Kaorte is right. If you cover the tank and can keep your air temp in the tank right then you dont need a lamp. If you do need a lamp the black or red "night" bulbs from the pet store are good so you dont need to turn them off but they dont last very long. Pick up a spare for when the one you have burns out. Thats why I brought up the ceramic heat emitters. Yes they are expensive but if it is needed to keep the temps up it is well worth it in the long run. Think about that $40.00 for a bulb lasting you well over a year or so (cheaper on ebay). Add up the cost of about 4 to 6 infrared bulbs for a year.
Lamps are not preferred but if needed its the cheapest way to go in the long run. First try covering the top of the tank with foil or place mats or something to keep heat in. See how that works. Check the DIY (do it yourself) threads here and the husbandry threads to get more ideas.
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