light bulb wattage

OK Ive been using a 60 watt red glass bulb for sages 10 gallon tank but now i got a 40 gallon tank should i raise the wattage on the bulb.

I say ditch the bulbs and get a human heating pad.

will the human heating pad crack the bottom of the tank...or is heating tape better

Human heat pads are less likely to crack the bottom of a glass tank than anything that adheres to the tank. Just make sure the pad doesn't cover the entire bottom of the tank, and prop your tank up off whatever surface it is on a little bit. I use the little rubber pegs they sell to put on the bottom of electronic equipment. Experiment with the settings to see which one gives you the proper gradient.

i have a heating pad and a bulb but its not a human heating pad

Heating pad will be LESS likely to crack than the more expensive adhesive backed products. Just jack the tank up a tad to allow a little breathing room under the tank.

The heat pads they sell specifically for reptile use are fine too. They're just more expensive. Sometimes you find you have to use a bulb too to maintain the proper temperature gradient.

That's funny ... Smynx and Smulkin said the same thing at the same time. Do you finish each other's sentences too? :)

She's the coherent one so she usually either finishes them or translates my babble :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

She's the coherent one so she usually either finishes them or translates my babble :P

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Which isn't always easy, and sometimes he loses even me.

LOL. I understand. :) Can you tell him to check his PM?

i removed the small uth and put a human one under the tank put it on med and let see what happens :shock:

I have to use a UTH and a red bulb to keep the proper heat gradient in Caesar's cage. (The basement is a bit chilly.) I find that the red bulbs heat a lot more effeciently than a similar watt standard bulb. The best way to control the bulbs is with a rheostat (dimmer switch). You can get a simple one at any hardware store for about $6. That way even if the bulb heats too effeciently, I can just dim it down some until it's just the temp I want it.

I noticed a big difference when i switched wattages... you see it's going on spring here in Nashville which means weathermen call out temperatures like lottery numbers... 60! 40. 30! 70! So the past two days (since i had my set-up running) the temperature in my apartment has been shifting so I keep a close eye... on the warmer days I end up with a 75 black bulb on full power (I have a rhetostat for the bulb but a human heat pad.. I just got those no scratch plactic adhesive corner protectors from walmart.. the thickest they had) and when it gets chilly I go to a 100 watt red bulb on low. I have a 20 long tank my heat pad is generally on low because i use the light to compensate the change in temp as I have more specific incremental control over it. Lights WILL LOWER HUMIDITY make sure your air doesn't get baked... I use contact paper to cover the cool side and middle of the tank to maintain humidity.. duct tape works too but I am going for asthetics... Oh and my light fixture is the middle size ceramic capable one that plugs in to turn on. Max 200 watts I think.

okay last thing... the only reason i use bulb rather than ceramic element (which tend to last long so i hear "more bang for your buck") is because I want to watch him at night as he is across the room from my bed. Hope all this blabber helps haha

i use a human heating pad long with lights, i have a 30 gallon tank, and i just set the heating pad on low. it works. but i have astroturf 4 substrate

So does one stick the huma ht-pd directly to the glass?

Nope, you should give it a little clearance for air circulation, just like with a reptile heat mat. 1/8" to 1/4" should be fine.

Thanks Marla! I'm going to get a 40gallon breeder tank for my little guy this summer and I plan on using a Human Heating pad this time around!

I think you'll be pleased with their performance, especially considering how much less they cost. Keep us updated. :)

But of course I will my dear! :D

For those who use a heating pad and a bulb, where do you place the heating pad in relation to the bulb? Does this question make sense? I'm assuming you don't have them both on the same side, so do you have a bulb on one side and a heating pad on the opposite side?

I put the heating pad and bulb on the same side, my heating pad covers a bit more than a quarter of the tank floor space so i put it under the tank and put the bulb above it in the middle for a basking spot and to speed up the evaporation of water from the water dish... i change the water every day and clean with antibacterial soap (rinse well) every two or three days to prevent a bacteria build up

ok, that makes sense, thanks.