Hello all! I am a new beardie owner, and I was wondering. It gets in the 60's in my house at night. So I am getting a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). Do I need a thermostat? I have heard they get really hot and can cook your beardie! Any help would be appreciated thank you!!
How far away is your CHE? They do get very hot to the touch (I've been burned slightly several times and melted a rug with one) so they should be well out of reach. A low wattage is usually plenty to bump the temps up into the low 70s overnight. I prefer using a MegaRay heat projector since they don't get quite so hot to the touch but to answer your question, yes you can use a thermostat but it's not necessary if the bulb is out of reach. A dimming/pulse thermostat is good for these so you can set it and forget it to an extent.
How far away is your CHE? They do get very hot to the touch (I've been burned slightly several times and melted a rug with one) so they should be well out of reach. A low wattage is usually plenty to bump the temps up into the low 70s overnight. I prefer using a MegaRay heat projector since they don't get quite so hot to the touch but to answer your question, yes you can use a thermostat but it's not necessary if the bulb is out of reach. A dimming/pulse thermostat is good for these so you can set it and forget it to an extent.
I put my CHE in the in the middle of the cage above the screen top. I like the idea of the CHE but thermostats get pretty pricey. What wattage would you recommend for a 50-gallon tank to keep the temp in the 70s?
I use a 60w heat projector for my tank which is about the same size. It doesn't run at full blast all the time since it's on a thermostat though. They do get pricey and aren't necessary but a nice luxury. A 50w or 100w CHE will probably be enough. You could set that on a lamp dimmer to cut some power or you could set it on an adjustable lamp stand so you can raise/lower it to keep the temps in the right range. 60s overnight isn't harmful so you won't need too much of a boost.
I use a 60w heat projector for my tank which is about the same size. It doesn't run at full blast all the time since it's on a thermostat though. They do get pricey and aren't necessary but a nice luxury. A 50w or 100w CHE will probably be enough. You could set that on a lamp dimmer to cut some power or you could set it on an adjustable lamp stand so you can raise/lower it to keep the temps in the right range. 60s overnight isn't harmful so you won't need too much of a boost.
Okay Thanks for the info! I don't want it too hot and I don't like the idea of a dimmer or a lamp stand for aesthetics. I might get a 50 or 60w just because you said 60's overnight isn't harmful. Does that sound right to you?