Heating issues

[BrandiH]

Okay...I’m getting my guy (or girl) today (finally) and I set up my terrarium last night with lights, decor, and probe thermometer to make sure everything was just right. My tank is only registering 86 degrees on the basking rock and about 70 degrees on the cool side of the enclosure...the lights have been on all night. I’m using a 100w Mercury vapor bulb. And my terrarium is a 64 gallon. 48”x18”x18”. I have the light hanging approx 12.5 inches from the basking rock. What do I do to get temps right? A supplemental heat lamp? UVB lamp? I’d like to pick up what I need today at the pet store if possible....attached is a picture of the set up. Thanks for any help I can get!

 

[HoomanSlave]

What brand of mercury vapor bulb are you using? What UVB light are you using in the enclosure? Heat bulbs will need at least two hours to get to the proper temperatures and stabilize, so it could be that when you last checked the temps the bulb had not heated up completely yet.

 

[BrandiH]

What brand of mercury vapor bulb are you using? What UVB light are you using in the enclosure? Heat bulbs will need at least two hours to get to the proper temperatures and stabilize, so it could be that when you last checked the temps the bulb had not heated up completely yet.

I’m using the zoo med power sun 100w. I didn’t think you needed a uvb with a mvb? I don’t have a uvb. I was just concerned about the temps as I’ve had the mvb up and running all night. I just checked it again and the rock is now registering at 90.2. The sun is coming through the window and helping it a little I think. The dragon will be a baby, so I know it needs to stay warmer...but I don’t want it to have too much uv with the MVB plus a UVB? I’m totally new at this though, so my research may have gotten confused. Ha

 

[HoomanSlave]

I’m using the zoo med power sun 100w. I didn’t think you needed a uvb with a mvb? I don’t have a uvb. I was just concerned about the temps as I’ve had the mvb up and running all night. I just checked it again and the rock is now registering at 90.2. The sun is coming through the window and helping it a little I think. The dragon will be a baby, so I know it needs to stay warmer...but I don’t want it to have too much uv with the MVB plus a UVB? I’m totally new at this though, so my research may have gotten confused. Ha

@Sadie knows a lot more about MVB placement and distance than I do and can probably help you out with that. Check if your bulb is properly screwed into the fixture.

If the MVB isn't heating the enclosure enough, you can add a CHE or basic household bulb to your setup. Using a tube fixture with an MVB or a tube+basking bulb is better than just an MVB, because with mercury bulbs the dragon can only get UVB when it's basking.

 

[BrandiH]

@Sadie knows a lot more about MVB placement and distance than I do and can probably help you out with that. Check if your bulb is properly screwed into the fixture.

If the MVB isn't heating the enclosure enough, you can add a CHE or basic household bulb to your setup. Using a tube fixture with an MVB or a tube+basking bulb is better than just an MVB, because with mercury bulbs the dragon can only get UVB when it's basking.

Okay. Thank you! I sent Sadie the conversation too. Sorry for so many questions! Haha. Just trying to make sense of all the information out there. I’m on info overload. Lol

 

[TinySmaugOfficial]

Okay. Thank you! I sent Sadie the conversation too. Sorry for so many questions! Haha. Just trying to make sense of all the information out there. I’m on info overload. Lol

Yeah, I’ll spare you the wait and tell you now. Sadie would say that you probably need a t5 reptisun (they sell them everywhere) and to use a digital probe thermometer to get basking temps right, as stick ons can be inaccurate. I would also recommend getting the rock a bit higher up so they can be closer to the heat, mine loves to get as close to the bulb as possible.

 

[BrandiH]

Yeah, I’ll spare you the wait and tell you now. Sadie would say that you probably need a t5 reptisun (they sell them everywhere) and to use a digital probe thermometer to get basking temps right, as stick ons can be inaccurate. I would also recommend getting the rock a bit higher up so they can be closer to the heat, mine loves to get as close to the bulb as possible.

Okay! I have the probe thermometers in the tank. One is actually sitting on the big rock and the other is on the “cool” side of the tank. I was reading the box that the mvb powersun came in and it said that the dragon shouldn’t be any closer than 12 inches from the bulb. Do you still think I should move the rock up? Thank you for your help!

 

[TinySmaugOfficial]

Okay! I have the probe thermometers in the tank. One is actually sitting on the big rock and the other is on the “cool” side of the tank. I was reading the box that the mvb powersun came in and it said that the dragon shouldn’t be any closer than 12 inches from the bulb. Do you still think I should move the rock up? Thank you for your help!

Well, as long as the temp is fine, it’s probably no big deal. I recommend the arcadia 12% uvb for that rock and that distance to the light.