Lighting and Humidity

[AtticusTheBeardie]

Hi all,

I’m new here. I have Atticus who was hatched in July. Yesterday, he upgraded to a beautiful 75 gallon tank. With 4 lamps (one uvb, one basking, and two heat bulbs) the tank hasn’t gotten above 80 degrees and a humidity of 70%. I live in Vermont so we are just plain humid here, especially this time of year when it is raining constantly. I have a mini dehumdifier coming for his tank but I’m just making sure that he is alright at these levels until it gets here. He is still eating but, I guess the only difference is his energy level. He is much more docile (I don’t want to use the term lethargic because he is responsive when I come up to the glass or reach in for him) but I’m also thinking that could be because he has so much space to run around now so his energy level is more controlled. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[HylianHealeys]

Sounds like you need higher wattage bulbs. For a 75 gallon, a 100-125w halogen floodlight bulb should do the trick for the basking end. Reduce the wattage for the rest of the lamps to create a gradient down to 80 degrees.

For example: current bulb on the cool side, higher wattage for the second, higher wattage more for the third, and then highest wattage for the fourth on the basking end.

Raising your temps via heat lamps might help disperse some of the humidity, too.

Is one of the lamps mentioned a UVB?

 

[AtticusTheBeardie]

Sounds like you need higher wattage bulbs. For a 75 gallon, a 100-125w halogen floodlight bulb should do the trick for the basking end. Reduce the wattage for the rest of the lamps to create a gradient down to 80 degrees.

For example: current bulb on the cool side, higher wattage for the second, higher wattage more for the third, and then highest wattage for the fourth on the basking end.

Raising your temps via heat lamps might help disperse some of the humidity, too.

Is one of the lamps mentioned a UVB?

Yes, one lamp is a UVB. I’ll look into halogen. Will that make it so I can get rid of a lamp or two? Four lamps is really going to kill my electric bill and make my boyfriend REALLY happy! ?.

 

[HylianHealeys]

What type of UVB is it? Compact fluorescent, PowerSun, or something else?

I'm able to heat a 90-gallon with just two lamps in the winter, so you should be able to reduce yours as well.

 

[AtticusTheBeardie]

What type of UVB is it? Compact fluorescent, PowerSun, or something else?

I'm able to heat a 90-gallon with just two lamps in the winter, so you should be able to reduce yours as well.

That is incredible. Mind telling me exactly what you use?

 

[HylianHealeys]

I keep my apartment at about 75 degrees in the winter, and then I just use 100-125 watt livestock-grade heating bulbs from the home improvement or farming goods store. The basking bulb is higher wattage than the second bulb so I can still maintain a gradient.