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  1. #11
    BPnet Veteran hoo-t's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    Just to be sure that we're all on the same page....

    A digital THERMOSTAT is an electronic device that you plug into the wall, and then plug your heater (UTH) into the thermostat. You place the probe for the thermostat on the heater, and then set a temperature on the thermostat. The thermostat then controls the power output to the heater to keep the temperature at the setting that you selected.

    A digital THERMOMETER is an electronic device that displays the current temperature. Around here, it is usually a thermometer that is designed to display an indoor and outdoor temperature. The sensor for the indoor temp is inside the unit, and it includes an external probe for sensing the outdoor temp. The probe is placed at the ground level of the tank/enclosure near the hotside hide.

    A digital thermostat would likely cost you over $100, and likely be sold along with a heat source other than a light bulb (UTH, CHE, etc).

    Please let us know exactly what it is that you have and how are you using it? If you have a stick on thermometer, where is it in the tank? Does it have an external probe? If so, where is the probe placed?

    Steve

  2. #12
    BPnet Veteran BigCeC43's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    Alright so I have a nice collection of about 5-6 different bulbs now with more coming, lol, (not by choice, I just keep geting different reccomendations). So here's my 10 gallon tank...

    Left side
    Water bowl large enough so that he could bathe if he wanted to
    Small and "ghetto" hide I made from an old emty box of busines cards

    Right side
    Back corner has the lamp w/ a 60watt blue bulb during the day & a 40watt back bulb at night) This was reccomended by a friend who has 2 BPs
    Heat pad for 10-20 gallon tanks located under the tank (slightly closer to the front but mostly in the center of the right side)
    Larger hide that was bought in the store on a little bit of angle to allow entrances from both sides (it's an upsidown half pipe made from a tree). This takes up almost my entire left side but he can lay in front or behind if he desires.

    My Thermometer which only measures the in tank temp has a probe which I have moved a few times, but is now 1-2 inches off of the ground all the way on the right side of the tank between the hide and the glass.

    A also have a stick that I was told to soak in bleach and hot water. So I did that then soaked it again in hot water and ran it under scolding hot water until it didn't smell like bleach anymore. This stick is above the tank an runs from the ground by the water dish to the top of the large hide.


    He has been chilling under the large hide where my heat pad is since I bought it. The temp on the thermometer is 86-87, but I'm assuming it is warmer where he is laying due to the pad being there and my probe not being all the way on the ground. O, and I placed the small mounts under my tank, but it only elevates it high enough so that I could fit the cord under there.

    I've got another thermometer and humidity gauge coming soon (with no probes)


    I think that explains everything. Thanks for your help any more feedbak is greatly apperciated.

  3. #13
    in evinco persecutus dr del's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    Hi,


    Well my basic advice is;

    Use a smaller waterbowl - they don't need to soak if you get the humidity right in the tank. Some might like to - but they shouldn't need to.

    With the extra space this gives you get 2 small tight,dark identical hides one on either side. They dont mind if it is 2 small cardboard boxes or the plastic saucers that go under plant pots ( only 99c each and a total bargain).

    I would move the probe to get a reading inside his hot end hide - that and the temp inside his cool hides are the main ones you want to be sure of as that is where he will spend most of his time. I would also measure the temperatures right on the very bottom of the tank on the glass itself on top of your heatpad as the snake can burrow down to that so you need to know it is not dangerously hot.

    I would also find a red or dark bulb and use that 24/7 if it is needed to get the temperatures right. - the ambient light in your room should be enough for him really to get a day/night cycle. There is no need to lower the temps at night unless you are breeding them in case that is why you change them.

    As for the different recomendations I hear ya - only you can measure and see which one is right for your tank in the end though. I tend to use larger wattage bulbs then control them somehow - either with a thermostat( proportional) or a simple dimmer switch.

    Im curious on the thermometers and humidity gauges your getting that don't have probes? What are they and is the accurite with indoor/outdoor and humidity not available locally? At only $12 I would have thought it would have been a better bet.

    I appologise if most of this has been covered earlier in the thread - I just got up and am posting without the benefit of coffee.


    dr del
    Derek

    7 adult Royals (2.5), 1.0 COS Pastel, 1.0 Enchi, 1.1 Lesser platty Royal python, 1.1 Black pastel Royal python, 0.1 Blue eyed leucistic ( Super lesser), 0.1 Piebald Royal python, 1.0 Sinaloan milk snake 1.0 crested gecko and 1 bad case of ETS. no wife, no surprise.

  4. #14
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    You're definitely going to need a rheostat or thermostat to control that UTH, as right now if it;s going full blast WITH the lamps on top of it, it's probably a bit too hot in your tank.

    You can get an inexpensive ZooMed 500R thermostatr at reptilesupply.com or reptiledirect.com for about $23 plus shipping. Or you can go to walmart and get a pre-made corded lamp dimmer (looks like an extension cord with a control at one end) for about $9. Or you can spend a lot more for a higher end thermostat like a herpstat or ranco.

    The lamp dimmer or rheostat will have to be monitored and adjusted as ambient room temps change, but a thermostat, once set up properly, requires no adjusting.

  5. #15
    BPnet Veteran BigCeC43's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    The thermometer/ humidity gauge didn't appear to have probes (I ordered it online yesterday). My BP has spent most of his time on the hot side either in his hide or ontop of his hide under the lamp. He very rarely moves from these spots, and any time I do notice him moving he always ends up right back where he started. I'm assuming he wouldn't let himself overheat, by staying in an area that's too hot, but as I've mentioned I'm new to this. He's supposed to be shedding soon, his eyes have been blue and his skin slightly wrinkled the past 2 days. I hope he has a good shed, the temp has been changing so much since I put him in there, and with the stress of him being taken out of the store I'm a little nervous.

  6. #16
    in evinco persecutus dr del's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    Hi,

    Is it possible to give us links to the ones you ordered? It's tough dialing in setups at first but once it's done they really are almost trouble free.

    dr del
    Derek

    7 adult Royals (2.5), 1.0 COS Pastel, 1.0 Enchi, 1.1 Lesser platty Royal python, 1.1 Black pastel Royal python, 0.1 Blue eyed leucistic ( Super lesser), 0.1 Piebald Royal python, 1.0 Sinaloan milk snake 1.0 crested gecko and 1 bad case of ETS. no wife, no surprise.

  7. #17
    BPnet Veteran BigCeC43's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    For some reason this computer won't let me go to that part of the site right now, when I go home I will post a link.

  8. #18
    BPnet Veteran BigCeC43's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    Here's the link...

    http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/430/product.web

    I bought the one with no probes, but I could have sworn I read that it's good to have a thermometer w/ a probe to measure a spot/ground temp and one without to measure ambient air temp.

    As crazy as this has been trying to get things right I don't mind it, I'm just extremely anxious for his first shed and feeding so I can finally start to handle him. I literally sit and stare at the tank waiting for him to move, but he rarely does (if I'm not mistaken that common when they're about to shed).

  9. #19
    in evinco persecutus dr del's Avatar
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    Re: Is a 100 watt bulb too much for a 10 gallon tank?

    Yup they can be little hide potatos when shedding.


    If you can I would phone the company and ask if they have shipped those - if they say no ask if you can cancel the order as they really aren't all that good compared to the accurite - and it does everything for only $14 tops.

    This is one kind of thing we are talking about though the accurite shows all 3 readings at once so is slightly ahead in my book.

    I think this is what it looks like - check out local hardware stores and if you can't find it ask on here if anyone has a web link to buy it.

    Getting a good accurate reading of your temperatures is vital to getting your set up right - and those round things can be very innacurate.


    dr del
    Derek

    7 adult Royals (2.5), 1.0 COS Pastel, 1.0 Enchi, 1.1 Lesser platty Royal python, 1.1 Black pastel Royal python, 0.1 Blue eyed leucistic ( Super lesser), 0.1 Piebald Royal python, 1.0 Sinaloan milk snake 1.0 crested gecko and 1 bad case of ETS. no wife, no surprise.

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