Spot Heat Bulbs vs Incandescent Heat Bulbs, Daylight vs Red

Alright, so I have a glass tank, temps seems fine now as well as humidity staying in the 50-60 range, ambient temps are 80-82 on cool side and 85-87 on hot side. I'm using an UTH on thermostat with a dual dome light fixture, with 1 bulb on during day and another on at night, same wattage. My tank is in a finished basement so unless we are downstairs with lights on, there is ZERO natural light (or unnatural) in the basement during the day and night. I need the heatlamps to maintain temps. I bought a bunch of different type of bulbs to zero in on the temperature correctly and to have others in case factors change with the seasons. I have blue daylight bulbs, blue night bulbs, red night bulbs, and a red infrared spot bulb.

What's the different between a Spot bulb and Incandescent, other than the spot bulb pinpointing heat down, and the regular Incandescent bulb letting heat out in all directions. Which would be more beneficial?

Second question, since they would be in pitch black during the day AND need heat from heat bulb, should I use the blue daylight bulb during day and blue night bulb at night, or use the red infrared bulb during day and blue night bulb at night?

The Blue daylight bulb gives off light as a normal light bulb would, but it's not terribly bright as one would think.

I'll take some different pictures of bulb brightness when I get home later and post.

Spot Bulb
http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6pxzfgh3.jpg

Incandescent Bulb
http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/...psndejk6pc.jpg

Those are both incandescent bulbs, which means the produce heat/light by running electricity through a filament - you can see it glowing in the picture of the spot bulb.

The spot bulb has been coated so that the heat/light will be mostly directed in one direction. If you're putting a bulb above the tank or in a dome fixture, I would use a spot bulb rather than a standard incandescent - no point in radiating light where it isn't needed.

Spot bulbs can be had in other styles like fluorescent and halogen.


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Originally Posted by Prognathodon

Those are both incandescent bulbs, which means the produce heat/light by running electricity through a filament - you can see it glowing in the picture of the spot bulb.

The spot bulb has been coated so that the heat/light will be mostly directed in one direction. If you're putting a bulb above the tank or in a dome fixture, I would use a spot bulb rather than a standard incandescent - no point in radiating light where it isn't needed.

Spot bulbs can be had in other styles like fluorescent and halogen.


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Thanks, my mistake. What about my other question regarding the color of bulb?

If heat is the only thing your after, it would be better to just get a ceramic heat emitter and put it on a thermostat too. You'll save a ton of money in the long run by not buying replacement bulbs all the time. If you want light for the snake, just get an aquarium striplight, or any florescent fixture and either put it on a timer or just turn it on when you want to view the snake. They don't really need a light.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Darkbird

If heat is the only thing your after, it would be better to just get a ceramic heat emitter and put it on a thermostat too. You'll save a ton of money in the long run by not buying replacement bulbs all the time. If you want light for the snake, just get an aquarium striplight, or any florescent fixture and either put it on a timer or just turn it on when you want to view the snake. They don't really need a light.

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I'm after both heat and light. Like I explained in the original post, tank is in basement with zero light. If I don't provide heat and light, it will be pitch black for 24 hours. So looking to kill two birds with one stone with the heat bulbs. I understand they don't need a light cycle, but want to atleast provide a means of it knowing its daytime, as well for viewing purposes.

So options are regular bulb or spot.

And do I use red infrared for day, blue moonlight for night, or use the blue daylight during day, blue moonlight at night. The blue daylight bulb isn't terribly bright, will post later, just don't want it to stress out.

The room I have my BPs in doesn't get much natural sunlight and is pretty dark in general. I use incandescent bulbs during the day( for light and heat) and at night I switch to a night bulb. Either a nighttime red or one of those the dark/purple colored ones.

Here's what the blue day bulb looks like if anyone is interested. See, not terribly bright (it's a little brighter in person vs the photo though) so I don't think it will be a problem for day viewing as well as letting the python know it's day time.

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/...psyxzmt2uo.jpg

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/...psbsxcfimd.jpg