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Hi Everyone!

I'm adopting my friends RES this Friday (they can't take care of it anymore) and am trying to get everything set up and running so it's good to go.

I have a 40 gallon tank, with the generic black lid with the light, hole in the back for the filter, and the door that opens up to feed fish.

My question is...
Can I still use that lid? Or do I have to scrap that and buy the clip on lamps?

The tank is in my living room so I'd like it to be as visually pleasing as possible.

Thanks!
Kate

You can put a UVB light in the hood, but you'll still have to find a way to hook up a heat lamp. I think most people find it easier not to use a top like that, but you could probably make it work if you really want to. As an alternative to clamp lights, you can get them without a clamp and hang them from the ceiling, this looks a little neater, and you get the added benefit of being better able to adjust the distances.

Are you planning on pointing the heat lamp through the hole for the filter, or leaving the lid open and pointing it through there? If you're using the filter hole, you might be able to get an attractive wall fixture to point down into the tank. But I imagine overall in the end it'll look best if you just scrap the lid and come up with the best arrangement for some clamp lights. I use the ESU reptile gooseneck clamp lamps, which I think look a little more finished than just the metal ones you get at home depot, and are more adjustable.

Hang from the ceiling-- neat idea!

The slit in the back of the lid is only about 2 inches wide (and about 28 long). Is this big enough for the heat lamp?

I'd really like to make this work.

Kate

I don't think that'll let much light through, if you have a dremel or something like that maybe you can open up a section of it a little more? Ideally you want a beam of light big enough to cover your turtle.

I don't think that'll let much light through, if you have a dremel or something like that maybe you can open up a section of it a little more? Ideally you want a beam of light big enough to cover your turtle.

I just realized that the UVA is a regular light bulb- I always thought they were special bulbs... How many watts should I get?

For the UVB- are they available in the long bulb form that will fit in this kind of lid?

Sorry for all the questions- this was pretty much thrown on my yesterday and I'm trying to get the best tank possible for Friday.

Kate

You'll have to check what size uvb bulb you need but they do sell the long tube bulbs in several different lengths. The wattage of the regular bulb will depend on how far away the bulb is from where your turtle will be basking. Look for a fixture capable of handling a high wattage bulb, at least 100 watts. You'll need to take a thermometer and determine the temperature of the basking spot with the light on, and then adjust the distance and/or wattage of the bulb until the basking spot is at least 10 degrees warmer than the water.

I have the hood you're talking about and if you are planning on using it, you have to take the glass off first. There should be a piece of glass in between the part that lifts up for the fish and the hole for the filter, this is where the light rests, that piece of glass will filter out the UVB, so you have to break the seal and get the glass out.

The wattage of your bulb depends on the distance the bulb will be from he basking area. My bulb is 6-8'' away from the dock and it's a 60 watt.

Do you use that lid? Where did you place your UVA bulb?

I have a 55 gallon so on the left side, I use the hood and I have a normal fluorescent bulb and the right side is open (no hood) with two clamp lamps.