Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i tried starting the tank off with a 75 watt bulb, but the temperature measured to be at least 120. So, now i have it on a 40 watt bulb, but i just not quite sure weither thats a good enough, also at night time i need a suggestion for what kind of heat source to add to the tank since im goin to have an air conditioner. i was thinking along the lines of a 30 watt black light. any tips?

Is that 120 at the basking or ambiant?
120 is good at the basking spot. With a ambiant in the cool end of about 78 to 86.
Diana

the 120 was basking, but now with the 40 watt its about 105 and aroudn 86 in the cool end

Subjects, air temps (ambient, measured in the air with a temp prope or thermometer) at 120 or 105 is too high, 86 should be the ambient temp on the warm end. Surface temps (measured with an infared thermometer on a surface)or basking temps are much higher than air temps are. Use low watt flood bulbs to get the right temps your animal needs, mine use surface temps from 130-190f and air temps from (depends on the time of year) 68-90 f. And 2 of them see 40f air temps also outdoors.

From over a foot away that hot spot is 156-165f surface temps, in an airconditioned room the air temps (ambient) around it is around 86f. Unfortunately I dont air conditioning so I have a dimmer on a few cages to turn the temps down right now as its 90+f here. Dont use spot bulbs use floods, they make a wider hotspot and wont burn your animal. Use as many bulbs as needed to cover the STV length of the animal or as much as possible. Too high of wattage bulbs just raise the air temps way too high (like an oven), use lower wattage floods.

thanks, i think im gonna go for the flood light and basically just experiment wiht a thermometer on in the the tank, ill try and get the basking spot to be aorund 120 with a flood, then assume itll be around 85 in the air