kinnadian Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hey guys. I made a previous post about a pair of new red eared sliders that I had that weren't eating. All is well now and they are extremely active, eat plenty, and love to beg My issue is, I bought a halogen lamp from a lighting store, and in 3 weeks I have been through 2 bulbs. I've been looking online, and people report a lot of problems with halogen bulbs blowing, with any number of possibilities causing them to blow since they are apparently very fragile (in terms of blowing), with overheating due to extended use (my bulb is on for like 14 hours a day), fluctuations in voltage, general vibrations (taking the lid off for cleaning, etc), water evaporating in the air, etc etc. I have made a custom wooden lid which doesn't allow a big bulb to shine down in to my basking area, and also doesn't allow me to make an above-tank basking area. Obviously the very last option would be to explore either of these options (since I spent a bit of time with the lid), so I was wondering what heating solutions you guys use or could suggest for me? The halogen heat lamp I was using until now ($26 at local lighting store) The lid I made, the gap I've allowed for lighting + cords + filter tube etc, is 60mm, and basking area is near green tube in the photo. The distance from the top of the wooden lid to the basking surface is only 100-150mm so I wouldn't need an incredibly powerful lamp. Are the small spot-bulbs useful? (Note: I already have a UVB bulb in the light hood so this is for heating purposes only). Is there some cheap form of heating only that I could put in the corner? Like a small heating element or something like that? The area is fully lit so I only really need the heating aspect. Also, I was previously using a flat rock as a basking surface, as a temporary one until I could get around to making a perspex one. I've been reading online and apparently you have to use the silicone to fix the perspex in place when the tank is completely empty (as sometimes the curing fumes can be poisonous, and also it needs to be in a dry area?) for 1-4 days, and this isn't feasible for me because I have no where else to put my fish + turtles. I don't really like the look of the tan coloured floating basking surfaces that you can buy from the shops, and as rocks are insufficient I was wondering what suggestions you guys could make? I was thinking I could silicone the ramp to the basking surface outside of the tank, and then use a few big rocks as the base and simply sit the surface on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 some people use a 100w R80 incandescant bulb as a basking lamp use it in a $10 clamp lamp from the warehouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hi I'm no fan of halogens either. I pretty sure you can buy lamps on tm especially for heating reptiles search something like reptile heat As for a basking platform. I have siliconed a piece of glass onto the corner of my tank. I am regretting it now because I want to remodell my tanks and it's a pain to take it off... Maybe you wouldn't have to use a tan colored one. Take the design o the tan colored one ie having suction cups to hold it on and use a peice of Perspex instead of the fake rock. Idk just an idea. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Have you had a chance to check out the thread about UVB lighting? It gives some very detailed reasons as to why you should have your UVB light 25-30cm away from the turtle to prevent permanent eye damage and also how you need a source of heat next to the UVB light to stop turtle looking straight up at the UVB...again causing eye damage. I just checked out your photos :thup: Great job on the open lid and gaps wide enough to allow UVB light through, but check out the safe distances from lights to turtles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Heres a few of my tanks with lighting. Heat source is a small 'exo terra clamp lamp' with a 75watt globe bulb from the supermarket. I was using glass, but after the quake I have had perspex toppers made. But I still have plenty of 'stuck together' type of tanks due to the extent of damage from earthquakes. So some have green tape holding the perspex together and a makeshift ramp to basking area etc until I can get more sorted out. Nb/ there is a sheet of perspex covering the stones in the basking area.... I've seen too many deaths and terrible infections and blockages from turtles eating small stones to use them at all UVB light is missing from these 2 photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnadian Posted May 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 I showed the picture of my wooden lid so I could give an example of the limitations I've put on myself in terms of size of the heat lamp, as I said it can't really be much wider than 60mm or most of the light won't even be shining on to the heating surface. If halogen are really as useless as I think they are though, I might have to go the incandescent route and just deal with all the wasted light; I was however wondering if any of the small lights would work as well. The actual UVB is at least 20cm away from them, i only mentioned 10-15cm as the distance away from the heat source. And those exo terra clamp lamps are like $60 or $70, I was trying to find something a bit cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 And those exo terra clamp lamps are like $60 or $70, I was trying to find something a bit cheaper mmm nope, $49 :thup: Check out TM for them from redwood acquatics if you want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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