Proper Temps in 10 gallon tank

[CashMyCheck]

I have my baby beardie in a 10 gallon tank, with 5.5 domes that handle up to 60watts. For some reason, I cannot find the correct light bulb to provide the proper temps. It came with the Zilla 50watt white bulb but that only gets the basking spot around 95*. Im using a ZooMed Red bulb 60watt at night which has been working well. Today I bought the ZooMed 60watt blue bulb for day time to help bump the basking temp up, but for some reason its providing lower temps than the white 50w Zilla bulb. Should I try going with a lower wattage halogen bulb from walmart? Thanks

 

[zandi202]

I think you might want to buy a new fixture. I use a dome that can use 100w and have a 100w basking bulb in it for a 40g and that's keeping the temps where they need to be. Obviously you don't need a t 100w yet, but this way you'd have the correct fixture for when you need one and you can try the 75 watt which should do the trick.
It's hard to get the temps right in a 10g because it is so small. Do they have a hot and cool side and something to hide under to thermoregulate?

 

[CashMyCheck]

I tried the 75w dome with the exo terra 75w bulb but the basking spot was around 113~ so I returned it today and tried the 60 watt because its in between 50 and 75, but I think because its blue and not white it doesnt get as hot. Any thoughts on the halogen bulbs?

 

[zandi202]

Sorry, can't help you there . I have not personally tried them so have no experience with them.

 

[Spikey92]

I think the easiest way would be to just get a bigger viv. He will need it anyways as 10 g is really small! Get a 20 g or even better a 40 g breeder as thats the min size for an adult. If u get it now you dont have to upgrate later . For our 40 g we use a 100w basking spot light and the basking temp is 110. You do need a bright light though, no blue or red heat lights.

 

[CashMyCheck]

Yes I realize I need a bigger tank I got this one because it was only 50$ with all the lights and everything I needed to start off. I plan on getting a 40+ gallon tank as soon as my tax refund check comes in the mail. Right Now im using both my 50W White and 60W blue together and it has the basking spot at 97* and the cool side around 80. I'm gonna try a halogen/flood light bulb from walmart tomorrow morning. We use that kind at work on the tracklights, and I burn up if I stand underneath them so hopefully one of those will be enough. Any recommendations on the wattage? The guy at petsmart told me they were using 40w in their beardies tanks, and they looked like floodlights to me.

 

[Spikey92]

Sorry but I dont really know a lot about light bulbs

But may I ask what kind of thermometer youre using?

 

[CashMyCheck]

Sorry but I dont really know a lot about light bulbs

But may I ask what kind of thermometer youre using?

I have a stick on in the cool side and a digital w/ probe to measure the basking spot.

 

[Spikey92]

Just making sure as those stick ons are pretty useless. But a digital one with probe is pretty accurate

 

[CashMyCheck]

So I picked up a 60w halogen from walmart this morning, and it brought the temps up to 110-112 again like the 75w was giving me. Will I need a dimmer to keep it a little lower than that or does that sound about right? Also, the package says "Color Enhanced, Full Spectrum." Is that bad or harmful for me beardie? I remember reading something about it on here but not quite sure.

EDIT: So after 2 hours or so the light continued to increase in temperature to 120* so I immediately shut it off and went back to using the 50w while i went to work. I grabbed a 5.5" zoo med dome and 75w basking bulb, so hopefully ill be all set. The only ones with dimmers were 8.5" which I though was too big for my viv