Can You Tell What Bulb This Is?

1289Gabe

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If you get an enclosure from Mark and Will, everything will already be included.
  • There are four elements to heating and lighting:
    1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs because these bulbs are overly desiccating and cause pyramiding even in good living conditions.
    2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
    3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
    4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. I like the ZooMed 10.0 HO, and the Arcadia 12% HO. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.


Can you tell what bulb this is?

image.jpg
 

Yvonne G

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No, not from just looking at a picture. A mercury vapor bulb looks quite similar to spot and basking bulbs. Don't you have the box anymore? What does the writing on the bulb say?
 

Tom

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Can you tell what bulb this is?

View attachment 288366
That looks like the "Intense basking bulb" sold at the pet store. I think ZooMed or ZIlla makes them, and they are a spot type bulb which should not be used. They sell them in various wattages from 50-150 watts. They dry out the tortoises carapace and cause pyramiding, more so than other types of bulbs.
 

1289Gabe

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That looks like the "Intense basking bulb" sold at the pet store. I think ZooMed or ZIlla makes them, and they are a spot type bulb which should not be used. They sell them in various wattages from 50-150 watts. They dry out the tortoises carapace and cause pyramiding, more so than other types of bulbs.
So what should I use?
 

Tom

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  • There are four elements to heating and lighting:
    1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs because these bulbs are overly desiccating and cause pyramiding even in good living conditions.
    2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
    3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
    4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. I like the ZooMed 10.0 HO, and the Arcadia 12% HO. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.
 

1289Gabe

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Joined
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Messages
173
Location (City and/or State)
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  • There are four elements to heating and lighting:
    1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs because these bulbs are overly desiccating and cause pyramiding even in good living conditions.
    2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
    3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
    4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. I like the ZooMed 10.0 HO, and the Arcadia 12% HO. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.
Do you know where I can find a relatively cheap basking light?
 

Tom

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Do you know where I can find a relatively cheap basking light?
I buy mine in 6 or 12 packs at Home Depot or Lowes. They only cost about $1 each that way, and its good to have spares around. Incandescent bulbs are being phased out and getting harder to find. You might have to order on-line. I usually use Phillips or Sylvania 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs. You may need higher or lower wattage, depending on your enclosure and room temp. Adjust the bulb up or down to get the correct temperature under it, or use an in-line rheostat. Set this bulb on a timer for about 12-13 hours a day.

Make sure not to buy a 65 watt "replacement" led bulb. The packages are getting more and more confusing. LEDs produce very little heat and are not helpful for our purposes here. LEDs are great if you are just trying to add light but don't need heat.
 

1289Gabe

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Joined
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Messages
173
Location (City and/or State)
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I buy mine in 6 or 12 packs at Home Depot or Lowes. They only cost about $1 each that way, and its good to have spares around. Incandescent bulbs are being phased out and getting harder to find. You might have to order on-line. I usually use Phillips or Sylvania 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs. You may need higher or lower wattage, depending on your enclosure and room temp. Adjust the bulb up or down to get the correct temperature under it, or use an in-line rheostat. Set this bulb on a timer for about 12-13 hours a day.

Make sure not to buy a 65 watt "replacement" led bulb. The packages are getting more and more confusing. LEDs produce very little heat and are not helpful for our purposes here. LEDs are great if you are just trying to add light but don't need heat.
So im going to home depot this weekend for some plexiglass. Should I also look for “ floodlight bulbs”?
 

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