reduce the life of the bulb by putting pressure on the filiament. I bought a repti-lamp stand from zoomed to solve that problem!

Good luck.
-----
Jamie
0.0.1 corn snake (Rio)
1.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Zeus and Koda)