Emergency! Need Help with Lighting!

[cesktw0]

I have a 100 watt power sun bulb 12 inches from my substrate in my leopard tortoise cage. And the hottest the basking spot is getting is 84-88 degrees. The rest of the cage is 67-70 degrees this is no were near the temps I need the cage to be. I was afraid the 100 watt bulb would be too strong but it is not strong enough. I was thinking if going out tomorrow and taking back the Powersun bulb and getting a ReptiSun flourscent UVB bulb instead for my enclosure and and using it in conjunction with a basking spot bulb to bring up my temps. I have a 50 gallon rubbermaid tube, I am going to get a 10.0 Reptisun bulb. What watt size should I get in the basking spot light, and how far should I position both bulbs from my substrate? My rubbermaid tube is 13 inches high. I need a 95-100 degree basking spot and a 75-80 degree temp in rest of enclosure. I don't get my tortoise until tomorrow afternoon and am freaking out that my lighting situation is not working!
Chelsea

 

[wellington]

Try putting a flat slat piece under the basking and see if that brings it up, without being too hot. Upto 110 isn't too hot. Also, cover 1/2 to 3/4 of the enclosure. That will help hold in heat and humidity. The 150 mvb is what I usually get. The 5.0 or 10.0 will not add heat. You can also add another CHE or run the CHE you have, if you do have one along with the mvb. A regular lamp bulb can also be added to bring up the heat. Like a 60-100 watt regular bulb

 

[KBisMe]

I'm new to all of this too, so I don't have all the answers... but can you post pictures of your enclosure? Is the top open? That would be my guess as to why the heat is escaping.

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Try putting a flat slat piece under the basking and see if that brings it up, without being too hot. Upto 110 isn't too hot. Also, cover 1/2 to 3/4 of the enclosure. That will help hold in heat and humidity. The 150 mvb is what I usually get. The 5.0 or 10.0 will not add heat. You can also add another CHE or run the CHE you have, if you do have one along with the mvb. A regular lamp bulb can also be added to bring up the heat. Like a 60-100 watt regular bulb

There you go! One of the experts answered.

 

[cesktw0]

The distance of the powersun bulb from the substrate is ONLY 8 inches., which seems way to close, and the temp is up to 93 degree and there is a piece of slate in the cage. I guess I just need to add another light which is what I did not want to do.

 

[wellington]

Can you exchange/return it for a 150? What is the temp in the room you have the enclosure? Maybe the room is too cool and that's the problem. Just a guess.

 

[cesktw0]

I can exchange it for a 160 watt bulb tomorrow, and my room is currently 71 degrees. I moved the bulb back to 12 inches from the substrate and I am turning on the heater in my home to see what happens.

 

[lynnedit]

yeah, you need to follow the Powersun directions and make sure the distance from your tort's shell isn't too close. I think that is supposed to be 12" with the 100w. You could get the 160w, but that needs to be a bit farther minimum distance, I THINK.
I like Barb's idea of adding an extra incandescent or CHE bulb to boost the temps in the basking area.

Are you using an accurate thermometer, like a temp gun?

 

[cesktw0]

Yes I have a temp gun, it seems accurate, I tested in in my house it read 71 and the thermostat said 71 degrees.

 

[wellington]

So sorry, I goofed. Mine are also 100 watt. Just checked them. Either yours is defective or you don't have a proper fixture. So, make sure your fixture is large enough for a 100 watt. If so, then the bulb is defective. All mine are 100 and they are about 12 inches or actually a little more away and the temps are 100-102.

 

[cesktw0]

You said you have 100 watt powersuns, and you get 100-102 basking. Do you have a rubbermaid tube for your enclosure? I ended up getting a fixture with a dimer on it because it was on sale, I have never had a fixture with a dimer, maybe it is causing the bulb to give out less wattage.

 

[EKLC]

An MVB won't work with a dimmer. It would work with a dimmer fixture as long as no dimming is applied.

The thing about MVB's is the spot is not as focused as with most halogen basking bulbs. So sometimes you need a pretty deep reflecting dome to achieve a suitable basking spot. Now if you cover your tub, I bet the temperatures will raise up (probably too high).

 

[biochemnerd808]

I think covering the tub probably isn't the answer, as leopard torts need good air flow.
The ideas of adding a slab of slate or other flat smooth-ish rock under the light is a good idea. I also boost the heat during the winter by using a ceramic heat emitter that screws into a fixture like a bulb. They don't emit light, just heat - not too expensive on eBay, and they last FOREVER. I got ours 4 years ago, and it's been used 24/7 every winter. Also, play with the angle of your lamps to create a hot spot. If you use a "tube" UVB light (rather than a combo light like the Powersun), it won't emit heat, but you can angle the basking light and the ceramic light so that they all converge in one area... measure temps there.

Good luck!

yeah, you need to follow the Powersun directions and make sure the distance from your tort's shell isn't too close. I think that is supposed to be 12" with the 100w. You could get the 160w, but that needs to be a bit farther minimum distance, I THINK.
I like Barb's idea of adding an extra incandescent or CHE bulb to boost the temps in the basking area.

Are you using an accurate thermometer, like a temp gun?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

you have your tort by now, right?

were you able to solve your temperature issues? what was your course of action?

congrats on being a leo owner. they are great!

 

[cesktw0]

Hello, its me Chelsea the one that started the post. I got my tortoise yesterday, he is healthy and happy. Full of energy. Turns out the dimer on the light fixture was causing the light to not reach its full potential, even when I had the dimer on the highest. I went out last night and purchase a new light fixture without a dimer and the temps in my cage reached 104-106 basking, and 86-78 everywhere else. Perfect. It was the DIMER the whole time. I have my powersun 14 inches away from the substrate. I went back and read the entire booklet that came with the bulb and know all the do's and dont's. Thank goodness my leo didn't get here until the next day so I could work out the lighting issue BEFORE he arrived. Thanks again for the suggestions on the distance between the bulb and substrate, and for the guess on the dimer being the issue. Thanks to you I have my problem resolved. I LOVE THIS WEBSITE!!!