Hello Everyone!
I need some input because I have been having problems getting the right temp in the viv. I am borrowing a neighbors 33 gallon tank to house my baby beardie until he gets bigger and I build his new viv. Originally, when I didn't know better, I used black fish gravel as a substrate in the cage..I had a thick layer across it. Just a couple days ago I posted a picture of my beardie and got the input that the gravel could be dangerous and he might ingest it. So I took it out, and last night I brought home two slate tiles for the bottom of the enclosure instead. Since I brought Leroy home at the end of Feb...I have bought multiple basking light wattages to try to eat his home...I have read this tank would be hard to heat because it is 22 high/12 wide and 24 long. When I had the gravel in...the basking spot stayed at about upper 90's...now when the loss of the gravel it's all messed up.
I have a black screen across almost all the top of the cage..and then the Reptisun 10.0 across the width of the cage ( so it's not having to rest on the screen and get blocked out) where he basks on a tall piece of wood that brings him about 10 inches from the Reptisun. Then the basking light is next to the tall branch but not directly over it because I read somewhere 10 inches would be too close for the basking light but the Reptisun can't be more then 10 to 12 inches from the beardie. This worked fine when I had the gravel...it kept every thing nice and warm basking spot upper 90s with a 100w Zoo med basking light, the cool side being in the upper 70's. Now with the slate in there the basking spot is barely getting to 90. At night time Ive been using just a plan 75 watt red bulb to keep the temps in the 70s at night.
From trial and error in the beginning of set up... I have 3 basking bulb wattages... 150,100 and 75 all zoo meds... ( Oh and I also ordered a 100w heat emitter a couple days ago for night time..but I probably could use it all the time...) So my question is... now that you have an idea of what my beardies enclosure looks like and what I am working with.. I need some help figuring out which bulbs I should use to get the right heat gradient ...I am using one of those zoo med digital therms with a probe to read temps...
Anyone have any experience heating a really tall tank?
I need some input because I have been having problems getting the right temp in the viv. I am borrowing a neighbors 33 gallon tank to house my baby beardie until he gets bigger and I build his new viv. Originally, when I didn't know better, I used black fish gravel as a substrate in the cage..I had a thick layer across it. Just a couple days ago I posted a picture of my beardie and got the input that the gravel could be dangerous and he might ingest it. So I took it out, and last night I brought home two slate tiles for the bottom of the enclosure instead. Since I brought Leroy home at the end of Feb...I have bought multiple basking light wattages to try to eat his home...I have read this tank would be hard to heat because it is 22 high/12 wide and 24 long. When I had the gravel in...the basking spot stayed at about upper 90's...now when the loss of the gravel it's all messed up.
I have a black screen across almost all the top of the cage..and then the Reptisun 10.0 across the width of the cage ( so it's not having to rest on the screen and get blocked out) where he basks on a tall piece of wood that brings him about 10 inches from the Reptisun. Then the basking light is next to the tall branch but not directly over it because I read somewhere 10 inches would be too close for the basking light but the Reptisun can't be more then 10 to 12 inches from the beardie. This worked fine when I had the gravel...it kept every thing nice and warm basking spot upper 90s with a 100w Zoo med basking light, the cool side being in the upper 70's. Now with the slate in there the basking spot is barely getting to 90. At night time Ive been using just a plan 75 watt red bulb to keep the temps in the 70s at night.
From trial and error in the beginning of set up... I have 3 basking bulb wattages... 150,100 and 75 all zoo meds... ( Oh and I also ordered a 100w heat emitter a couple days ago for night time..but I probably could use it all the time...) So my question is... now that you have an idea of what my beardies enclosure looks like and what I am working with.. I need some help figuring out which bulbs I should use to get the right heat gradient ...I am using one of those zoo med digital therms with a probe to read temps...
Anyone have any experience heating a really tall tank?
