mounting UVB bulb in 75 gallon?

[Abbeymore]

Hi,
I just got a 75 gallon tank from craigslist and I am trying to set it up ready for Cinder.

The tank is 4 feet long so I bought the 36" Reptisun 10.0 bulb. The only fixture I could find that was 36" says it's rated to 25W but I just saw the Reptisun bulb is 30W. Is it safe to use? I have just had it switched on to test it for over an hour and it seems fine. Will it just reduce the lifespan of the bulb or could it do something like overheat or explode or something? :shock: I don't want to put Cinder in danger!

Assuming it is safe to use, do I still mount it 6-8 inches away from the top of the basking platform or does it have to be further away?

Thank you!

 

[Taterbug]

You want the fixture wattage to match the bulb. It will underpower the lamp and give less output than you'd be expecting.

Positioning really depends on the strength of the bulb and the fixture used. https://sites.google.com/site/thelizardmadness/lighting-guides