New to reptiles but have lighting question

[JRevenall]

I did a ton of research on the subject and finally and I think I'm really close to the perfect setup

40 gallon breeder with a hefty branch that spans from the bottom corner of the tank to the top corner of the tank for basking about 8-10 " from the basking bulb. A 24' strip light with a 10.0 exo terra fluorescent bulb. A 75 watt CHE bulb for night and a 75 watt basking bulb . No hide yet its still in progress ( being made from Styrofoam, Grout, non toxic acrylic paint and mod podge ) I have plans to make a background from the same materials . She also has a homemade hammock to chill on the cool side

Having said all that I was wondering after spending ALOT of money could I cheap out and buy a regular incandescent bulb for the basking light ? With the basking bulb I'm getting the hot side up to 90 - 95 degrees F and basking area to a little higher than that plus its just plain cheaper

Sorry for the long winded question

 

[quyllur]

I don't know if an incandescent would get you the temps you need, but lots of people use halogen flood bulbs rather than pet store basking bulbs with success and lots cheaper. Also, if this is for a baby dragon, you are going to want your basking spot a bit warmer for sure.

 

[diamc]

[Moved here from General Discussion forum]

You really don't need to spend the extra money on a reptile basking bulb and can even use a white standard household lightbulb for the basking bulb. In a 40 gallon breeder, you may be able to use a 75 or 100 watt standard bulb to get the right temps. You could try a flood bulb but have to make sure the wattage isn't too high so your beardie doesn't overheat.

With the 75 watt basking bulb you're using now, it seems like you should be getting higher temps than you are now. Could you fill us in on the type of thermometer you're using, a digital strip, round gauge (dial), temperature gun or digital with long wire & probe end? What is the basking SURFACE temp and the temp on the bottom of the cool side?

 

[JRevenall]

I'm using the round dial thermometer, I know its not very accurate but its all I can afford right now most of the lighting took my budget. as luck would have it the basking bulb shot craps this morning so now I have the chance to see what a incandescent bulb can do . Getting a 75 watt

 

[diamc]

Yes, the dial thermometers are very inaccurate, can be off 20 degrees or more. Amazon has some very reasonably priced probe thermometers and temp guns if you'd like me to post some links for you. It's very important to know what the temps really are and it affects their total health including proper digestion.

 

[HKzForDayz]

How old is your dragon? While a 40 gal may be perfect for a hatchling, keep in mind it is the bare minimum for an adult dragon.

Is your UVB fixture t5 or t8? if it is t8, you will want to move your basking spot a little closer to 6 inches to get adequate uvb, and swap out the exo terra for either a reptisun 10.0 or an arcadia 12, but honestly you would be best off getting a t5 fixture if you dont already have one , with one of those 2 brands as a t5 bulb, as this will change your optimal uvb distance to 12-14" , will negate some of the UVB loss through a screen with the weaker t8 fixture, and also make it much easier to create an adequate UVB gradient. below you will find links to the two bulbs recommended, in t5

This fixture
http://www.amazon.com/Sunblaster-904296 ... ge_o00_s00

with this bulb
http://www.petmountain.com/product/rept ... oCdBrw_wcB


or if you can spend a little bit extra..this combo
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5 ... 2-ho-bulb/


With my experience, a 75w basking bulb is sufficient with a 40g on lamp stands, and can be TOO hot sitting directly on the screen, dependent on distance to basking spot and your homes ambient temps. I would pick up a IR temp gun or digital thermometer w/probe , definitely a must if you are going to be getting a bearded dragon. You will want to get your basking to 105-110. if that bulb doesnt get your temps there, a lot of people go with a par38 flood light for basking.

 

[JRevenall]

Information overload haha

I have no idea if its a T8 or T5 fixture its just a simple under the counter fixture that I mounted inside the tank next to the basking area like in a pic I seen on this website its actually the same setup almost. The light itself is a 10.0 , its the highest rated one on Amazon.

40 will be ok wont it ? I mean I cant go crazy like I did when I was fishkeeping and I have a spare tank for emergencies

The infared thermometer will have to wait for a little bit but I have a refrigeration thermometer that is spot on it says 102 at the basking site with a 75 watt incandescent bulb . I'll upload some pics when I figure out how to

 

[HKzForDayz]

Information overload haha

I have no idea if its a T8 or T5 fixture its just a simple under the counter fixture that I mounted inside the tank next to the basking area like in a pic I seen on this website its actually the same setup almost. The light itself is a 10.0 , its the highest rated one on Amazon.

40 will be ok wont it ? I mean I cant go crazy like I did when I was fishkeeping and I have a spare tank for emergencies

The infared thermometer will have to wait for a little bit but I have a refrigeration thermometer that is spot on it says 102 at the basking site with a 75 watt incandescent bulb . I'll upload some pics when I figure out how to

You can get them for 15 bucks on amazon or 20 bucks a walmart, or you can find a digital therm with probe for less then 10 on amazon. you really need one or the other to guarantee accurate temps. 102 is a little low as well, you want it to be between 105-110.

a 40 gal would suffice for an adult, It is just far from "the perfect setups" as it is the bare minimum.

That is probably a t8 fixture if you aren't sure, the t8n fixture will suffice,and its good you have it mounted inside being a t8, but I would definitely invest in a better bulb. The only two that we have found to consistently get UVI levels with the range our dragons need in the t8 fixtures are the Reptisun 10.0 and the Arcadia 12. The T8 Reptisun 10.0 can be found on amazon for 30 bucks. I believe the arcadia sells for a similar price on LightYourReptiles.com.

 

[syoung27]

I have a 40g tank with a 100w basking bulb. The temps on the basking branch have yet to break 110, and it's only a couple inches away at the closest point. I find its nice to have a branch or larger basking area so the beardie can adjust closer or further.
Readings from a zoomed digital probe.
The 100w bulb barely keeps 80 into the cooler end. Maybe it's just my screen top has very large holes so the heat escapes more.
I don't think I would go less than 100w if that's your only daytime heat source for a 40g.
I also have a CHE for nighttime, I think mines only 60w though.
Your setup sounds fine to me as it's very similar. My beardie has been doing well in it.

 

[HKzForDayz]

I have a 40g tank with a 100w basking bulb. The temps on the basking branch have yet to break 110, and it's only a couple inches away at the closest point. I find its nice to have a branch or larger basking area so the beardie can adjust closer or further.
Readings from a zoomed digital probe.
The 100w bulb barely keeps 80 into the cooler end. Maybe it's just my screen top has very large holes so the heat escapes more.
I don't think I would go less than 100w if that's your only daytime heat source for a 40g.
I also have a CHE for nighttime, I think mines only 60w though.
Your setup sounds fine to me as it's very similar. My beardie has been doing well in it.

There are many too many factors that play into basking temps, you cannot really say there is a one size fits all bulb, I have two 40 gals with almost identical setups with one running a 75w and the other running a 50w. If i put a 75 in the second tank, its temps go above 120. It truly is on a case by case basis. One way to be sure is get a higher Watt bulb and a dimmer.

The biggest variable in figuring out which watt bulb would be sufficient is ambient temps of the room the enclosures are in. If you keep your house at 68 and have your beardies in your living room, it would be much harder then somebody like me who keeps his reptiles and his feeders all in his office, where I have the AC vents closed and usually at least two computers running. My ambient temp in my office start at about 80 during the day with everything running, so it is MUCH easier to get up to 105.

It is also worth mentioning that there can be great differences in bulbs with same wattage, even between the same brand bulbs at times. Anything from something as big as a different style design to something as small to an inconsistency in the reflective coating inside the bulb can make for different temperatures.

 

[JRevenall]

Ok well the chick started acting lethargic and didn't have what I thought was a good appetite so I upgraded to the reptisun 10.0 and she is doing a lot better and has her appetite back. Thank you guys for the tips I also switched to a 100 watt incandescent bulb for her basking spot but still need to get a decent thermometer but that will come

 

[JRevenall]

The Pic was taken before upgrades