callmederek
New Member
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- United States
I almost hate to ask yet another temp question after all I have read, but this is still not clear for me.
I have a new six year old Leopard Gecko and I am very confused on what to do for establishing a temperature gradient in the tank to keep him at his best.
My question is on setting up a proper temperature gradient with respects to surface temps vs air temps.
He is housed in a 40 Gal with a under tank heater on one half of the tank buffered by tile under carpet. In addition there is a ceramic heat emitter hanging over the middle back of the tank on a thermostat for air temp. Multiple housing spots are provided at all areas of the tank in all temp zones.
This setup results in the following Surface Temperatures measured with IR thermometer:
91 max on the heater pad radiating out on the tile to about 85 on the permitter of the "hot side" half of the tank.
Surface temps on the cool half then go from 85 on the border to 73 on the coolest side of the tank.
If i am not mistaken above should be in line with where i want to be.
What concerns me though is the air temps, and perhaps it doesn't matter. The air temps measured a couple of inches off the flooring are a general constant between 72 and 76 over the whole tank. In addition day and night temps wont change much from above either as the tank has no day time lighting.
Bottom line there really is no temperature gradient when looking at air temperatures only and no big variation day to night only in the area he may choose to hang out in.
Is that an issue?
I have a beardie and i have to admit this is all much easier when dealing with basking heat vs floor heat and air temp. but perhaps i am just over thinking this.
Any thoughts on above would be appreciated
Thanks in advance!
~derek
I have a new six year old Leopard Gecko and I am very confused on what to do for establishing a temperature gradient in the tank to keep him at his best.
My question is on setting up a proper temperature gradient with respects to surface temps vs air temps.
He is housed in a 40 Gal with a under tank heater on one half of the tank buffered by tile under carpet. In addition there is a ceramic heat emitter hanging over the middle back of the tank on a thermostat for air temp. Multiple housing spots are provided at all areas of the tank in all temp zones.
This setup results in the following Surface Temperatures measured with IR thermometer:
91 max on the heater pad radiating out on the tile to about 85 on the permitter of the "hot side" half of the tank.
Surface temps on the cool half then go from 85 on the border to 73 on the coolest side of the tank.
If i am not mistaken above should be in line with where i want to be.
What concerns me though is the air temps, and perhaps it doesn't matter. The air temps measured a couple of inches off the flooring are a general constant between 72 and 76 over the whole tank. In addition day and night temps wont change much from above either as the tank has no day time lighting.
Bottom line there really is no temperature gradient when looking at air temperatures only and no big variation day to night only in the area he may choose to hang out in.
Is that an issue?
I have a beardie and i have to admit this is all much easier when dealing with basking heat vs floor heat and air temp. but perhaps i am just over thinking this.
Any thoughts on above would be appreciated
Thanks in advance!
~derek
