Zen Habitat

[sarcam20]

Hi, everyone. I recently bought a zen habitat 4’x 2’ x 2’ tank(120 gallon). I can’t seem to get it the right temperature though. I have a thrive brand dome lamp and a 100 watt mercury bulb currently. That alone hasn’t gotten it above 80. I got another thrive dome lamp and a regular 100 watt thrive bulb. That one started smelling like smoke so I had to turn it off but even together the two didn’t get the temp past 85 or 86 degrees. I also tried my original dome light with a 60 watt heat emitter and that didn’t do any good either. My dragon can’t move in to his new tank until I can get the temp right. The zen habitat customer service has been no help. Most pictures of people’s zen habitats that I’ve seen online only show one heat lamp, so why isn’t one heat lamp providing adequate heat for me? While testing these bulbs, I measured the temp inside the tank with a digital thermometer that sticks to the side of the tank. What am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any suggestions for how to heat this tank properly? Please. I am at my wit’s end here. Thanks!

 

[HoomanSlave]

The Thrive bulbs aren't very good quality. Zoomed is a better brand for both heat and UVB. Depending on your house temperatures, a 100-150w Zoomed bulb should be adequate.

 

[Sadie]

Hi, everyone. I recently bought a zen habitat 4’x 2’ x 2’ tank(120 gallon). I can’t seem to get it the right temperature though. I have a thrive brand dome lamp and a 100 watt mercury bulb currently. That alone hasn’t gotten it above 80. I got another thrive dome lamp and a regular 100 watt thrive bulb. That one started smelling like smoke so I had to turn it off but even together the two didn’t get the temp past 85 or 86 degrees. I also tried my original dome light with a 60 watt heat emitter and that didn’t do any good either. My dragon can’t move in to his new tank until I can get the temp right. The zen habitat customer service has been no help. Most pictures of people’s zen habitats that I’ve seen online only show one heat lamp, so why isn’t one heat lamp providing adequate heat for me? While testing these bulbs, I measured the temp inside the tank with a digital thermometer that sticks to the side of the tank. What am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any suggestions for how to heat this tank properly? Please. I am at my wit’s end here. Thanks!

You need a digital probe thermometer to get actual basking temps-- take the probe and set it on the basking decor and wait 10 minutes or so and get the temp -- I have two Zens and use a Exo Terra Intense 150 watt basking bulb that keeps temps from 102-97 or so -- I have a piece of decor under the bulb that offers a gradient heat so they can pick the spot of where they want to bask - the stick on thermometer is giving you ambient temps - I also use a 100 watt heat emitter for winter time to keep the tanks at around 70 at nite so far this year I havent had to use them as it has not been that cold - also the temp of the room will have an effect in temps of the tank - if the tank is in a cold room it will take more to heat it - if its in a warm room less -- post pics of the tank please to see if I can help more

 

[aebd]

We have the same tank and with a 75 w zoo med repti and a 50 w halogen in 2 small reflectors and i'm getting to temp and then some.. i have the 75 w on a dimmer at about 75% to get 110 in basking area. I even switched the small screen top for hardware screen so the light could sit on top, which is more open and losing more heat. I"m not at all experienced, but that is working for us.

 

[sarcam20]

You need a digital probe thermometer to get actual basking temps-- take the probe and set it on the basking decor and wait 10 minutes or so and get the temp -- I have two Zens and use a Exo Terra Intense 150 watt basking bulb that keeps temps from 102-97 or so -- I have a piece of decor under the bulb that offers a gradient heat so they can pick the spot of where they want to bask - the stick on thermometer is giving you ambient temps - I also use a 100 watt heat emitter for winter time to keep the tanks at around 70 at nite so far this year I havent had to use them as it has not been that cold - also the temp of the room will have an effect in temps of the tank - if the tank is in a cold room it will take more to heat it - if its in a warm room less -- post pics of the tank please to see if I can help more

Thank you so much for the advice. I got a probe thermometer. I tried my Thrive 100 Watt bulb in my Thrive lamp and put it on top of my tank, but that didn’t get the temp high enough. I then tried a fluker’s 150 watt bulb in my Thrive brand lamp that says it can take up to 150 watts. It got the basking spot up to 91.0, but I had to turn it off because it started smelling very strongly of smoke. Something smelled like it was burning. What brand of lamp do you use?

 

[Sadie]

Thank you so much for the advice. I got a probe thermometer. I tried my Thrive 100 Watt bulb in my Thrive lamp and put it on top of my tank, but that didn’t get the temp high enough. I then tried a fluker’s 150 watt bulb in my Thrive brand lamp that says it can take up to 150 watts. It got the basking spot up to 91.0, but I had to turn it off because it started smelling very strongly of smoke. Something smelled like it was burning. What brand of lamp do you use?

Exo Terra Intense Basking bulb from Petsmart or Petco -- some people have used regular incandescent bulbs like this but I cannot use them they do not keep temps to what they need to be -- I haft to stay w/ the Exo Terra bulbs- I am not sure about those Thrive domes -- if you got one smelling its defective - I use the Flukers domes and have had pretty good luck w/ them -- I think I have replaced one and I have had them for quite a while -- you can try those incandescent bulbs they are pretty cheap and if they dont work you can use them in your house - they come from Walmart

 

[HoomanSlave]

Sometimes a smoking bulb can happen when the bulb isn't properly screwed in, or your bulb might have been defective.