Mega-Ray 70W Mercury Vapor UVB Bulb — Leopard & Crested Geckos, Corn Snakes, Anoles & Red-Footed Tortoises
$48.95
🏆 Proven 10-Year Track Record– The original Mega-Ray design
📉 Slow UVB decay – independently measured at just 15% loss after a year (UV Guide UK)
☀️ Natural Sunlight Simulation – Prevents metabolic bone disease
✍ Self-Ballasted Design – No external ballast needed
🛡️ Magnesium Oxide Inner Coating – Mega-Ray’s translucent coating design
🇩🇪 Made in Germany – Free US shipping and a 6-month warranty
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- 6 Month Warranty
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Description
Not sure this is the right wattage? See which Mega-Ray bulb your reptile needs →
New to mercury vapor bulbs? Read how they work, which wattage and how far away → — the self-ballasted design, the full distance table for all four bulbs, fixture rules and what independent testing measured.
Is the 70W the right bulb for you?
The 70W is the short-distance bulb. Its whole useful range sits between 6″ and 12″ from the animal’s back, which is shorter than many lamp stands put a bulb — so measure before you buy rather than after. It suits shade dwellers and smaller enclosures: animals that want a modest, well-defined patch of UV rather than an open-sun basking site.
| Bulb face to the animal’s back | UVB at that distance | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6″ | Above the intended range | Too close — raise the lamp |
| 6–12″ | ~150–200 µW/cm² at the near end, 50–70 at the far end | The 70W’s working range |
| 8–10″ | — | Optimum |
| Over 12″ | Below useful UVB | Step up to the 100W |
Animals: corn snakes, leopard geckos, crested geckos and anoles (Mega-Ray’s “shade dweller” group); red-footed tortoises, skinks and Chinese water dragons sit in the 70–100W band, so measure and let the distance decide.
Fixture: a ceramic socket rated above 70 watts — Mega-Ray requires a fixture rated for more wattage and voltage than the bulb. A standard 150W reptile clamp lamp is adequate for the 70W provided the socket is ceramic.
Screen tops: a mesh lid removes 20–40% of the light, heat and UVB passing through it. With only 12″ of range to work with, that matters more on the 70W than on any other bulb — mount the lamp over an opening where you can.
📉 Independently tested
UV Guide UK measured a self-ballasted Mega-Ray at −15% UVB after one year and −17% after 18 months of daily use, where other mercury vapor lamps in the same test series lost 60–70% in their first 100 hours. The glass blocks everything below 295 nm — no UVC — and the inner coating throws a wider beam than a standard PAR38. (F. Baines, UV Guide UK, 2006 and 2014.) We still recommend replacing every 6–12 months, or when your Solarmeter says so.
In the BIAZA UV-Tool (Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 2016 — a peer-reviewed assessment of 24 reptile lamps co-authored by Chester Zoo, Marwell, ZSL, Durrell and Bristol Zoo), the Mega-Ray 100W and 160W are rated as able to provide a suitable UV Index for all four Ferguson zones, one of only five lamps in the table to do so. Read the paper. See every measurement, the methods and their limits, on our test-results page.
🔬 Technical Specifications
| Wattage | 70 Watts |
|---|---|
| Bulb Type | Self-Ballasted PAR-38 Narrow Flood |
| UVB Coverage | 30″ circumference at 20″ distance |
| Minimum Safe Distance | 12 inches from reptile’s head |
| Recommended Replacement | Every 6-12 months |
| Suitable For | 🦎 Shade dwellers: (i.e. corn snakes, leopard/crested geckos, burmese pythons, anoles) |
| Voltage | 120V (North America) |
Important Safety Information
- Must use wire dome fixture only – Plastic fixtures can melt
- Maintain minimum 12″ distance from reptile’s head when basking
- Allow 15 minutes cool-down before moving if accidentally bumped
- Use with Solarmeter 6.5 for optimal UVB monitoring (recommended)
DISTANCE
70 watt: MINIMUM : distance of 6” will produce approximately 150-200 microwatts per square centimeter (uW/cm2) of UVB and 900-1200 uW/cm2 of UVA. MAXIMUM: distance setting of 12” will produce 50-70 microwatts uW/cm2 of UVB. OPTIMUM: distance: 8-10”.
The MegaRay Mercury Vapor Self Ballasted Bulbs are professional bulbs and should be respected as such. All too often our clients mistake “minimum distance” with “optimum distance”. As an example, the 100 watt bulb can be used between 12-20” (3050 cm) but 14-16” seems to suite most species of reptiles (including turtles and tortoises). Screens will deflect 20-40% of the light, heat (infrared) and UVB.
HUSBANDRY
Vegetations creating spotted sunlight are another consideration of distance. Know your species. Do research. Always consider more distance and additional heat, as needed, along with proper humidity and airflow. Basking distance is measured from the lamp face to the basking distance or the reptile for optimum UVB and heat. If the husbandry is set up PROPERLY, ALL animals can use our bulbs.
FIXTURES
All of our bulbs require a ceramic base and require a higher amount of wattage and voltage than the bulb you need. An example: you need a 100 watt 120 volt bulb, the fixture needs to hold over 100 watts for the best results.
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