What wattage lightbulb should I use?

[jamien]

The temperature was around 81-82 with the 75 watt but it was just drying out SO quickly. The humidity was around 30 when I got home today. I feel bad. I shouldn't have listened to the vet and just bought a heat mat but I simply can't buy one at this time. Now I'm stuck with 2 heat lamps. One that is very small and one that is very large(It barely fits on top of my 10 gallon tank). I have 3 incandescent light bulbs. A regular 50 watt, a 50 watt that is flat on the bottom, and a regular 75 watt. What combination should I use?

[jasonm96]

For the time being I'd use the 50w again and save up some and then get a ceramic or heat mat aswell as a thermostat. I am surprised the 50w doesn't keep the temps right

[jamien]

Should I use the regular bulb or the one that is flat on the bottom? I heard the one that is flat on the bottom gives off more heat.

Oh and which heat lamp should I use? The large or small? I read that the large heat lamp will give off more heat in a larger area.

[monster]

The 75 I would have to agree is abit overkill, if its drying out the tank that much imagine what its doing to the frog. I would go with one of the 50 watts, and if its a night time bulb go out and a buy a dimmer from walmart or homedepot. You can get them for around 10 bucks, this way at night instead of takeing the heating right off the tank you can just dim it down to a suitable night time temp. You should really get different gauges then the analog if you haven't already, Exo terra makes a really good 2 in 1. What you can do to help with the heat is cover half to 2/3 of the top with foil, this is what your vet probably meant. This way it traps the heat in the tank instead of some of the heat escaping through the screen top. But I shall warn you that if and when you do this that you should still get a dimmer to adjust the heat because it may get to hot. When you get the chance and money for a UTH I would suggest to get one for the tank even if this helps fix your problem, they are very good for a secondary heat source in case of things like a really big temp drop in the weather or if your bulb blows he still has heat. You could even put it on and just don't plug it in if get the temps you need with just the light and then its there and ready be need be.

[monster]

And also when the money situation isn't so tight and a little better I would suggest getting a programmable thermostat to help keep the temps stable, all though a dimmer will work for the time being a thermostat is way better and leaves you headache free from worrying what temp your tank is at.

[jamien]

I just checked the temperature and its reading 77... I can't for the life of me figure out how to get it warmer. Apparently all these people are getting their tanks to 82 with a 40 watt bulb and I can't get mine above 77 with a 50 watt

[monster]

Did you ever end up getting different gauges as Jason suggested? if it reads 81 and then 77 through out the day and there isn't any draft or anything your gauge is probably pooched. I would really suggest getting one if you haven't because your temps may fine and your stressing yourself out for nothing.

[jamien]

I dont think its messed up. I seriously just can't get my enclosure to warm up and I dont know why. What lightbulb should I use? What heat lamp should I use? Im so confused as to why nothing is working.

[jasonm96]

Don't use the flat bulb, which I imagine is a basking bulb; horned frogs don't really bask like lizards, so you want something that will be gentle and not intense. Use a ceramic heat emitter, it's black and made of ceramic, produces no light. 77f by day is okay though, I really think it might be the light itself and not the temperatures. Ceramic or heat mat all the way for albinos, as they produce no light at all. The enclosure can then be placed in a moderately bright room, so it can then tell the difference between night and day.

[jasonm96]

Also the exact wattage will depend on the room temperature of where the tank is, the colder it is then the higher wattage is. Good thing about heat mats is they operate at 100f unstated so once it's on a thermostat it will then maintain the right temperature with cold rooms.