Amb. Temps measured where?

Ok I got a few questions. I had to foil the screen tops of my tank because the ambient temps wasnt high enouigh. I also put the heat lamp back on to raise the ambient temps. The substrate temps are between 92-94. The ambient temps are between 83-87. Humidity sucks because its between 45-55. Where do I put the thermometer? The hot side has the UTH and the cool side has the lamp(one on each end of the tank.). Right now I have the thermometer above the UTH. If I place it under the lamp on the cool side the lamp affects the temp because its near it. HELP HELP I am confused.

Well, I place my combo Acurite in the middle of the back to measure ambient, just above the substrate, and the probe goes under the warm hide. To measure cool side temps I have another Acurite that just measures in/out with the probe under the cool hide.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tideguyinva

Ok I got a few questions. I had to foil the screen tops of my tank because the ambient temps wasnt high enouigh. I also put the heat lamp back on to raise the ambient temps. The substrate temps are between 92-94. The ambient temps are between 83-87. Humidity sucks because its between 45-55. Where do I put the thermometer? The hot side has the UTH and the cool side has the lamp(one on each end of the tank.). Right now I have the thermometer above the UTH. If I place it under the lamp on the cool side the lamp affects the temp because its near it. HELP HELP I am confused.

---

I place the thermometer about 1" off the substrate on the cool side to measure ambient temps. The probe goes on the glass on the warm side. If you know the lamp is going to have an affect on the temp in this location then maybe the cool side isn't as cool as you think.

I have another question of my own though...Can anyone tell me why my cool side substrate temp measures 80 when all of my ambient temp readings are 82 on several thermometers throughout the room and the tank? Weird, but I don't think I need to worry too much about it.