Can't Get Temps Hot Enough

[Shard]

I can't seem to get Xion's temps right no matter what I've tried so far. I've used a temp gun & probe to check. She has a UVB tube. Her basking spot is about 6 inches from the bulb (I'm afraid of potentially hurting her if I push it closer) Her basking spot is a rock large enough for her to lay flat on that I picked up from the beach before I moved (I made sure to boil anything off it)

Setups I've tried:
Domed fixture with 75w Zoo Med basking bulb - Basking unknown, hot side under 80F, cool side unknown (this was a couple weeks ago)
Double fixture with two 75w Mixjoy basking bulbs - Basking 89F, hot side 83F, cool side 65F
Domed fixture with 75w Mixjoy basking bulb, single Mixjoy in other fixture on the cool side - Basking 90F, hot side 81F, cool side 65F

A CHE should be arriving tomorrow, which will hopefully raise the ambient hot & cool temps. I felt it's a must regardless due to how cold my room gets at night. I also have a 50w mercury vapor bulb but that doesn't seem as useful as it's less watts.

Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Claudiusx]

Can you post a picture of your setup including where and how the lights are positioned? Just a general picture that shows your whole setup.

And I asked in your other thread, but you are leaving the probe in place for 5-10 minutes right? Can you also post a picture of how you're measuring your temperature?

Have you tried your dome fixture with the zoo med basking bulb yet?

-Brandon

 

[Shard]

Can you post a picture of your setup including where and how the lights are positioned? Just a general picture that shows your whole setup.

(Ignore the spots on the glass, they say the water here is "hard" due to the minerals and I haven't figured out how to avoid that when wiping things down)

And I asked in your other thread, but you are leaving the probe in place for 5-10 minutes right? Can you also post a picture of how you're measuring your temperature?

Yep! This is how I do it:

...Update, she just knocked it off by trying to eat it. Lol
I made a separate thread as it felt more appropriate here than tacked onto my build thread for a different, WIP tank (oh no, I'm gonna have to re-balance all of this later aren't I?)

Have you tried your dome fixture with the zoo med basking bulb yet?

That's what my setup originally was! The temps were around 75-85F but I can't recall the specifics. I'm guessing that's how the diarrhea started. Her poop has started to take on that tube shape again in the past few days, but it's still very loose with an extra pile of goop and...juice.

 

[Claudiusx]

That's what my setup originally was!

Yes but this was before you got your new thermometer right? Might be worth it to retest that setup with your new thermometer as that bulb is a good bulb, and that fixture should be better than your current.

The unfortunate thing about lighting is sometimes you have to spend a bit of money playing around with different bulbs and wattages until you find what works for you. The good news is once you find that, it shouldn't ever really change

-Brandon

 

[hdochow]

The good news is once you find that, it shouldn't ever really change

-Brandon

this was my experience. for basking, i now only have to change between a 50W in summer or a 100W in winter. the rest stays the same.

it is all based on my house, which was built in the 40's. in winter it is a damp moisture pit of chilly hell! it is awesome in the summer though. i have the thermostat set to 65 at night, 68-70 during the day. it never kicks on in the summer, but regulates things in the winter so i don't have to mess with things outside that one bulb change.

 

[Shard]

Yes but this was before you got your new thermometer right? Might be worth it to retest that setup with your new thermometer as that bulb is a good bulb, and that fixture should be better than your current.

Basking 82F, hot side 76F, cool side 63F

 

[xp29]

Try using 100 watt bulbs or even 150 but be sure to check the temp relentlessly untill your sure that you aren't overheating her.

 

[magicmagni]

What are your room temps day and night? Trying to figure out how two 75w bulbs couldn't get your basking temps high enough.

It's gonna be different for everyone though.. my house is 70 during the day and I let it drop to low 63 at night.. so for my setup a 100watt is giving me 110 surface temps at basking.. and it drops to low 60 at night (no night heat) just as an example.

 

[magicmagni]

I was thinking about this some more and I hope you are making progress.. not sure, but do you have something like this... to measure temps? For under $20 it's a really easy way to measure your surface basking temps instantly.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B71HFH9K/?coliid=I39TEJXSEQX4D6&colid=16IBYL8MWD2TL&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

 

[Claudiusx]

do you have something like this... to measure temps?

We typically recommend digital with probe end thermometers over IR thermometers here due to emissivity issues. Although the one you linked to does have an adjustable E-value setting, it still requires the user to know the material they are measuring, know the E-value for said material, and adjust their device accordingly. This, of course, can get slightly annoying when there are different surface materials in an enclosure that need to be measured. Digital with probe ends don't suffer that issue.

-Brandon

 

[Shard]

I'm not sure how safe it is but my grandpa came in and measured out a piece of wood to cover the mesh where there isn't a light. Right now the temps are basking 102.5, hot 95F, and cool 73F. We'll see how much it drops after lights off?

Seems like her water bowl is now warm enough to go for a swim in though!

I'd still like to figure out how to install the arcadia bulb inside the tank instead of on top of the mesh as well

What are your room temps day and night? Trying to figure out how two 75w bulbs couldn't get your basking temps high enough.

So I left the probe on the floor to check and it's 64F right now, pretty cold when the heat isn't on.

 

[Claudiusx]

102.5, hot 95F, and cool 73F. We'll see how much it drops after lights off?

Those are good temps for during the daytime. It's ok and preferable for temps to drop at night. That more mimics the natural environment. A little bit of insulation (the wood) seems to have done the trick

What distance is your current uvb to your basking surface? You might not need it mounted inside the tank depending on the distance.

-Brandon

 

[magicmagni]

We typically recommend digital with probe end thermometers over IR thermometers here due to emissivity issues. Although the one you linked to does have an adjustable E-value setting, it still requires the user to know the material they are measuring, know the E-value for said material, and adjust their device accordingly. This, of course, can get slightly annoying when there are different surface materials in an enclosure that need to be measured. Digital with probe ends don't suffer that issue.

-Brandon

That's interesting. Some questions on that methodology, but I don't want to side track the original post.

Glad his temps are better... also just another suggestion.. let your animal tell you too if temp is good. Observation is a good tool too. Is he basking all day long in basking spot? Low activity? Appetite low? Not pooping? Possibly not hot enough. Is he avoiding it at all costs.. constantly basking with mouth open? Lots a window surfing and overactive? Maybe too high?

I know I have my guy dialed in when he basks for a few hours in the morning to get warmed up and then he retreats to other area to eat go poop etc../ runs around does his thing and then comes back for a secondary bask in late afternoon early evening for another few hours.

 

[Shard]

What distance is your current uvb to your basking surface? You might not need it mounted inside the tank depending on the distance.

It's off to the side of the basking lamp so I'd say 6 inches vertically, 4 inches horizontally? If only the basking light also provided UVB lol

Looking at it I might be able to loop wire around the ends (not touching the bulb) and through the mesh, not sure how safe that is though and I'll definitely need something more secure once I switch tanks

 

[Claudiusx]

t's off to the side of the basking lamp so I'd say 6 inches vertically, 4 inches horizontally?

That is close enough. IF you moved it inside the enclosure it would be too close. Remember, while UV is necessary, it is also harmful, especially in higher concentrations.

-Brandon