night time heating

i have my heat lamp on a timer to go off and simulate night time, but when that goes off i have trouble keeping the heat up. i use an UTH on the warm side and nothing on the cool, but at night the cool side drops to below 75. someone told me anything below 75 is unhealthy, so i got a infrared heat lamp and that is not doing the job too well. does anyone use an under the tank heater on there cold side too? i know i should get a thermostat, but the price is a little out of my reach right now. any suggestions?

Well, you don't need to simulate night time temp-wise at all. I would reccommend getting a UTH with a thermostat on the cool side, that way you could keep the temps constant. Just save up and get one, I guess.

You dont need a night dimmer. It's not necessary 'til you breed.

I use 2 identical pieces of flexwatt, essentially 2 identical UTHs, one on warm side one on cool side.

I have the warm side connected thru a ZooMed 500R thermostat set to 90-94. The cool side is connected to the same thermostat but with a dimmer on the cool side UTH adjusted so the cool side gets to 80-84 This way I can have 2 different temp UTHs controlled by 1 thermostat.

i live in miami, all i have worry about is if the fans too high :oops: ..i have no source out heat at night.. my room that sleep is tempertured at 76. I know my borneo loves being in the closet. I turn all lights out and close the closet doors.

I love the heat anyways. I guess im turning cold blooded..Naw im just cold hearted :sunny:

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Originally Posted by Phreak

You dont need a night dimmer. It's not necessary 'til you breed.

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so i can leave my heat lamp that gives off light on 24/7?

or should i just get a higher watt red light and leave that on all the time?

i have 2 UTH's on my 55gal keeping temps correct and as far as ambient temp i have a 75W red bulb on a lamp stand about 4 inchs off enclosure that i leave on 24/7

try getting an infrared bulb to use at night. that light frequency won't disrupt their day/night pattern.

yea that's what i am using a red light infrared bulb. i had a 50 watt one that wasn't getting it done, so im gonna go return it for a nice 100 watter that i can leave on all day and use my basking lamp durring the day.

or

should i go get another under tank heater, like a mini one?

thanks for the help.....

I'd reccommend the UTH. Lamps just tend to dry up any humidity in there. BPs don't need to bask like other animals; that's why belly heat is so much more preferred.

Yeah, belly heat is better. If you do get another UTH, and can't afford a thermostat yet, I would suggest getting a dimmer switch from your local hardware store (the kind to dim lights with). they're only like 6 bucks. Then you can adjust the temp to where you need it and maintain the gradient you need. But remember, it is still safer to get a thermostat in case it gets bumped, then you don't fry your snake.

You could also try to cover 3 sides of the tank with reflectix it holds the heat pretty well... And two identical UTH's with dimmers or tstats, one set lower than the other... :2cent: