Heat lamps?

[Nomed]

Ive been using a zoo med repti basking spot heap lamp 24/7 it keeps the tank at a perfect temp. I have not had much luck with heat lamps at all so im glad I finally have one that works. My ghost seems fine with it, but is it ok to use that bulb all the time? the ones that let off red light give me the worst headache even looking at the tank even for a minute. I dont have the right stand or tank to use a heating pad (arcylic tank). Ive tried "ESU Reptile Red heat", I realllyy like these ones they give of barely any light but dont keep the tank warm enough. I'm kinda out of ideas :shrugs:

help please?

 

[SkyChimp]

I use lamps and endorse them. They are superior to UTHs for regulating air temperture. Used with UTHs, it's possible to create an optimally warm end that gives the snake choices between basking and burrowing.

The primary reason to use a lamp is heat. Secondary (very secondary IMO) use is for viewing.

I've tried the ZooMed red lights, both the Nighttime Red (NR) and the Nocturnal Infrared Heat Light (NIHL). I don't like either one of them. IMO, both are entirely too bright. The NR doesn't put off enough heat unless its turned up to the point its too bright, the the NIHL just gets too hot. I find them rather annoying to look at. By the way, the 100W NR bulb is huge - too big for my heat lamp.

The best bulbs I've used are black light incandescent bulbs. Flukers makes one called the Repta-Sun Nightlight Bulb. Exoterra makes the Night Glo. Both of these bulbs give off purple light (and not a lot of it), and quite a bit of heat. They are good for regulating temperature, and the purple light doesn't disrupt the night time the snake needs. They can be left on 24/7. I like the Flukers better but its harder to find. The Exoterra is good and I am currently using them, but they are only available in up to 75W, as opposed to up to 150W for the Flukers. 75W is fine in the spring, summer and fall, but a 100 or 150W would be a better choice in winter. I have them on 40G breeder tanks. A lower wattage bulb would be fine for smaller tanks. I regulate them with dimmer switches.

http://www.flukerfarms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=46
http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/night_glo_i.html

 

[Nomed]

I use lamps and endorse them. They are superior to UTHs for regulating air temperture. Used with UTHs, it's possible to create an optimally warm end that gives the snake choices between basking and burrowing.

The primary reason to use a lamp is heat. Secondary (very secondary IMO) use is for viewing.

I've tried the ZooMed red lights, both the Nighttime Red (NR) and the Nocturnal Infrared Heat Light (NIHL). I don't like either one of them. IMO, both are entirely too bright. The NR doesn't put off enough heat unless its turned up to the point its too bright, the the NIHL just gets too hot. I find them rather annoying to look at. By the way, the 100W NR bulb is huge - too big for my heat lamp.

The best bulbs I've used are black light incandescent bulbs. Flukers makes one called the Repta-Sun Nightlight Bulb. Exoterra makes the Night Glo. Both of these bulbs give off purple light (and not a lot of it), and quite a bit of heat. They are good for regulating temperature, and the purple light doesn't disrupt the night time the snake needs. They can be left on 24/7. I like the Flukers better but its harder to find. The Exoterra is good and I am currently using them, but they are only available in up to 75W, as opposed to up to 150W for the Flukers. 75W is fine in the spring, summer and fall, but a 100 or 150W would be a better choice in winter. I have them on 40G breeder tanks. A lower wattage bulb would be fine for smaller tanks. I regulate them with dimmer switches.

http://www.flukerfarms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=46
http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/night_glo_i.html

Thanks for the suggustions I'm using a 100 watt bulb. Its a 10 gallon tank. 75 watts dosent keep it warm enough. I guess I'm going to go on the hunt for a black light bulb and use that until i can get an uth.

thanks again,

Nomed

 

[SkyChimp]

Make sure you get a thermostat or dimmer for your UTH. They can get very hot and you will need to regulate it so it doesn't get too hot.

If you decide to use a lamp and a UTH together (which I recommend), you will have to be a little more vigilant about monitoring temperatures.

A heat lamp can effect the temp of the UTH. I've notied that if I set my UTH to produce a temp of 85 degrees, and THEN turn on the heat lamp to produce an ambient air temp of 85 degrees, the UTH temp will rise to about 91-93 degrees. But if I set the UTH to produce a temp of 85 with the heat lamp on, THEN turn the heat lamp off, the UTH temp will drop a few degrees.
So, set your lamp first. Even then, a little tuning will be required.

I would recommend you first set the lamp to produce the desired ambient air temperature. THEN set the UTH to produce the desired glass temp while the light is on. If you decide to use a thermostat, only use it on the UTH, not the lamp. The lamp should be on a dimmer. If you use a thermostat on both, the one controlling the UTH may constantly turn on and off to adjust for an everchanging lamp. Best to set the lamp and leave it on and let the UTH thermostat work under a more or less constant air temp.

If you are able, I recommend the use of both a UTH and lamp. While some people will tell you that ambient air temperature doesn't matter, and that belly heat is more important than ambient heat, my experience suggests otherwise. Proper ambient air temps will help keep your snake healthy. A UTH and a lamp will give it options about where and how to absorb heat.

 

[Nomed]

:]
thanks for the tips on using both (which is what im planning on using.) Right now I'm using a black light and its keeping it warm enough (I have it on a thermostat)