Habitat - Indoor :: Basking temp problem

[Brianthedog18]

I just measured the temp of my basking ramp, and it came out to 100 degrees!! I know it's supposed to be 85-90, how can I fix that?

[flutterby]

Move the lights further away from the platform.

[Brianthedog18]

can I put it on a diff side of the tank and just point it at the dock? Also, forgot to ask, my turtle is 4 inches and the water temp is 78ish...is that OK, and how do I lower it if it's not?

[marisa]

What kind of light is it? A combination mercury vapor light (gives off both UVA and UVB)? Or, are you using a separate UVB light along with a heat lamp?

How big is your tank?

[Brianthedog18]

20 gallon, and it is a combo lamp

[steve]

75-78 is good. if you have a water heater, you should be able to adjust it.

20 gallons is way too small.

[Brianthedog18]

Ok, I moved the bulb about 10" away from the basking spot, and it was still around 100 degrees. So, I just moved it across the tank, so it's about 15" away right now. (I have a 100 Watt combo bulb, and I can't get another one...they're like $80!!)

[marisa]

This is why combination mercury vapor lights aren't recommended for small tanks like a 20 gallon--the temp is too hot and it's extremely difficult to provide a temperature gradient in the tank. (The MVB combo lights are good, but they're more for tanks that are 50 gallons and up.)

Is this a T-Rex Active UVHeat bulb? If so, the optimal distance from the basking area is 12 inches. The further away it is from the turtle, the strength of the UVB rays he receives is reduced. When I used a 100-watt Active UVBHeat light in a 50-gallon Rubbermaid, I had to hang it about 14 inches above the basking area. (They should be vertically hung in a ceramic socket.)

[Brianthedog18]

Yes, it is a T-Rex Active UV Heat, and I have it in a ceramic clamp, but I have no way of hanging it, but it is still about that distance away, so it should be OK. I didn't know they were for larger tanks though, doesn't say it anywhere. I would replace it, but they're incredibly expensive, besides, it is still doing its job for now, right?

[marisa]

They give off a lot of heat, which is more likely to be trapped in a smaller tank, making it harder for the turtle to adjust his body temperature when he needs to. Having it further away will affect the strength of the UVB rays your turtle receives, but if it's too close, either he probably won't want to bask or there's a chance of getting cooked if he does for any length of time. Check the temp with a thermometer.

BTW, if you buy MVBs from a petstore like Petco, etc., they'll be about the price you paid. (And the salesperson should have asked you about the size of your tank, but we all know what salespeople can be like...) If you get them from a place like www.4littlepets.com though, you'll pay about $35-$40 less (and that includes shipping). I'd get a bigger tank before I bought one the next time.

[Brianthedog18]

I'm getting a 40 gallon long tank for my birthday. Is the TRex UV Heat bulbs good for that size tank? Plus, how can I rig it to hang above the tank? Did you have to drill a hole in your ceiling or something? Or would it be better to return this bulb and get two seperate clamps, one for heat and one for UVB. I see on that site that there are UVB bulbs for $16, and I can just use a normal 60 watt bulb for heat!! That would save me about $54!! WIll this work or no?

[marisa]

To answer your first question about the 40-gallon, it certainly would be better. Personally, I wouldn't use a combo light in a tank less than 50 gallons, but 10 gallons less isn't that much, I suppose. Check the temp with a thermometer to be sure the temp is OK.

For hanging it, I use a Zoo-Med lamp stand for one of my set-ups. I think you can see what it is at www.4littlepets.com (click Reptile, then Dome Lights, then scroll down). It works well; it comes in two sizes, get the regular one not the smaller one. You hang the light off of just about anything that's safe and stable. I use a flag stand to hang the MVB lamp over the basking area in a 110-gallon stock tank.

You also have the option of using clamp lamps (UVB light and basking lights). It's up to you. For me, how big the set up is and the kind of basking area being used determines what kind of lighting used.