Rule for basking wattage?

[bongripper420]

i need to find out the wattage of bulb i need to cool down my tank about 10 degrees
i have a 150w bulb in there and temps are like 115 for basking 100 for ambient and coolside is like 85
its getting hotter outside now so my room heats up much quicker lol
what size should i get i have a 40 gallon

 

[TheVirus]

150 watts is way overkill. I heat a 48"x24" and a 60"x30" using one 45 or 50 watt indoor/outdoor halogen flood bulb for each enclosure. I heat a 40 breeder using one 65 watt incandescent flood bulb (doesn't produce as much heat per watt as a halogen).

You should really cover your screen top with aluminum foil and cut around the lights. Your losing all your heat because of the screen top (hot air rises and is replaced by cool air) therefore you have to use such high wattage. Not only are you wasting energy ($) but the hot air being produced by the lights is sucking up all the moisture from your enclosure and its inhabitants (your beardie) and is being replaced by the dry cool air of your room. This process greatly increases the rate to which your dragon loses moisture. Its why only hardy species can be kept in fish tanks.

Also, why do you want to lower your basking temp? 115 is good for babies because they don't have a lot of body mass, therefore it doesn't take them long to achieve desired core temps. For some reason when a person's beardie gets larger (increases body mass) they lower the basking temp. It is already taking longer for the dragon to achieve desired temps under 115, but now the temps have been lowered to 95-105. At that temp its going to take along time (if ever) for the dragon to reach a desired temp.

Good luck!

 

[Embee]

Also, why do you want to lower your basking temp? 115 is good for babies because they don't have a lot of body mass, therefore it doesn't take them long to achieve desired core temps.

The general consensus here is that basking temps ideally, should be 105-110 for basking. 115 is just a tick too high, but I'm sure there is room for healthy debate. I believe the wisdom is that precisely because a baby's body mass is indeed slim, they can quickly become dehydrated at too high a temp. Thus, 110 seems a good healthy heat dose without going "overly."

Just my .02 for whatever that's worth. :dontknow:

OP, I use a 100w MVB for my 40 breeder, so I haven't had any experience in heating with a regular bulb. I think in trying to adjust temps, it's best to go down incrementally. Try a 100w household, or perhaps 75w flood and see what you get for readings, and go from there. Also, changing the distance from lamp to dragon can also help. For example, our MVB is too hot at 12 inches (the minimum distance for a MVB), and must be 14-15 inches to provide proper basking temps. Good luck!

The best,
Em

 

[Embee]

150 watts is way overkill. I heat a 48"x24" and a 60"x30" using one 45 or 50 watt indoor/outdoor halogen flood bulb for each enclosure. I heat a 40 breeder using one 65 watt incandescent flood bulb (doesn't produce as much heat per watt as a halogen).

Indeed, the floods do tend to throw out more heat, so you can usually get away with a lesser wattage bulb. Nice.

You should really cover your screen top with aluminum foil and cut around the lights. Your losing all your heat because of the screen top (hot air rises and is replaced by cool air) therefore you have to use such high wattage. Not only are you wasting energy ($) but the hot air being produced by the lights is sucking up all the moisture from your enclosure and its inhabitants (your beardie) and is being replaced by the dry cool air of your room. This process greatly increases the rate to which your dragon loses moisture. Its why only hardy species can be kept in fish tanks.

Interesting. Haven't heard of this. My understanding is that a dry enclosure (30-50% humidity) equals healthy beardie. We bathe regularly to provide hydration, of course. We use a screen top, and I believe the ventilation is rather important, no? Forgive if I'm not understanding you correctly.

The best,
Em

 

[bongripper420]

Hmmmm
Well like I said I have a 150w halogen bulb
I'm still getting basking temps as high as 107 in the mornng which is pretty high
Do you think an 100w bulb would be good or 125 maybe??

 

[GoFast]

is this in addition to a UVB? what kind are you using? is it an MVB or a florescent tube?? I have a much bigger tank than 40g and I only use a 40 watt in addition to my MVB. If you have a florescent tube UVB then i think that just 60-75watts at 6" should be enough

 

[TheVirus]

bongripper, If you cover the screen top like I mentioned in my previous post, you can get any temp you desire using either a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb or a 45 or 50 watt indoor/outdoor halogen flood. Just use an elevated basking spot.

Open top or screen top enclosures aren't a good choice.

Only truly hardy lizards can withstand them. Even then with some sort of interference. Theres alot of talk on forums about how to hydrate beardies. Constant bathing, misting, water down greens, juicy bugs etc... Theres no talk about how to allow your dragon to keep themselves hydrated.

Beardies (most reptiles) are masters at conserving energy and moisture. Its why they can go so long without food and water. In captivity they should get all the moisture they need through food. The problem is, they lose more moisture a day then they take in from the moisture filled crickets and greens. This is due to the bone dry (harsh) enclosures we provide, coupled with the poor air movements that open/screen tops allow.

We all hear stories of rescued dragons with stuck sheds on their feet and tails. This is from constantly being in a bone dry enclosure. The rescuer has to soak the dragon for multiple, long periods of time to get the stuck shed off. I very rarely soak my dragons, yet I don't experience stuck sheds or dehydration. I allow for decent air movement and areas of humidity where my dragons can retain moisture.

In the wild beardies spend a lot of time in burrows, cracks, crevices, tin sheets. These areas all have higher humidity than the air outside (ever see the burrows in meerkat manor ). Beardie keepers frequently try and replicate the overall environment that beardies are trying to survive in, instead of the micro-environments they seek out. Remember....beardies brumate through the dry season.

Here is a couple quotes that Frank Retes wrote recently that I really like.

You should consider, in nature, they utilize the most harsh enviornments they can succeed in. As in, nature at times push them into the most marginal conditions. FR

In captivity, we do not have to include the harsh trying conditions. FR

In the past I have angered many folks by saying I keep all species alike, and I do. I do not allow any species to dehydrate, or underheat or overheat. FR

All you have to do to fix the screen top problem is to cover it up with aluminum foil, tape it down, and cut around the lights.

 

[bongripper420]

That makes alot of sense what you posted there
I'm using a flourescent bulb and a 150w halogen basking bulb
Don't they need some fresh air atleadt? Cause covering the whole top wouldn't allow fresh air in and pro ably would overall raise the temps even more

 

[TheVirus]

If you modify your screen top (either build a new one or cover the screen) your going to have get a lower watt bulb. Use the bulbs I recommended in my other posts. The bulbs are large and offer a wide beam for heat.

I cover the screen top completely with aluminum foil and tape it down so there is no space for air to get out. Then I cut around the lights (dome fixture and UVB fixture) being careful not to over cut. If I do over cut, I put a piece of tape over that area. If you want, you can cut two small holes in the foil(about the size of a quarter) on the two cool end corners. Its not necessary, but it might make you feel better The light fixtures themselves are ventilated and allow for air exchange. 40 breeder tops don't have a lot of surface area, so cutting a lot of holes isn't a good idea.

Just to give you peace of mind, I have dragons in enclosures with tops just like this. During brumation, they will dig a burrow in to the cool moist soil, and back fill it completely shut (so they're shut in). Not only is there enough air exchange for them to breath top side, but theres enough air exchange through the soil too. Good luck!

 

[bongripper420]

lol k sounds good man ill give it a try we'll see how she goes
how does this benefit it again? lol
basically it keeps them hydrated longer/better?