Bulb wattage?

[Felmarg]

My bedroom is around 80 degrees (it's on the second floor, and it is pretty small), the lamp is only 12 inches away from the bask rock, and I have a 40 gallon tank. What wattage should I use on the light bulb?

[Zbiz]

hm... well my Cage has its basking spot 12 inches too I use a 50 watt Tight Beam Basking bulb. It directs the beam of light/heat in a more direct way then regular basking bulbs. This will help to make sure that the heat stays in one area and not affecting the rest of the tank. 80 ambiant can quickly become 90. I get temps of 100-103 depending on the temp of the room that day. What i would suggest if you worried about getting the wrong bulb is, get a higher wattage bulb like a 75 watt or so and use a cheap dimmer from walmart and adjust it to what works for you.

Good Luck!

[Felmarg]

I saw a heat lamp with a dimmer built in. I think I will buy it and see what it's like.

[Zbiz]

Sounds perfect!

[Zach]

I saw a heat lamp with a dimmer built in. I think I will buy it and see what it's like.

Did you try that out? I was going to recommend a 40w. 80 degrees (wow), and a 12 inch ceiling....won't take much. Dimmers are always cool because you can simulate sunrise and sunset. If it's not automatic, just don't forget to turn it back up!

[Leigh]

Not a bad thing to forget Zach, they must encounter cloudy/cooler days in the wild mate, might be nice for them for a change, hee hee

[Zach]

Not a bad thing to forget Zach, they must encounter cloudy/cooler days in the wild mate, might be nice for them for a change, hee hee

Yeah, I've actually been writing up a little section about how they don't need the 100 degree spot ALL DAY long. Haven't figured out exactly how I want to word it yet. And it opens the door to forgetting to turn lights on at correct times, and so forth. Maybe I'm spoiled -- I slowly dim the lights down as night comes, and the blueys become more active during the dim -- almost like once the heat of the day is gone, the blueys come out to hunt and forage around.

[Leigh]

I've noticed this often, I thought it might be too hot ,but it seems he likes a siesta,then another rummage at dusk, my basker goes off ten mins before the UV,then there's the low natural/window light to see the day out. For total light control we{over here} can purchase a 7 day multi event timer giving much more flexability as to what time and how long you have your setup running.

[Usersafe]

I saw a heat lamp with a dimmer built in. I think I will buy it and see what it's like.

Did you try that out? I was going to recommend a 40w. 80 degrees (wow), and a 12 inch ceiling....won't take much. Dimmers are always cool because you can simulate sunrise and sunset. If it's not automatic, just don't forget to turn it back up!

Do you use an automatic dimmer? If so, what kind or how is it setup?

Steve

[Zach]

I found two different types, but both were hundreds of dollars. One was some strange electronics website, and the other was a theatre style unit. Both could be set to dim anywhere between a 1-6 hour period. It looked complicated though, and was too expensive. One day I'll set one up though! For now, I have a $4.99 manual dimmer on the day lights and night lights. When we're hanging out in the evening, I just gradually dim them down.

Any electricians out there know anything better?

[Lisa]

Not a bad thing to forget Zach, they must encounter cloudy/cooler days in the wild mate, might be nice for them for a change, hee hee

Yeah, I've actually been writing up a little section about how they don't need the 100 degree spot ALL DAY long. Haven't figured out exactly how I want to word it yet. And it opens the door to forgetting to turn lights on at correct times, and so forth. Maybe I'm spoiled -- I slowly dim the lights down as night comes, and the blueys become more active during the dim -- almost like once the heat of the day is gone, the blueys come out to hunt and forage around.

I've always been a believer in that. Like Leigh says, every day is not the same. Like, what happens if you have one that has always, day after day and year after year, had the lights come on and off at the same time, and then you go and have a blackout for three days? Happens here all the time in the mtns. Sure it's not going to kill your skink, but it could, depending on the time of year, put them into early brumation (and what if they're not healthy enough for it?), it may disrupt plans for breeding, if you have a sick one it could hamper efforts to cure them etc. A bit of a shock to the system so to speak.

It's a little like with people if you're exposed to a little bit of dirt and germs here and there you're less likely to contract something than someone who has never had exposure to them.

Every now and then I won't switch my lights on at all for a day, sometimes just the heat light and not the UV or vice versa, or have them set to go off for a couple of hours during the day. I don't have dimmers, but may consider it. For now, the UV always comes on about 15- 30 mins before the heat light, because when the sun comes out it's not immediately warm. Stoopid logic I know, but I'm not all that bright.

I just think it can't hurt to vary things a little every now and then. I mean, I love the sun and hot weather, but even I would get bored of it eventually and pine for rain and clouds and ... dare I say it ..... cold weather

[NomadOfTheHills]

Just remember not to feed on no heat days newbies

[Geoff Gates]

[I slowly dim the lights down as night comes, and the blueys become more active during the dim -- almost like once the heat of the day is gone, the blueys come out to hunt and forage around.

Sounds like its too hot in the tank.

[Blotch]

I get the same thing as zach said - mine become more active for a while after heat is taken away - i think it's due to the fact that they are lazy bums and like to sit around soaking up the heat and once they realize it's gone they have to get some excersise and look for the food. My tank aint too hot - around 30oC - Perfect! and I leave the lights off some days - moreso for the power bill but as lisa said - every day is not sunny and hot - I live in Victora! 4 seasons in one day!

[Leigh]

Sounds like your weatherman{weatherperson} has as aesy a job as ours. Up comes the map with a symbol of a cloud ,with rain out the bottom and sun out the top of it , then they say some crap like , a slight chance of rain ,could be sunny ,with possible cloudy spells and varying winds, WHAT A CROCK OF.......

[Geoff Gates]

around 30oC - Perfect!

says who.

[NomadOfTheHills]

I like to have a basking spot, where it gets very warm, 110-115F. Then, the cool side gets down to the low-mid 70s. I like a wide range.

I do this by having a raised basking spot and lowered heat lamp.

[MrChonks]

One thing to remember, too, is if the basking light is too close and you have a high wattage bulb, you can burn the scales on your bluey. Before I moved, I had Louie and Chewie in some containers where the lights were closer to them than normal. I noticed that with Chewie, he ended up having scale burn/damage after a couple of days since the wattage was too high for the distance. Something to keep in mind. Poor Chewie. That will take a few to many sheds to fix.

[Zach]

Not a bad thing to forget Zach, they must encounter cloudy/cooler days in the wild mate, might be nice for them for a change, hee hee

Yeah, I've actually been writing up a little section about how they don't need the 100 degree spot ALL DAY long. Haven't figured out exactly how I want to word it yet. And it opens the door to forgetting to turn lights on at correct times, and so forth. Maybe I'm spoiled -- I slowly dim the lights down as night comes, and the blueys become more active during the dim -- almost like once the heat of the day is gone, the blueys come out to hunt and forage around.

I've always been a believer in that. Like Leigh says, every day is not the same. Like, what happens if you have one that has always, day after day and year after year, had the lights come on and off at the same time, and then you go and have a blackout for three days? Happens here all the time in the mtns. Sure it's not going to kill your skink, but it could, depending on the time of year, put them into early brumation (and what if they're not healthy enough for it?), it may disrupt plans for breeding, if you have a sick one it could hamper efforts to cure them etc. A bit of a shock to the system so to speak.

It's a little like with people if you're exposed to a little bit of dirt and germs here and there you're less likely to contract something than someone who has never had exposure to them.

Every now and then I won't switch my lights on at all for a day, sometimes just the heat light and not the UV or vice versa, or have them set to go off for a couple of hours during the day. I don't have dimmers, but may consider it. For now, the UV always comes on about 15- 30 mins before the heat light, because when the sun comes out it's not immediately warm. Stoopid logic I know, but I'm not all that bright.

I just think it can't hurt to vary things a little every now and then. I mean, I love the sun and hot weather, but even I would get bored of it eventually and pine for rain and clouds and ... dare I say it ..... cold weather

No, I use the same logic! My actual hot lights don't come on till about 12 or later -- I open the windows and let the light of the morning flood the living room and their cages light up that way as the sun comes up. Sometimes they get up, wander around.....then the heat comes 12-1. I slowly dissipate it throughout the day, and do what Lisa does...I never keep it an exact science.


Nomad, I have to say that 115 scares the crap out of me. Any number of bad things could happen. That's hot, man. Even if there's a cool side.

[Zach]

[I slowly dim the lights down as night comes, and the blueys become more active during the dim -- almost like once the heat of the day is gone, the blueys come out to hunt and forage around.

Sounds like its too hot in the tank.

I would say the same, only their hot rocks are around 90-92, and they're constantly laying on them. One time when we first had Slurpy, his tank would get too hot as the temperature rose in this makeshift room we were living in (in a converted garage with no insulation) and all he did was sit on the cool end.

You can also feel how hot they are simply by handling them -- do you agree with that Geoff? Sometimes their bodies can REALLY heat up -- it's not a 100% accurate way to measure if they're too hot or not, but a luke warm skink to the touch compared to REALLY hot says a lot I think..