Question About MVB Bulbs and Extra Lights

Im currently researching to build a bigger cage for my IG. Few questions

1. Ive been reading about mvb bulb and some people say its better because it kills two birds with one stone. I thought the idea was to have a UVB bulb near the food and a heat lamp away from the food. If this is true is it okay to run a MVB bulb and the food away from it so it wouldnt get dryed out??

2. Would It harm my Iguana if I ran a extra light for atheistic purposes say a single blue neon bulb per say. Not trying to turn my cage into a rave club just wondering if I could.

3. Do they make MVB bulbs that dont put out massive amounts of light simliar to some heat lamps ive seen?

Originally Posted by bword

Im currently researching to build a bigger cage for my IG. Few questions

1. Ive been reading about mvb bulb and some people say its better because it kills two birds with one stone. I thought the idea was to have a UVB bulb near the food and a heat lamp away from the food. If this is true is it okay to run a MVB bulb and the food away from it so it wouldnt get dryed out??

2. Would It harm my Iguana if I ran a extra light for atheistic purposes say a single blue neon bulb per say. Not trying to turn my cage into a rave club just wondering if I could.

3. Do they make MVB bulbs that dont put out massive amounts of light simliar to some heat lamps ive seen?

The MVB lamps such as "Megarays" and similar produce heat and light. The idea is to use this as the basking area, but if you put the foods directly under them they will dry up quicker than if you put the food on in the cooler spots. Depending on the size of the enclosure, you may need to install extra lighting, such as the Repti sun 2-0 fluorescent tube, low in UVB but close to natural daylight, (they only emmit light. not heat), or the daylight bulbs, but those only last a few weeks, as apposed to 6 to 9 months with the the tubes, (12 months for the Megaray).

Bulb placement really has nothing to do with where the food is. It needs to be where the basking is. this link can answer more of your questions

Welcome To ReptileUV - Mega-Ray® UVB lamps for reptile lighting worldwide

Originally Posted by kenman1963

Bulb placement really has nothing to do with where the food is. It needs to be where the basking is. this link can answer more of your questions

Welcome To ReptileUV - Mega-Ray® UVB lamps for reptile lighting worldwide

If you put a 275watt Megaray close to the foods,they will dry up VERY quickly, because of the ammount of heat. (The 160w has a min distance of 12 inches from the animal, the 275w 21 inches).

does the mvb bulb produce an insane amount of light?

No not really, probably the same amount as a standard light bulb or flood light of equal wattage. Save yourself time and money and do it right the first time around, go with a MVB of your choice and a 2.0 tube light.

im sorry geo 2.0 tube light?

how far away should I build the top stair from the lid/lights

and does anyone have a suggestion on a roof mesh vs screen?

Sorry, like a repti glo 2.0 fluorescent tube light. As for the MVB light anywhere between 12 and 18 inches, whatever the manufacture recommends. And a mesh top like a screen door blocks the majority of UVB so I'd go with something with bigger spacing for the light to get through.

ive seen some people just mount/screw the fixtures to the roof on the inside and there is no screen. Can I just do that?

Yes you can, providing you can make sure your IG cannot come into contact with the bulb. You are actually better off without the screen as it will filter UV, though the larger the screening the less filtering. I would still enclose it in the large mesh screening just to be on the safe side. You really do not want to deal with a major burn injury.