Liljae9263
Active Member
Ok so after some added research and a lot of help from this community I’ve discovered my lighting is just a touch off. I’m mostly there but I think the “basking” bulb is off. That and I need to get led lights now haha.
For a while now I’ve thought his tank stays just a little too cold. His basking was at 90ish, ambient or middle was at 80 and then cool was at 75. The other day I got him a 150w basking bulb thinking this would help raise the heat (and also I thought u were supposed to be only using one bulb. My surprise when I discovered u use a basking and a CHE during the day.) well it did raise the heat but WAY too much. Then I learned that a basking isn’t right. That he needs an incandescent flood light at much lower wattage. I believe on Tom’s guide he said he buys his from a hard ware store so I looked at Lowe’s and they only had 200w bulbs and I thought that was too much. So now I’m just so lost on what I should get!
I have a uvb t5 bar light from Arcadia (I didn’t get a pic of the box bc it’s inaccessible rn). I just learned that doesn’t have to be on for 12 hours so I have it on a timer for 12-4 o clock as this is the afternoon hours. Correct?
For his CHE I have a 100w zoomed one. It’s in the middle of his tank hooked up to a dimmer. I just moved the probe to the cool side of the tank (as that’s what I just learned) and it’s slowly bringing the temp up. I’ll have to check it later in the day to see how far it’s gone!
For his basking bulb it’s an Arcadia 100w halogen basking bulb. (I have a pic of it bc I can never remember the correct title for it). I got this bc I remember seeing halogen was good and it’s Arcadia which is a good brand. But it’s not a flood light and on its own, I feel, doesn’t give much light or heat. However idk how hot or bright the right light should give off.
I still need to buy my baby boy some led lights. Now do these needs to be on a 12 hr timer as well? Do they just sit wrapped around the top of the enclosure (for the led strips?)
I also saw something about a temperature gauge (I don’t remember the exact name) but the things u plug into ur lights and add probes and I guess it turns on or off ur lights depending on the temperature u set it to? Is That different than my dimmer? If I have one of those do I still need to have them plugged into the timer? I’ve been looking for stuff I can manage from my phone anywhere bc I’m paranoid and away from the house long periods of the day thanks to my job so I’m curious about that. My timer strip I bought was a fancy one that has an app connected to it so I can turn off and on lights from anywhere, keep track of the wattage use, change timer schedules, etc. I’m wondering if I can get a thermometer like that or if there’s a dimmer like that. Something to ensure if it gets too hot or cold in his tank I will know when not home and fix it then and there.
Y’all have been so helpful so far and I’m really putting this project into high gear so I can give him a good set up ASAP. So I appreciate all the help I can get!
For a while now I’ve thought his tank stays just a little too cold. His basking was at 90ish, ambient or middle was at 80 and then cool was at 75. The other day I got him a 150w basking bulb thinking this would help raise the heat (and also I thought u were supposed to be only using one bulb. My surprise when I discovered u use a basking and a CHE during the day.) well it did raise the heat but WAY too much. Then I learned that a basking isn’t right. That he needs an incandescent flood light at much lower wattage. I believe on Tom’s guide he said he buys his from a hard ware store so I looked at Lowe’s and they only had 200w bulbs and I thought that was too much. So now I’m just so lost on what I should get!
I have a uvb t5 bar light from Arcadia (I didn’t get a pic of the box bc it’s inaccessible rn). I just learned that doesn’t have to be on for 12 hours so I have it on a timer for 12-4 o clock as this is the afternoon hours. Correct?
For his CHE I have a 100w zoomed one. It’s in the middle of his tank hooked up to a dimmer. I just moved the probe to the cool side of the tank (as that’s what I just learned) and it’s slowly bringing the temp up. I’ll have to check it later in the day to see how far it’s gone!
For his basking bulb it’s an Arcadia 100w halogen basking bulb. (I have a pic of it bc I can never remember the correct title for it). I got this bc I remember seeing halogen was good and it’s Arcadia which is a good brand. But it’s not a flood light and on its own, I feel, doesn’t give much light or heat. However idk how hot or bright the right light should give off.
I still need to buy my baby boy some led lights. Now do these needs to be on a 12 hr timer as well? Do they just sit wrapped around the top of the enclosure (for the led strips?)
I also saw something about a temperature gauge (I don’t remember the exact name) but the things u plug into ur lights and add probes and I guess it turns on or off ur lights depending on the temperature u set it to? Is That different than my dimmer? If I have one of those do I still need to have them plugged into the timer? I’ve been looking for stuff I can manage from my phone anywhere bc I’m paranoid and away from the house long periods of the day thanks to my job so I’m curious about that. My timer strip I bought was a fancy one that has an app connected to it so I can turn off and on lights from anywhere, keep track of the wattage use, change timer schedules, etc. I’m wondering if I can get a thermometer like that or if there’s a dimmer like that. Something to ensure if it gets too hot or cold in his tank I will know when not home and fix it then and there.
Y’all have been so helpful so far and I’m really putting this project into high gear so I can give him a good set up ASAP. So I appreciate all the help I can get!
