Metal Halide Lighting.

[gillsy]

Hi,

This is a question for people who have used metal halide lighting.

I want to use it in my new enclosure to ensure that I get UV lighting down to ground level which is 3ft down to water level and another 1ft water , but also want to make sure that at between 0-1 foot that they don’t fry the snakes.

I’m planning on a Metail Halide light at 70w at either 10/15/20 000K.

Can anyone give me any information, which is the best to use. I would want something which is white light and the closest to sunlight.

Thanks

 

[gillsy]

Bit like that.

 

[Renagade]

daylight is 5600 degrees kalvin.

 

[Shannon]

I don't know a whole lot on Metal Halide yet, only that they are still being tested for manufacture to include UVB for reptile use. Once refined they will be the best whole lighting/heating option available for larger enclosures.

Where I get my UVB MegaRays from will release one very soon -
http://www.reptileuv.com/megaray-metal-halide-uvb.php

This page includes diagrams which you may find very useful. The diagrams were produced by a friend of my in the UK, Frances Baines, her extremely informative website independently tests many of the words 'UV' producing lamps. Her website is -

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/

 

[gillsy]

Thanks Shannon,

Any idea about heat output, as the water will be heated for the turtles mainly for UV, but the green tree snakes will be using the enclosure as well want to make sure it's not going to fry them at the top.

 

[Hsut77]

Gillsy, the globes get pretty hot but the heat disapates about 30cm away from the globe. You could look at getting a vented housing (cool tube) for the globe. It has a fan and draws in cool air to stop over heating. 70 watts shouldn't get too hot though. I assume you will have some sort of guard/spacer between the snakes and globe.

 

[gillsy]

The whole roof will be made of mesh therfor open.

And the globe will be on that, heats fine as the GTS will go up to it.

I just want the UV to reach the turtle dock for the turts, apparently there is no issues with MH lighting for this.

 

[spongebob]

Why metal halide when there is not a reptile specific UVB MH lamp on the market as yet?

Mercury vapour would better meet your needs

 

[gillsy]

I though they were the same thing, do you have a link about Mercury vapour.

 

[Shannon]

Read my review of the MegaRay Mercury Vapor here -

http://web.mac.com/breadnbutterdesign/%5BCND%5D/MegaRay_Lamp_Review.html

Also check out - http://www.reptileuv.com/why-use-megaray.php

Since the GTS can roam closer to the lamp be very careful with UVB -
they should not be exposed to more than they would naturally and must
have a way of avoiding it if necessary.

I strongly recommend getting a Solarmeter 6.2 so you can accurately
measure UVB emission and therefore place the the lamp correctly.

It should also be noted that in addition to UVB,
heat is necessary for vitamin D3 synthesis &
therefore calcium absorption.

So providing UVB without any way for the reptile to thermoregulate
to is preferred body temperature is useless.

That means if you have a long fluro tube the reptile is not utilizing the UVB except at the basking spot -
it's simply proving additional light for your enclosure!

AND, if you have your UVB source separate to your heat source/basking spot -
it's doing absolutely nothing!

 

[spongebob]

What species are you trying to illuminate?

 

[gillsy]

Thanks Shannon, this is only going to be on a small point at one end of a 4ft high x 3ft long x 2ft deep enclosure, with plants and branches.

It's to provide UV requiments for turtles at a height of 3ft as per the diagram.

The bottom 1ft of the 4ft enclosure is water, the top 3ft is a 'rain forest habitat' wih green tree snakes.

 

[spongebob]

Oz bright or similar

 

[gillsy]

the site that shannon and one other person has recommended says they can cause issues with their eyes.

I might wait until i can afford a uv meter so I can check readings.

It was going to be a while before i put turtles in anyway going to let the greens settle first. Might even put a macleay's water snake in instead of turtles.

I've email the website for more information anyhow.

 

[gillsy]

thanks sponge

 

[JKretzs613]

Hello

Hello,

I agree. So far, Bobmac has not released the Metal Halide UVB kit for use as of yet. Other metal halide lights do not emit UVB, or if they do, it is such a small fraction of emission that it is not worth talking about.
The Megarays are your best bet. They have been proven safe, & very effective. Unless you have them too close or don't allow enough area for them to thermoregulate, then they should not have any problems with them.
I have not seen any problems with the eyes with use of the Megaray. The eye problems come into play when there is not enough bright white light used in conjunction with a compact, coil or a flourescent tube light UVB. They are very hard on the eyes when the brightness factor is not met.
Very true, it is basically worthless to provide UVB with no heat, or heat with no UVB, & worse to provide calcium with no UVB as they wont absorb it with no UVB exposure. They need heat to process everything & to properly excrete uric acid.
I would go with a Megaray SB, or an EB. They do a zoo quality which has to be 3 feet away for use. Just measure everything properly & read his website to determine which one you need.
France Baines has a great write up & review on the Megaray on her site, as well. Good luck.

Tracie

 

[gillsy]

thanks tracie my only concern is not the turtles but the green tree snakes will be able to get under the bulb at a distance of about 4/5 cm to bask. There will be plenty of room for them to escape the light i'm just worried that the close exposure will do damage.

 

[hugsta]

You're in a catch 22 Gillsy, you may have to look at having a source of UVB lower for the turts. If you built a platform part way down and mounted a UVB light under it you would not only create a basking area for the turts, but a heated area above for the GTS.

Just a thought.

Cheers
Daz

 

[gillsy]

Yeah have thought of that but it's made of glass and the back is universal rock.

I don't want to have anything in the tank all the filtration is through bulk heads so no pipes really internally. I'd rather scrap the turtles then having something in the tank.

I'm might be giving keelbacks or macleay's a go to so the water will be 'busy' might just scrap the turtles or have them on a rotation with ones outside.

 

[Chimera]

It should also be noted that in addition to UVB,
heat is necessary for vitamin D3 synthesis &
therefore calcium absorption.

So providing UVB without any way for the reptile to thermoregulate
to is preferred body temperature is useless.

A point that is so frequently missed when designing keeping systems.

Gillsy, perhaps a compact fluro mounted horizontally halfway down the enclosure would be an idea. This would radiate UV down to the turtles and up to the GTS. If you are using a tank this could be achieved by hooking a piece of wood with the fitting, light and cage to the back of the enclosure.