Habitat - Indoor :: Measuring basking area temperature

[Spookster]

I just thought i'd throw in a tip on measuring the basking area temperature. I discovered a flaw in the way I was measuring it which was giving me false readings.

I have a wooden above tank basking area with a stone tile. I measure the temperature with a digital thermometer with remote probe. I originally was measuring the temperture by laying the probe on the stone tile. I now realize that was giving me a significantly higher temperature reading. So now I hang the probe a couple inches above the stone tile and now I am getting a more accurate reading.

[jenaero]

Makes sense. I usually measure it by putting the thermometer at the same height the turt's shell would be.

[marisa]

I would think that the stone would absorb heat, making the reading hotter than it would normally be. Putting it on something the size of your turtle would do the same thing as keeping the probe a few inches above the stone.

[Sheba]

I'm confused here, I'm measuring the same way and even if the surface temperature is hotter, (which mine is significantly) isn't that what the turtle actually has contact with? My surface is at about 95 and an inch or so above comes out about 82. Auugh.

[marisa]

Ideally, you'd want to measure from where the top of the shell is (why putting the thermometer on something the same height as your turtle is good)--that's where the heat is felt first. If you're using a rock for a basking area, especially a dark one, it will absorb the heat and the surface may be warmer than the temp when measured higher. In the extreme, I would think it would be something like a heat rock, which isn't recommended for turts--too much heat from below can damage internal organs.

[Sheba]

I have one of the Zoo med floating turtle docks which she is on constantly, with a red heat 100 watt lamp about 5-6 inches from her. It seems like that isn't warm enough if its only producing 82 temperature. any suggestions?

[marisa]

100-watts of heat lamp 5-6 inches away sounds like it should be awfully hot. You're not using a dome reflector are you? It would be way too hot at that distance...

Also, this can't be the spot light, it must be the regular incandescent...

[Sheba]

This is such a learning process. What I have is a small 5.5" metal clip lamp and the bulb is a reptile red heat 100 watt incandescent red basking light. It really doesn't feel very hot. You'd think she'd be in the water more if it were too hot and only once have I seen her doing the flying thing. And as I've said the thermometer only registers about 80-82 when hung at about her height, so I'm suspicious its not warm enough. Then again I don't want to try her, but I guess she'd move then. (Hopefully). As a child we had a horrible incident with lightbulbs and baby chicks but lets not go there.

[reptilegrrl]

What I have is a small 5.5" metal clip lamp and the bulb is a reptile red heat 100 watt incandescent red basking light. It really doesn't feel very hot. You'd think she'd be in the water more if it were too hot and only once have I seen her doing the flying thing. And as I've said the thermometer only registers about 80-82 when hung at about her height, so I'm suspicious its not warm enough. Then again I don't want to try her, but I guess she'd move then. (Hopefully). As a child we had a horrible incident with lightbulbs and baby chicks but lets not go there.

Those aren't very hot. The best to get are the ones that make a tight beam- a focused beam of light. Something like this: basking spot lamp. Zoo Med are not the only people that make them, that's just an example. Lights like that put out a LOT of focused heat. Aquatic turtles and basking lizards love them.

Good luck!

[cam722]

Heck instead of spending all that money on one of those heat lamps just use a regular household bulb. The wattage will depend on the size of the tank and the distance from the basking area. You do also need a UVB bulb.

[reptilegrrl]

The focused heat lamps are better than an ordinary household bulb, imo, especially since the OP is not getting good hot results with a "normal" bulb. If a plain red bulb is not doing much, then a "normal" bulb won't either.

[Spookster]

The focused heat lamps are better than an ordinary household bulb, imo, especially since the OP is not getting good hot results with a "normal" bulb. If a plain red bulb is not doing much, then a "normal" bulb won't either.

Actually I was the OP (Original Poster) and I was just providing tips on measuring basking temperatures which is what the topic is about.

[Sheba]

Sorry about that, guess I should have opened a new one. I was scanning looking for this answer and the title jumped out as just what I was looking for.

[marisa]

Personally, I prefer the incandescent lights over the spots, especially at higher wattages, because it's a gentler light. And if you buy the bulbs that are used for track lights, for example, the backs and sides are frosted so the light is aimed downward.

I'm still confused here...Sheba is the reflector dome 5.5 inches in diameter?

[Sheba]

Yes, the dome is 5.5 in diameter.