broke 50 watt basking bulb

[ckyforever43]

like a dumb*** i broke my 50 watt basking bulb by droping it. is it ok that i use a 60 or 75 light bulb out of my bathroom light. its a ten gallon tank so it should heat it up pretty good and if it gets to hot i got a reostat that can tone it down a little.

 

[diamc]

Yes, it's perfectly fine to use a standard household light bulb. Since it's only a 10 gallon, I would try a 60 watt first. Be sure to monitor the temps closely. Do you use either a temperature gun or digital with probe end to check them?

 

[ckyforever43]

digital with prob. i was trying to check it really quick before the lights went out as its his bed time now it got up to 95 and was only on for a few min ill find out tomorrow and watch close and if it doesnt get hot enough ill try a 75. i already got on on order should be here sat.

 

[diamc]

It's actually fine to continue to use a standard household bulb, I do for 2 of my tanks. Make sure you have a 40 watt on hand if the 60 is too hot. Also be sure to wait at least 45 min for the temp to stop rising before deciding the final temp.

 

[ckyforever43]

i have a 25 not a 40. the 50 had the temps perfect using the reostat so the 60 should work untill sat. its so hard to get temps right in a 10 gallon im gonna go ahead and get a 40 and save myself the headache of messing with the temps

 

[diamc]

Getting a 40 gallon would make it SO much easier on you. You're right, it's just about impossible to get a good basking & cool side temp in such a small size.

 

[ckyforever43]

thats prob why he has been getting some stress marks. the temps are always changing and im alway moving stuff here and there and tryin to get it good. do you think this is a good setup. i have a repti sun 10 tube type. HAD a 50 watt zoo med basking lamp. the basking temps never got over 106 107 and the cool side stays around 85 sometimes since its such a small tank. he can get within 6 or 7inch of basking bulb and the same for the uvb which i have running the length of the cage. should it be sideways or is it ok running along the back? cause ive read some post saying it should be sideways. the night time temps never go below 70 that i have seen. and if they do i have a night bulb just in case. give him a bath 2 or 3 times a week. feed him vegies and repcal pellets in the morning and then feed him crickets 2 times after than later on in the day and use repcal calcium with D3. and also use natures own bites here and there. dont have any multi vitamins yet. dont use a water bowl insted put some water on my finger and put it on his nose. gapes sometimes poop looka normal eyes are clear sometimes he shuts them sometimes there wide open. so how does that sound? lol sorry im ranting its my first beardie and i have been reading like crazy

 

[diamc]

For what you're using right now, I would say that you sound like you have a good handle on it. The temps sound good. Having the UVB run along the back of the tank is the best way. Make sure he can get some UVB exposure while in his basking spot. I read on one of your other threads that he is between 2 & 3 months, so I would suggest you increase the baths to at least 3 to 4 times a wk as babies can get dehydrated very quickly. When mine were babies, I noticed that their largest appetite was in the morning so I always fed them the high protein foods like crickets then, they need the protein to help them grow efficiently. I always had a fresh supply of greens in the tank and then would feed more crickets in the early afternoon and again at about 6:00 making sure they had at least 2 hours under the lights for proper digestion. Make sure you are dusting his crickets 5 days a wk with calcium but only 1 feeding a day. You really should pick up some vitamins and dust his crickets the other 2 days a wk so that his body isn't lacking any needed vitamins.

It's also a good idea to try not to keep rearranging things as that can stress them out. Once you get the temps right, try to keep it the same way. If you do have to make any changes, move as little as possible at a time. Sounds like you're on the right track. :wink: How many crickets does he eat in a day?

 

[ckyforever43]

i havent really keep track 20 most of the time i think prob 30 or 40 on a good day.he isnt skinny though. and he loves greens as soon as i put them in he runs to get some. so he isnt picky. i took him to the vet just to looked at since i got him from petsmart which they just had got him in a couple days before and was the only dragon in the tank cause ive heard petsmart dragons might have more problems but so far this one is doing good. and he wayed 9 grams almost 10 and was about 5 inch long now he is 6inch long so he is growin. ill try the crickets earlier in the the morning after i get a read on those temps with that bulb.

 

[CLee]

I don't know about you guys but I tried experimenting with that. I used a 100w house bulb and I had to put the fixture like 4" away to even get the temps to 106 degrees and even that took all day.

 

[diamc]

I use a 60 watt household bulb in 2 of my tanks and get basking temps of 104 which is perfect for the adults. Strange that it took you all day to get the temp to 106. What type of thermometer are you using?

 

[CLee]

An infared Temp-Gun but, I also forgot to mention something. It was on a very dark rock so I think it just absorbed the heat. I also tried it on sand and light colored tile and it worked fine. Sorry, I just forgot to finish what I was saying. It did work just not on the really dark rock.

 

[diamc]

Oh ok, perhaps the rock was quite cold at first so it took longer to heat up?

 

[CLee]

I'm not sure, it wasn't cold. It's just that one specific rock just doesn't heat up well, I'm guessing it's something though because it's only that specific rock. Maybe it just doesn't like me.

 

[MissT]

I don't know about yo guys but I tried experimenting with that. I used a 100w house bulb and I had to put the fixture like 4" away to even get the emps to 106 degrees and even that took all day.

I have noticed that the 'pearl'shaped, coated white bulbs dont heat up so much as a spot/flood bulb - the bulbs with the clear 'face' and 'reflector' surface seem to do a much better job... does this make sense?? Its late and im not quite sure if this will make sense to anyone but me!!! lol!!!