Getting the ambient temperatures right

[Morri]

I have been trying to set up the new enclosure and I am struggling with the ambient temperatures and measuring them correctly. I am also getting a lot of different information all around and it's slowly driving me insane.

The vivarium is a wooden 4 x 2 x 2, heating is a 150W Arcadia floodlight attached to a dimming thermostat. I am trying to set the temperatures following Reptifiles' advice, as follows:

• Basking side surface temperature— 108-113°F (42-45°C)
• Cool side surface temperature — 77-85°F (25-29°C)
• Air temperature gradient — 72-99°F (22-37°C)
• Nighttime — 55-75°F (12-24°C)

I have no issues getting the recommended basking temps with the 150W, however ambient seems to be an issue. If I suspend the probe an inch or 2 over the basking platform, I get to around 34C (93F), Not the recommended 37C. If I crank the thermostat up or cut the distance between the basking platform and the bulb, the basking platform gets too hot. More over, Reptiles and Research claims that you should never measure ambient temp right under the bulb but rather under some object, because the probes being black and absorbing radiation will give inaccurate, too high readings, which would mean that I am not even getting the actual 34C?

Could anyone please advise on how to measure the ambient temperature correctly? Where should I place the probe in basking area and the cool spot for the most accurate readings?

Zoom has not been moved into her new tank yet, so please don't worry, she is not in any danger from my experiments. I will not move her in until I am sure that the temps are spot on (but it's been over a week of running two enclosures trying to sort this out and I wouldn't mind getting some of my living space back )

 

[KarrieRee]

I have been trying to set up the new enclosure and I am struggling with the ambient temperatures and measuring them correctly. I am also getting a lot of different information all around and it's slowly driving me insane.

The vivarium is a wooden 4 x 2 x 2, heating is a 150W Arcadia floodlight attached to a dimming thermostat. I am trying to set the temperatures following Reptifiles' advice, as follows:

• Basking side surface temperature— 108-113°F (42-45°C)
• Cool side surface temperature — 77-85°F (25-29°C)
• Air temperature gradient — 72-99°F (22-37°C)
• Nighttime — 55-75°F (12-24°C)

I have no issues getting the recommended basking temps with the 150W, however ambient seems to be an issue. If I suspend the probe an inch or 2 over the basking platform, I get to around 34C (93F), Not the recommended 37C. If I crank the thermostat up or cut the distance between the basking platform and the bulb, the basking platform gets too hot. More over, Reptiles and Research claims that you should never measure ambient temp right under the bulb but rather under some object, because the probes being black and absorbing radiation will give inaccurate, too high readings, which would mean that I am not even getting the actual 34C?

Could anyone please advise on how to measure the ambient temperature correctly? Where should I place the probe in basking area and the cool spot for the most accurate readings?

Zoom has not been moved into her new tank yet, so please don't worry, she is not in any danger from my experiments. I will not move her in until I am sure that the temps are spot on (but it's been over a week of running two enclosures trying to sort this out and I wouldn't mind getting some of my living space back )

If you have a digital probe thermometer hanging on the hot side of the tank it's going to give you ambient temps - you want around 100 - the night time temp ambient 65-75--

 

[Morri]

If you have a digital probe thermometer hanging on the hot side of the tank it's going to give you ambient temps - you want around 100 - the night time temp ambient 65-75--

Thanks. How low it should be hanging though? Directly over the the platform as I have been doing? I can't seem to get to 99 without the basking surface overheating. It is utterly frustrating.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks. How low it should be hanging though? Directly over the the platform as I have been doing? I can't seem to get to 99 without the basking surface overheating. It is utterly frustrating.

Its fine - I use the regular dial thermometers on the back wall and the digital hanging on the side towards the top 99 is good -

 

[Morri]

Its fine - I use the regular dial thermometers on the back wall and the digital hanging on the side towards the top 99 is good -

Do you have a pic of your enclosure handy so I could see the placement of the bulb vs. thermometers, pretty please? Would be a great help if it's not too much hassle, I'm a visual person.

 

[KarrieRee]

Do you have a pic of your enclosure handy so I could see the placement of the bulb vs. thermometers, pretty please? Would be a great help if it's not too much hassle, I'm a visual person.

I have the digital attached to the side on the basking side now - this pic shows the reader sitting on the UVB fixture as you can see the other on the cool side is on the side of the tank

 

[Morri]

I have the digital attached to the side on the basking side now - this pic shows the reader sitting on the UVB fixture as you can see the other on the cool side is on the side of the tank

Thank you! That's super helpful.