megaray/Arcadia /help

[worm]

Hi i have always used megaray 120w combined lamp as recommended on here, my hermann is now 5 ! I'm getting 2 more hermanns soon and need to sort another setup to quarantine them.Anyway after a break from this site its amazing how much has changed,using pellets, not hibernating ......!!!! Are Arcadia the ones to go for now ???100w or 160 w and if so which reflecter do i use with it ? Trying to find answers i came across the post debating whether uvb lamps are needed! confused.com!

[Ozric Jonathan]

Well the megaray lamps had some problems and then they were re-introduced. The present megaray lamps are made in Germany and they work quite well but their reputation hasnt recovered. In my opinion there is a lot to be said for them but arcadia do seem the most popular. In my own experience arcadia are very reliable and last a long time. Unless your enclosure is very small the 160w is the one to go for. The lower powered one does work but only over s small area and the heat off it is less than you would expect.
There are very good tubes now - also arcadia. The T5 12% tubes give out high uvb but no heat. Those tuned with some halogen lighting for heat is one option if you shift away from mvb.
Some keepers rely on neutrobal for D3 and don't provide uv at all but I reckon that is s small minority.
Lots of people are plugging pellets on here now but many people use them only when there is no other food. In reality lots of keepers here still dislike pellets but they tend to keep their heads down.

[Ozric Jonathan]

I wasn't entirely convinced by the arcadia stuff at first but I am now. At one stage it looked like metal halide lighting was going to take over but very few people like them. In my opinion the technology wasn't ready for the mass market and the halides have blown their chance.

Mvb can still be a great way to go but a product as good as some of the old megarays is not available now. The arcadia mvb lamps were designed to give off less heat. In a lot of setups another source of heat is required alongside them but it all depends on your background temp.

I won't comment on hibernation. Some of us are exhausted and bored by the arguments that go back and forth.

Hope this helps a bit. Someone will be on shortly to say everything I have written is rubbish. It's maybe a good thing that there is very little consensus on here regarding these subjects.

[anol03]

Hi!
I am using two mega ray 160w and I am very happy with them, 1.5 years and still going strong.
And i have just bought a Solar Raptor UVB HID-lampa 50 W Spot-Beam set, works perfeclty, very bright light but not as warm as the two 160w so might be good to have another heat source as well.
Br
Anders

[Ozric Jonathan]

The solar raptor HID looks interesting but I don't think there is a UK version yet.

[Arcadiajohn]

Hi,

We are launching a group of halide products early next year, Fully tested by Frances and an unbelievable source of light and UVB and very energy efficient. But just like M.V it has a limited footprint.

It is still advisable to follow our M.V guide lines and use them alongside T5.

Have a read here for more of an explanation http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/wp-co..._PRK_Oct12.pdf

I'm happy to help if you need further advice

John

[Ozric Jonathan]

Sounds like the metal halides might come good after a dodgy start......I do like a new light to try.