Solarglo v Arcadia Combi bulb test (latest Arcadia 160w readings page 7 onwards)

[Helen M]

After the whole megaray fiasco this is really encouraging. I'll certainly be looking into investing in one of these when I hopefully hatch these eggs I have 'cooking' at the moment.

Helen xx

[yuna1971]

I tested my year old MR with Lily under it the other week. Bulb was 15inches from top of Lilys shell and he was in the brightest spot, so took advantage of this to see what it was reading. If I remember right, it was a very respectable 127 uw/CM2. I was really happy.
But if I do replace I will get one of the Arcadias. However, not so long ago - I remember lots of people citing that the Solar Glo 125w was matching like for like with the MR and the more expensive bulbs..........
I guess then...this has burst the bubble.
xx Agree with you on the point Al, you do get what you pay for. Although.....from bulb to bulb, you will probably find the readings differ. Remember, your old Solar Glo 125w was performing well. Sometimes, it is just whatever comes out of the batch the retailer holds. Whilst one person might find the performance is rubbish, another will say that theirs is performing very well. xxxx

[Alan1]

Aye Rach, I was told by FB at uvguide.co.uk that the MV bulbs are wildy erratic in what the give out in UVB. The thing about the Arcadia is that they claim (I think on the box, it will be in one of the original threads about them) around 180 uW/CM2. This Solarglo is showing 39 directly below the bulb, take it well away from there and it is showing 48 someone else had a bulb that was putting the UV out sideways. 127 is good for yours. I had a Megaray that was away over 100 and it blew which left me with the 'dud' one that was only about 70 to start with

[16 shells]

Thank's for the info Alan, i think the Arcadia has a good light spectrum as well, this could be putting up against an old combined. I need to get a meter and test my own, as we know some of these bulb's vary. I wonder if email the Solarglow peep's and saying it is not doing what it say's on the tin . I suspect no reply.

[sarah]

Werid i i tested my solarglow and it was at 120 with my new reader
Do you think you had a bad solarglow?

[16 shells]

Solar Glow, Trex, Megaray, have all come in eratic reading's on the UV guide.

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by sarah

Werid i i tested my solarglow and it was at 120 with my new reader
Do you think you had a bad solarglow?

Yes I think it's duff, however they do not guarantee the UVB to be of a specific amount, only that the light will light up for 6 months. As I said somewhere, I had 2 new megarays, one was showing about 130 and the other was only showing 70.

Do you not fancy selling the Arcadia MV bulbs Sarah, you sell Arcadia stuff already don't you? It's a really good light it gives off. Frances Baines at uv guide tested one and rated it highly. 1 year guarantee too.

Incidentally, one of my other Solarglos which I'd used for about 3 months before I got my solarmeter went from around 70 (at 3 months old) down to around 50 a couple of months later but then stayed around that range for the next 6 months or so

[Alan1]

Well after 3 days use the UVB output on the Solarglo has dropped to only 20 uW/CM2, pretty much worthless. How many people are buying bulbs without realising they are of no use other than to provde light and heat - and remember, the UVB output is not guaranteed only the lighting up of the bulb

[Bindi]

Loving my Arcadia 160w. Lovely bright light, not excessively hot, no flickering and it doesn't cut out. Of course, i don't know exactly what the UV output is, I don't have a meter.

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by Bindi

Loving my Arcadia 160w. Lovely bright light, not excessively hot, no flickering and it doesn't cut out. Of course, i don't know exactly what the UV output is, I don't have a meter.

they state (on the box I think) around 180 Bindi, the other manufacturers don't do this. you still won't be able to tell for sure though. Can't you lend one off someone?