Keeping tank warmer

[Inferno33]

Winter is fast approaching here in Philadelphia, the room where I keep my gecko can get quite cold. I'm just wondering if there is a way to keep his tank warmer. I heard that you can put foil over the UTH, but is that safe? Thanks.

-Ed

 

[morrun]

Winter is fast approaching here in Philadelphia, the room where I keep my gecko can get quite cold. I'm just wondering if there is a way to keep his tank warmer. I heard that you can put foil over the UTH, but is that safe? Thanks.

-Ed

I've heard of some people who will use a heat lamp as well as the UTH to help regulate the temp in a cold room. It worked for them, and is worth a shot.

 

[Dog Shrink]

I was at my local herp/pet store (the herp girl there is super smart) and asked her the same thing. She said you'd want to suppliment your heat mat (8x8 for a 20 long tank) with a 75 or 100 red heat bulb (again for a 20 long tank) She said you could get away with a 75 if you keep your room temp high 60's low 70's but if your room is colder than 65 she suggested going with the 100 and keeping both the red light and the heat mat on 24/7.

 

[tlbowling]

Winter is fast approaching here in Philadelphia, the room where I keep my gecko can get quite cold. I'm just wondering if there is a way to keep his tank warmer. I heard that you can put foil over the UTH, but is that safe? Thanks.

-Ed

I'm so glad you asked this Ed, b/c I was wondering the same thing. Im going to hijack your thread just a little bit, b/c I think if my questions get answered, yours will too. So... I was going to ask about maybe having the blue bulb on during the day and having a red one going at night? Would this work? Does the blue bulb heat the same as the red?

 

[tlbowling]

I was at my local herp/pet store (the herp girl there is super smart) and asked her the same thing. She said you'd want to suppliment your heat mat (8x8 for a 20 long tank) with a 75 or 100 red heat bulb (again for a 20 long tank) She said you could get away with a 75 if you keep your room temp high 60's low 70's but if your room is colder than 65 she suggested going with the 100 and keeping both the red light and the heat mat on 24/7.

Id be scared to use a 75 or 100 watt bulb on a tank thats only 12" from ceiling to floor? Does anyone else agree with the pet store girl?

 

[MiamiLeos]

Id be scared to use a 75 or 100 watt bulb on a tank thats only 12" from ceiling to floor? Does anyone else agree with the pet store girl?

I thinkit really depends on just how cold this room is going to get. I would say that in winter, if the temperature of the floor over the heat mat is below 88*F, I would use the lowest wattage red heat bulb available, prob a 45watt. If the temps are more like 75*F over the heat mat, then I think a 75 watt would be ok. I'm not sure how much coldeer than that they would really get but if you needed to, like if the temps were 60*F over the mat, then you could use the 100watt. The goal is to keep the temperatures of the floor over the heat mat between 88*-92*F and the cool end of the tank somewhere close to 70*-80*.

Note*** When using any kind of lighting with leos it is imperitave that you give them a dark, cool place to hide like a rock cave on the cool end of the tank so that they can escape the light and heat at their discretion. A dark hide on the warm end of the tank would likely be put to good use as well.

 

[tlbowling]

What are the differences between the blue and red lights (besides the red is for night time use b/c supposedly the cant detect it) but are they both for heat purposes, do the blues heat more than the white for day use? Or maybe blue isnt as bright and irritating to them for as much wattage as you'd need?

 

[tlbowling]

What are the differences between the blue and red lights (besides the red is for night time use b/c supposedly the cant detect it) but are they both for heat purposes, do the blues heat more than the white for day use? Or maybe blue isnt as bright and irritating to them for as much wattage as you'd need?

Anyone have the answer to the red, white and blue lights?

 

[Dog Shrink]

Blue (or daylight bulbs/"grow" bulbs) are usually a UV bulb (unless it's a dark blue bulb which are referred to as "moonlight bulbs" which provides barely any light value), a full spectrum daylight bulb Emits full-spectrum light and UVA rays ... white is usually (if it's a mercury vapor bulb) provides UVA and UVB for the reptile, long white Fluorescents would also fall into this group, and the red provide heat but no UV or real light value and most nocturnal creatures aren't disturbed by red bulbs. The red bulbs are also a "night light" and provide a limited light experience for your herp. The reds emit an infrared heat source and can be left on 24/7 with out disturbing the day/night cycle of your herp.

 

[tlbowling]

The Ad says: " Ideal for day and night heat sources, Zoo Med Day & Night Bulb Combo Pack 60 watt red bulb and 60 watt blue bulb"

These are the lights Im referring to. I dont think the blue emits any UVB, it's just for day time use.

My question is exactly: What is the difference using a blue bulb or a white bulb? Does one create more heat than the other?

 

[Dog Shrink]

That all depends on the white bulb you use. If you use a mercury vapor white bulb it gives you the uv benefit PLUS ultraviolet ambient heat. White flourescent will provide you the UV benefits but less heat than a mercury bulb. The blue day/grow bulb (like the one you posted in your pic) puts out minimal heat but is moreso to meet your herps uv requirements. If you use the red heat bulbs/nocturnal red heat basking (like the one in your pic), you get the same effects as the mercury bulbs with out any of the light or UV suppliments. Dark blue and black bulbs put out no UV value, but depending on wattage will suppliment heat.

So that's my understanding of it all.

 

[acpart]

I don't use lights for my leopard geckos since I have a lot of tanks and most wouldn't support lights because they're front-opening on shelves. In the winter, my house is about 60 or so during the day, maybe a bit warmer in the "reptile room" (aka "living room" and "dining room"). I make sure that the floor temp on the hot side is correct (low 90's) and figure that the geckos can either spend their days inside the hides on the warm side (the hide traps the heat so the air in there is probably warmer than the ambient temp in the rest of the tank) or they can go to the cool side and brumate. Each season, some choose each option.

Aliza

 

[tlbowling]

That all depends on the white bulb you use. If you use a mercury vapor white bulb it gives you the uv benefit PLUS ultraviolet ambient heat. White flourescent will provide you the UV benefits but less heat than a mercury bulb. The blue day/grow bulb (like the one you posted in your pic) puts out minimal heat but is moreso to meet your herps uv requirements. If you use the red heat bulbs/nocturnal red heat basking (like the one in your pic), you get the same effects as the mercury bulbs with out any of the light or UV suppliments. Dark blue and black bulbs put out no UV value, but depending on wattage will suppliment heat.

So that's my understanding of it all.

The blue bulb is NOT a UVB bulb, just listed on the website as dayheat, and red bulb is listed for night heat. The question I keep asking is WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN A BLUE BULB (not UVB) and a Regular white household light bulb of the same wattage?
Is it just not as harsh on their eyes? Is there a benefit in using a blue bulb over a white bulb during the day?

 

[Dog Shrink]

I never called the blue bulb UVB. I said it provides UV benifits to your herp but never said UVA or UVB.

"Uncoated blue glass bulb enables ideal heat transfer and a full spectrum of light
* An excellent heat source for your reptile or amphibian
* UVA helps stimulate normal feeding behavior

An excellent source of daytime heat, Daylight Blue Reptile Bulbs offer the UVA needed to stimulate normal feeding behavior in reptiles and amphibians. The uncoated blue glass enables better heat transfer and a full spectrum of light. Try them with Reptisun 5.0 UVB fluorescents for proper calcium absorption"
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6016+6028+6533&pcatid=6533

A regular household white light, which is an incandescent light, Here is a link to more info on that since apparently I am unable to answer specifically what you're looking for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb

The difference... the blue day bulb gives your herp the UV rays it needs for proper health and nutritional processes. BTW your original question was what is the diffence between the red,white, and blue bulbs which I have answered.

 

[tlbowling]

I never called the blue bulb UVB. I said it provides UV benifits to your herp but never said UVA or UVB.

"Uncoated blue glass bulb enables ideal heat transfer and a full spectrum of light
* An excellent heat source for your reptile or amphibian
* UVA helps stimulate normal feeding behavior

An excellent source of daytime heat, Daylight Blue Reptile Bulbs offer the UVA needed to stimulate normal feeding behavior in reptiles and amphibians. The uncoated blue glass enables better heat transfer and a full spectrum of light. Try them with Reptisun 5.0 UVB fluorescents for proper calcium absorption"
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6016+6028+6533&pcatid=6533

A regular household white light, which is an incandescent light, Here is a link to more info on that since apparently I am unable to answer specifically what you're looking for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb

The difference... the blue day bulb gives your herp the UV rays it needs for proper health and nutritional processes. BTW your original question was what is the diffence between the red,white, and blue bulbs which I have answered.

Im sorry, I didnt mean for you you to take offense, I just thought that you were referring to UVB, since doesnt every bulb (except red I think) produces UVA?

I felt that my question was going unanswered b/c I wasnt talking about fluorescents, or mercury vapor bulbs.

So I guess the blue IS better for heat during the day than incandescents since its also full spectrum...thats really all I wanted to know, b/c some of my breeding leos are located in my finished basement and I wanted to increase the air temps in the aquariums, (they have heat pads too) for the winter, since even though its heated, it gets chilly down there sometimes.

Thanks for all your info...and BTW, you did answer all my questions, and I thank you

 

[tlbowling]

P.S. Hey Inferno....sorry to take over your thread, but I hope during all this, you got your questions answered too

 

[Jordan]

what? huh? why all this bulb talk... i dont understand...

during the colder months, thermostats do what is needed to do to maintain the temp at a constant. even if its colder in the room, they then pump more electricity through to keep the same temp?
with a thermostat nothing is needed to be done surely...

 

[Dog Shrink]

You're welcome. Glad you finally (and hopefully the OP) got their questions answered Honestly if these are leo's, from what I understand of the reading, they don't require a UV bulb to optimize their quality of life, they depend on temp since they're nocturnal, they're never really exposed to natural daylight so if I were you I woulduse an infrared red bulb a "moonlight" bulb (both give you some light so you can watch your herp, the moonlight should put out as much heat as the daylight bulb depending on wattage, but doesn't have the UV factor that daylight bulbs would) or an ultraviolet ceramic heat emitter. I don't think the natural daylight will benefit your leo and could cause him stress if you have your day/night cycle off kilter. You'd have to match your day/night cycle according to the ambient temperatures of the season.