20 Gal. Heating Lamp Question

Hey Guys,
I need some help picking out a heat lamp and a bulb that will get my warm side, of my 20 Gal. Tank, to the proper temp. I am going to the pet store today, after work, so any info help. right now i have a 75 watt bulb that keeps the temp, on the warm, at 89 degrees. Do you think i should upgrade to a 100 watt bulb?

You should switch to a UTH. Heat lamps are good for ambient temps but they suck the humidity out of tanks. Since BPs don't bask belly heat is what most people use and it is easier to maintain humidity with a UTH.

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Originally Posted by Kinra

You should switch to a UTH. Heat lamps are good for ambient temps but they suck the humidity out of tanks. Since BPs don't bask belly heat is what most people use and it is easier to maintain humidity with a UTH.

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I have one under the cool side, witch keeps it at 82 degrees.

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Originally Posted by Taylordan4th

I have one under the cool side, witch keeps it at 82 degrees.

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How are you measuring your temps? Are you going by surface temp or the ambient temp? Are you measuring the temps in the hide or outside of the hide? You really shouldn't need a lamp if you are using an UTH.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Taylordan4th

Hey Guys,
I need some help picking out a heat lamp and a bulb that will get my warm side, of my 20 Gal. Tank, to the proper temp. I am going to the pet store today, after work, so any info help. right now i have a 75 watt bulb that keeps the temp, on the warm, at 89 degrees. Do you think i should upgrade to a 100 watt bulb?

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You do not need a lamp. And there should be nothing under your cool side. Id you put the UTH under the warm side keep it between 90-94 degrees and the cool should read between 72-74 degrees. there is no need for light since they do not bask.

Before we go encouraging everyone to ditch their evil heat lamps it might be more prudent to ask the OP what the temperature in the room is. (72 to 74 degrees is a bit low for a cool end temp.......)

See, if the room temp is too low, an UTH won't do dip over sh** for maintaining an appropriate ambient temperature in the enclosure. In fact, in rooms that are not nominally heated, UTHs are a positively craptastic choice for animals that need to keep their core temps up over 80 degrees.

So to the OP: Don't go ditching that overhead fixture yet.
What is the temperature in the room you keep your snake in?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Before we go encouraging everyone to ditch their evil heat lamps it might be more prudent to ask the OP what the temperature in the room is. (72 to 74 degrees is a bit low for a cool end temp.......)

See, if the room temp is too low, an UTH won't do dip over sh** for maintaining an appropriate ambient temperature in the enclosure. In fact, in rooms that are not nominally heated, UTHs are a positively craptastic choice for animals that need to keep their core temps up over 80 degrees.

So to the OP: Don't go ditching that overhead fixture yet.
What is the temperature in the room you keep your snake in?

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X 2

A heat lamp was the only way for me to keep up my ambient temps before I moved to Texas. They suck up humidity but they do raise the ambient temp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Before we go encouraging everyone to ditch their evil heat lamps it might be more prudent to ask the OP what the temperature in the room is. (72 to 74 degrees is a bit low for a cool end temp.......)

See, if the room temp is too low, an UTH won't do dip over sh** for maintaining an appropriate ambient temperature in the enclosure. In fact, in rooms that are not nominally heated, UTHs are a positively craptastic choice for animals that need to keep their core temps up over 80 degrees.

So to the OP: Don't go ditching that overhead fixture yet.
What is the temperature in the room you keep your snake in?

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I keep her in my room, wich stays between 71-73 degrees. the surface temp on the UTH is only 81 degrees.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Taylordan4th

I keep her in my room, wich stays between 71-73 degrees. the surface temp on the UTH is only 81 degrees.

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The ambient in your room is probably too low for a UTH to overcome. UTHs, even the best ones, do next to nothing for raising the overall ambient temp - especially in a glass aquarium

In order to figure out how effective your current bulb is, you need to use a temp gun to shoot the basking spot beneath it, the area between the basking spot and the cool end and the cool end.

Those three readings will tell you how effective your current bulb is.

What are using to control the heat? For example a rheostat or a thermostat........

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

The ambient in your room is probably too low for a UTH to overcome. UTHs, even the best ones, do next to nothing for raising the overall ambient temp - especially in a glass aquarium

In order to figure out how effective your current bulb is, you need to use a temp gun to shoot the basking spot beneath it, the area between the basking spot and the cool end and the cool end.

Those three readings will tell you how effective your current bulb is.

What are using to control the heat? For example a rheostat or a thermostat........

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right now i am useing the Zoo Med Digital Infrared Thermometer. I am at work but when i get home i will get those three reading then make a judgement on the bulb. Thank you soo much for your help! :colbert2: