Cool side temps

[Gragrac]

I'm just putting the finishing touches on Robert's new viv now, just need to cut some tiles, order a new repti-sun, adjust the temps, and then the fun part, decorating.

I bought a heat bulb for it. It's a 40 watt spot light. The problem is, I can get the correct temps around the basking spot, but it still hovers around 64-65 on the cool end. I was thinking I could return the spot light and exchange it for a flood light so the heat would be spread around a little. Do you think that would work? Or I could get a high-wattage incandescent bulb.

One more question, does the basking spot need to be raised up off the ground? I can get the correct temps if I shine it right on the floor near the light. I could also move the basking spot a little further from the bulb and stack some extra tiles.

FYI, I'm taking temps with an Acu-rite.

 

[Seiryu]

I haven't used floods, so I can't answer that. I assume it would spread the heat better, but you might need a higher wattage since it's spreading it out more.

The basking spot doesn't need to be raised off the ground. Most like to have logs, rocks or whatever for their reptile to bask on. It's not necessarily right or wrong.

Logs are a good way to increase the basking spot without having to move the fixture.

As far as the cool side temps. A couple of options.

1. Keep them in a room and use a space heater, to heat it to 70-75 F.

2. Buy a ceramic heat emitter (my guess is a 40w) and place it in the middle of the enclosure or try the cool end, and see what it gets to.

3. Turn on the house heat? LOL! Sorry 65 is cool to me

 

[Gragrac]

Yeah, I think I'm going to exchange it for a flood. I don't think a ceramic heat emitter is an option, there's only room for one bulb in the fixture. And turning up the heat isn't really an option, LOL, I wish it were. :lol: We have a wood stove. Some days it gets nice and warm, others just enough to keep us from freezing. :lol: Space heater might be an option tho.
Right now the viv's in the house's new addition, in a corner right up against a window, so it's pretty chilly right now. It's going to be moved closer to the living room when it's finished though so that should bump up temps a bit too.

 

[Bones12345]

I had the same problem. I got a basking bulb up one enof the tank, and I hang a 40w halogen just of centre (towards the basking end). This does the trick just fine. My bearded is in a glass tank so there a fair bit of heat loss.