Lighting question

[lilblack94gt]

So, Since I have been having issues keeping temps up in Sams cage, I am now using a 100w basking bulb, A reptisun 10.0 UV bulb, and a ceramic heat emitter. Any way to conserve energy and consolidate some of these bulbs??? I have seen the solar glo bulbs and the power sun, but am not sure what size to use on a 40 gal breeder, or which one is better than the other. And is there anything else I need to know about these bulbs? Like how and where to mount them?

I currently have 2 40 gal breeders stacked one on top of the other. They are the kind that have the doors that open in the front. Right now, I have the lighting mounted on top of the cages. I have a hood built for the lower tank so that the lighting for it is in between the two tanks. Right now, space is tight. I am hoping to be moving at the end of the month to a larger place so I don't have to stack them anymore.

 

[Erikusan]

Some people mount their UVB bulbs inside of the tanks in order to (a) save space and (b) reduce the filtering by a mesh or solid lid. It shouldn't be too hard to do, if you just get some velcro mounts or even zip ties to attach it to the lid (if the lid's mesh).

As far as consolidating bulbs, I don't know for sure if you can downsize from the basking bulb, night bulb, and UVB bulb. There are combo fixtures out there that can hold multiple bulbs, but then you might run into electrical issues within the fixture itself.

 

[lilblack94gt]

Hmmmm.... I was hoping I could use a combo basking/UV bulb. I think thats what the PowerSuns and Solar Glos are, but not sure. And what the Distance is that they have to be mounted from the basking spot. If I remember correctly, the 40 gal breeders are like 16 to 18 inches tall. So not sure it is tall enough to mount the lighting "Inside" the tanks. Especially my males tank. Sam's basking log is a aquarium decoration that looks like a tree root or tree branch. Its probably 5 or 6 inches shorter than the height of the breeder. And with Sams big vchunky butt up there, well, not enough room to mount anything inside his tank at least.

One of the lids is a custom lid my brother made me out of thin sheet steel and perforated sheet steel that has been powder coated. The darn cats kept falling through the mesh lid. So the tank with the metal lid is on top. The one with the mesh lid is on bottom.

Any ideas? I need something until I can get settled into the new place and get custom Vivs built for them.

 

[lilblack94gt]

Anyone?