55 Gallon Aquarium

[JNorm]

I have a 55 Gallon Aquarium I am looking to put a BD in within a few weeks or so. I’m worried that since the tank is about 20” tall he wouldn’t be able to get close enough to the UVB or to his heat lamp. I was hoping to see pic’s or ideas people have come up with so that I can get him closer to the lights
Lowering lights isn’t much of an option; I have to have a screen top on the cage due to having cats….

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

If you can get a large basking log that you can place in there or build a nice basking platform out of stackable tiles, you can get him closer to the UVB light. However, at 20 inches tall, that is the perfect height for a Mercury vapor bulb. The Megaray 100 Watt Self ballast or the T-rex active UV heat 100 Watt Self ballast would be great to use.

Tracie

 

[fresnowitte]

I agree with Tracie 20" tall would work best with a MVB.

I have a 50 gal that is 20" tall that I've used in the past with a 100 watt Mercury Vapor Bulb worked great.

Again Welcome to the site. :wink:

 

[JNorm]

Thanks for the advice.
That bulb runs a little more on price, but it says they can last 10,000 hrs, thats over a year. OR are they like regular UVB bulbs that have to be replaced about every 6 months?
thanks again.

 

[fresnowitte]

I think the box recommends changing them once a year, but I change mine out every 8-9 months.
I think that's what most on this site might recommend too.

If you order it online they are much....much cheaper, at least 1/2 the price of what they ask for
them in the stores.

 

[sunkist]

I have the same tank and I conquered it two ways. One was to build a platform with a ramp up to it. The other was a vine that hangs from the top. Lindy likes to climb up it and get pretty close but not close enough to get burned.

If you go into Beardie Tales you can look for "Lindy's daily blog" and it has a pic of his current tank towards the end... I think. I can't see pics while I'm at work to verify.

 

[JNorm]

Alright thanks for the advice ill figure somthing out. If i do use mvb is it ok to have a standard flourecent fixture on the other side. just to have the extra light? or would he think it was a UVB?

 

[diamc]

Hi, I have a 100 watt T-Rex in a 55 gallon & it works perfectly. I made a basking platform with bricks and put a ceramic tile on the top which holds the heat very well. I also bought a wooden parrot ladder and covered it with spongy shelf liner and used that to make a ramp leading to the basking area. The bulb is right on the screen in a ceramic deep dome at a distance of 14" and the basking temp is 105.

On the cool side, I have a standard 40 watt household bulb there to get a cool side temp of about 80 in the winter and use a 25 watt there in the summer.