Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all : )

Still waiting for my babies to get here *sigh*

I have a question on lighting. I know that I need a UVB bulb for their basking area. I am assuming they make ones that I can just put in the hood of my tank. Do you keep the light on 24 hours? Or just during the daylight hours?

Also, the temp water need to be cooler then the basking area, so do you have 2 thermometers to tell the temps in the different places? How do you go about that? and what kind of thermometer do u recommend?

Robyn

The lights should go on in the morning and off at night to simulate daylight. You can get a UVB light that fits in the hood. I use one thermometer and just move it from the water to the basking platform to check the temps occasionally. The water should be in the mid 70's, some say slightly warmer for hatchlings, and the basking spot in the high 80's to low 90's. The temp in the water needs to be cool enough to encourage the turtles to get out and warm up on the basking platform.

Good Luck!

Usually you need both a UVB tube and a basking bulb. UVB tubes that fit in your hood don't produce any heat.
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If I have a top on the tank, how would I go about using a basking bulb as well?

Robyn

I took my top off and used clamp lights and put a ESU Reptile Super UV Coil bulb in one and a basking in the other. That way when I clean and reposition anything I can reposition my lamps too. See Image

That is a very nice setup. I kinda have to keep a top on it since I have a cat : ) Can't let her go swimming with the turtles.

Do they make a light to put in the hood that will heat?

Get a screen top and put the lights on that.
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If I were you I would build a canopy hood. It shouldnt be too difficult for a 10 gallon. This way you can offer your turtle more swimming area and enough air above the water without hitting his head on the hood. You could potentially place your current hood on top of such a device, and still have room for a basking light. My basking light and 48" UVB fluorescent fixtures are both inside the canopy hood on my 120 gallon.

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