Habitat - Indoor :: help! raising basking temps

[pumpkinsherbet]

i do not know what to do. i raised the water level, i got a bulb that's a higher wattage and designed to emit more heat, i put a cover over my tank to hold in temps. and my basking area still will not go above 82 degrees. my water is 78 degrees, and from what i've read that's not a big enough difference. my turtles don't bask, and aeryn's shell looks funny. i'm not sure if she's shedding or has a fungus but i know either way the basking area will have to accomodate, right? please help!

[industrial_girl_2000]

What type of bulb did you buy? What's the wattage? You may just need a 2nd lamp.

I have 2 clamp lamps for Siobhan's 20gal setup: one reptisun 5.0 compact AND one 75W spot reptile bulb. The reptisun compact 5.0 was not enough for heating up the basking area (as I found out after I installed it on my tank) so I had to get a 2nd lamp to boost the heat ("UVA" lamp only).

For Sheba (since her tank is larger than 75gal), I have one 100W Mercury vapor lamp and she basks all the time. But as it's been pointed out on this board, the Mercury vapor lamps give off a large amount of UVB AND UVA. That's why I only need one lamp for her.

[marisa]

The Reptisun 5.0 compact flourescent doesn't really emit heat (UVB lights don't), so an additional light for a heat source would normally be necessary.

pumpkinsherbert, do you have the heat/basking bulb in a reflector dome? If not, using one would help increase the basking area temp.

[pumpkinsherbet]

i have the exo-terra repti glo 5.0 in a fixture that goes the length of the tank. but for basking i have replaced the 60w exo-terra sun glo neodymium daylight lamp w/ a 75w exo-terra sun glo tight beam basking spot lamp. it's in a 5.5" reflector clamp lamp located directly above the basking area.

[industrial_girl_2000]

What's the distance between the 75W bulb & your turtle?

[pumpkinsherbet]

*pulls out ruler* approximately 6½" i am afraid i cannot move it any closer, it's on a clamp lamp and that's as far down as it will go. if i raise the water level anymore i'm afraid it'll cover up the secondary basking spot.

good news, though. i did catch john basking! he slid right in the water the second he saw me coming, though.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Glad to hear that john was basking! It's a good sign!

[marisa]

If he's basking, the temp range probably isn't off. Check it again.

[pumpkinsherbet]

maybe i was just being too impatient.

[scripta_elegans]

What type of thermometer are you using, and how is it situated?

[pumpkinsherbet]

exo-terra gage thermometer. i don't remember the exact term for it, but it's the one that gives the temp in like an odometer format, not the digital or sticker kind. it's located at a halfway point between the light and the basking rock.

[steve]

Is it stuck against the glass? Its good to always measure the temp of the direct area where they are basking.

[Turtlefriend]

Is a thermometer made for the water okay for the basking area too. Thats all I have right now.

[pumpkinsherbet]

yeah it's stuck to the glass. the guy at the store just gave it to me.

[steve]

If its stuck to the glass, then it might not be providing the most accurate temp since it is not directly under the heat at the appropriate height.

Turtlefriend, yes you can use that to measure the temps.