Slate tile & heat

[Momissa]

We just switched to slate tile but I noticed that it gets quite hot. I had to raise the heat lamp and even then it still gets hot.
Has anyone else had this problem?
At first it quickly got to 121, I turned off the heat lamp and took Shifu out. After raising the heat lamp to the top of the aquarium it still gets to be pretty warm. That's without a raised basking area, where before we had a raised basking area and it stayed around 100.

 

[JessPets]

Get a dimmer. They cost around $10 on amazon and work great, so you can get the exact temps.

 

[Momissa]

Thank you! I'm trying to figure out what type of dimmer or how much of a load is needed. Do you know?

 

[JessPets]

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300NLH-WH-Credenza-Dimmer-White/dp/B0000DI241/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484957065&sr=8-2&keywords=table+dimmer

Works great and is cheap

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Enclosures

 

[ruben0311]

so something is not really making sense to me... without changing the bulb or distance of the bulb, the temperatures should have stayed relatively the same... you stated you had an elevated basking area before and so that in itself should have been very hot if you are now getting 120's at a lower level. what are you reading temps with?... remember that an object will usually only reach a temperature which matches the energy of what that which is supplying the energy. at the same distance... given enough time... the surface temps of any substrate will be the same, carpet and tile will each receive the same amount of heat, only one will more easily and more quickly re-emit that heat, in this case the tile, however both receive the same amount. if you are getting 120's right now then it was in the 120's before also.

 

[JessPets]

so something is not really making sense to me... without changing the bulb or distance of the bulb, the temperatures should have stayed relatively the same... you stated you had an elevated basking area before and so that in itself should have been very hot if you are now getting 120's at a lower level. what are you reading temps with?... remember that an object will usually only reach a temperature which matches the energy of what that which is supplying the energy. at the same distance... given enough time... the surface temps of any substrate will be the same, carpet and tile will each receive the same amount of heat, only one will more easily and more quickly re-emit that heat, in this case the tile, however both receive the same amount. if you are getting 120's right now then it was in the 120's before also.

But the OP switched to tile. Doesn't tile conduct heat much more effectively than most other things (carpet, paper, etc)? Or maybe I'm wrong...

 

[Momissa]

We were using shelf liner before, Its colder outside of the tank so I think because shelf liner doesn't insulate well and slate tile holds the heat better.
When I first checked the temperature I was using the heat emitter and assumed the quickly rising temp was due to that so I switched back to the heat bulb but it was still 120 (even after cooling down first before turning the heat bulb on). So I took out the asking area temporarily until I could resolve the heat problem. It was still too warm 117 and rising, so I raised the heat lamp to above the screen. After checking the temperature again, it is around 97, which is the correct temp for the basking area for an adult beardie right?
I'm going to purchase a dimmer online and go back to the heat emitter dimmed and see if that helps.

 

[JessPets]

We were using shelf liner before, Its colder outside of the tank so I think because shelf liner doesn't insulate well and slate tile does that it holds the heat better.
When I first checked the temperature I was using the heat emitter and assumed the quickly rising temp was due to that so I switched back to the heat bulb but it was still 120 (even after cooling down first before turning the heat bulb on). So I took out the asking area temporarily until I could resolve the heat problem. It was still too warm 117 and rising, so I raised the heat lamp to above the screen. After checking the temperature again, it is around 97, which is the correct temp for the basking area for an adult beardie right?
I'm going to purchase a dimmer online and go back to the heat emitter dimmed and see if that helps.

So, although 97º is good, you won't want to use the heat emitter for day time use. Beardies (usually) associate heat with light, so you'll need to use the heat bulb, not the CHE

 

[Momissa]

I have a dual light hood with a white uvb bulb (while I was waiting to get the reptisun 10.0) and heat emitter, will that work?

 

[Momissa]

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300NLH-WH-Credenza-Dimmer-White/dp/B0000DI241/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484957065&sr=8-2&keywords=table+dimmer

Works great and is cheap

Perfect! That's what I'll order thank you!