Beginner lighting questions

[Bellalath]

I’m wanting to get a baby bearded dragon soon but I have a lot of questions for all the proper lighting I need for it before I get the lizard. I have a 75 gallon tank and want to know what type of UVB light I need to get and if I also need a heating day lamp to go with a UVB. If I need a heat lamp what wattage should I get for such a big tank? What temperature should the tank be during day/ night? Thanks!!

 

[Rubble1212]

First things first good for you for doing the research and asking questions before you brought the little guy home. So with lighting I think most on the site would recommend Arcadia t5 12% bulb. Check out Reptilebasics.com they have great prices and they sell the fixtures and the bulbs and heat bulbs which you will need along side the t5 so heat and uvb overlap. As far as wattage of heat bulb and which kind is more of what works to produce proper temperatures. What distance will you have from bulb surface to basking surface? That will help me give you a few wattages to try. Temperatures for the basking area shoot for 100-105 and cool side temps around 75-80. Gives you a good gradient of temperatures that’s the key. Keep asking questions lol

 

[Bellalath]

First things first good for you for doing the research and asking questions before you brought the little guy home. So with lighting I think most on the site would recommend Arcadia t5 12% bulb. Check out Reptilebasics.com they have great prices and they sell the fixtures and the bulbs and heat bulbs which you will need along side the t5 so heat and uvb overlap. As far as wattage of heat bulb and which kind is more of what works to produce proper temperatures. What distance will you have from bulb surface to basking surface? That will help me give you a few wattages to try. Temperatures for the basking area shoot for 100-105 and cool side temps around 75-80. Gives you a good gradient of temperatures that’s the key. Keep asking questions lol

Thank you so much!! I’ll be home today around 7ish PST so I’ll definitely get back to you about the tank... I don’t remember the measurements!

First things first good for you for doing the research and asking questions before you brought the little guy home. So with lighting I think most on the site would recommend Arcadia t5 12% bulb. Check out Reptilebasics.com they have great prices and they sell the fixtures and the bulbs and heat bulbs which you will need along side the t5 so heat and uvb overlap. As far as wattage of heat bulb and which kind is more of what works to produce proper temperatures. What distance will you have from bulb surface to basking surface? That will help me give you a few wattages to try. Temperatures for the basking area shoot for 100-105 and cool side temps around 75-80. Gives you a good gradient of temperatures that’s the key. Keep asking questions lol

 

[Rubble1212]

Thank you so much!! I’ll be home today around 7ish PST so I’ll definitely get back to you about the tank... I don’t remember the measurements!

No worries sounds good

 

[Rubble1212]

Arcadia ProT5 UVB Kit 36"

Here’s the fixture and bulb I use.

 

[Bellalath]

First things first good for you for doing the research and asking questions before you brought the little guy home. So with lighting I think most on the site would recommend Arcadia t5 12% bulb. Check out Reptilebasics.com they have great prices and they sell the fixtures and the bulbs and heat bulbs which you will need along side the t5 so heat and uvb overlap. As far as wattage of heat bulb and which kind is more of what works to produce proper temperatures. What distance will you have from bulb surface to basking surface? That will help me give you a few wattages to try. Temperatures for the basking area shoot for 100-105 and cool side temps around 75-80. Gives you a good gradient of temperatures that’s the key. Keep asking questions lol

So the tank is 18 width, 47 length and 20 height. Should I get a different wattage for at night too or is it the same as the day lamp? Is sand a good option for the floor or should I get a coconut fiber mat? Thank you so much for your help I really appreciate it!

 

[Rubble1212]

So at night you don’t need high temperatures like the day get a 50 watt DHP for nighttime they don’t emit any light just heat. You want it dark at night. If it’s 20 inches tall and you mount the Arcadia fixture inside underneath the lid you want the basking surface about 12 inches underneath. So that means you want to build up the basking area about 8 inches off the ground. From that distance a 50 watt halogen or what I prefer and use are br40 indoor flood lights.

https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-Infrared-Heat-Flood-Clear/dp/B00PBGLYIK

And for nighttime’

Arcadia Deep Heat Projector | reptile Heaters | PetSmart

Arcadia Deep Heat Projector at PetSmart. Shop all reptile heaters online

www.petsmart.com

Nighttime temperatures just need to be around 70 degrees. Let me know if you need anything else.