Need help with heat lights please?

[cupcake143]

my beardie is about a year old, but hes kind of small still. he is healthy, i bring him to the vet once in a while for checkups. i have him in a 40 gallon tank. i want to know what wattage should the basking bulb be? i have a 100watt in there now, but the thermometer is only reading 95 on the hot side which i know is not warm enough. is the thermometer wrong, or do i need a hotter bulb? i think 150 seems too much.
thanks =)

 

[cupcake143]

if anyone can just let me know what wattage their light is for a 40 gal tank i would appreciate it..

 

[Buggsy]

Well it all depends on the room the viv is in, we all use diff wattages!

What are you measuring the temps with? and where are you measuring them, i.e. are you measuring he 'hot side' or the basking spot, if it just the hot side, its more than likley too hot!

I have a 90gal viv and use a 40 watt bulb

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Yes... as Buggsy said... the home temps play a big role in the viv temps. What watt bulb one person uses may not be suitable for someone else. I keep my home fairly cool... one of my tanks is a 55 gallon and I have a 125w mvb and a 40 watt on the coolside, of course I also have no top on that tank. There are so many variables that come into play.

The type thermometer you use and where in the viv you are taking the temps are the important factors.

Are you using a digital thermometer with a wire and probe, dial, stick-on or an infrared temperature gun?
Also as Buggsy mentioned.. where are you taking the temps?

 

[acwood04]

I have a 20gallon long viv and I have a 60watt viv on the left in a clamp lamp with a dimmer that way I can tweak the temperature.. I also have a 40watt on the hot side heating that side and the basking light is keeping the spot only hot, of course its turned down a little bit. My best advice would be to get a clamp lamp with a dimmer or a dimmer itself that way you can really tweak the temp exactly how you want it. And make sure to take the temp with a probe thermometer. Let it sit anywhere from 45 min to 2 hours to tell how hot the spot is and is going to get, my rocks absorbed heat and it said 104 after 45 min then 5 hours later it said 112 and i was afraid she was burning up!

 

[cupcake143]

thanks for everyones replies... usually my room stays at least around 70 degrees during the winter cuz i keep the heat on. sometimes it drops to 67. i am using a digital thermometer, its zoo med, should i use something else? i thought 95 seemed too cold for my beardie, but when i went to the store to get the 150watt instead of the 100 that i have, the lady there said the wattage was way too high for a 40 gallon tank. maybe the 100 is ok and i just need something better to check the temps..