lighting

[lemon1]

For our tank we've been using exoterra or zoo med infrared 150 watt bulbs for basking . Since the end of September we've already burnt out 2 . Now we got exoterra 150 watt bulb and the basking isn't going above 87 .

Does anybody use these bulbs and do you go through them monthly ?

Also does infrared project more heat ?

Oh yeah we also have ours in a fixture sitting on top of a screen .

[Linnea]

do you have a dimmer?

it is recommended since you invested in a more expensive bulb that will hold for a long time. once its in place you will be protecting the bulb should something happen to the electricity.

about exoterra bulbs, they are meant to hold, id say a year. ive got a ferplast bulb and its been good for 3 months already, while the other ones i bought(cheap ones) could barely make it through a month.


do you really not get higher temps than that with a 150W? watch out, if youve been using the wrong type of lamp before it can get really warm now that you have a proper one. i use a 100W, and my room is 17 degrees C, and i still achieve a good baskong temp of about 92-93F, the bulb is 30 cm above the main basking point.

[lemon1]

I don't have a dimmer . I think it's weird I am getting low temps . Usually with 150 watts I get around 100 . My house is about 19 . The lamp is about 16 inches away .

A year for those bulbs . WOW ! my lamp is rated for 150 watts . I am thinking maybe the lamp is crap since I got it second hand with the tank from Kajiji .

[Jeff]

I don't know what you guys are doing to your bulbs, but they should last a lot longer than that! I would never recommend a heating bulb from a pet supplier. They are WAY over-priced, and in my opinion, usually inferior quality. I have always purchased all of my bulbs from a hardware store. I like halogen bulbs if they are for heat. They just seem to be the most durable and long lasting. These last years for me.

My guess is that there may be something wrong with your current bulb if it is not producing as much heat as it should. Is it hot to the touch when it is on?

[lemon1]

Yeah it's hot . I use halogen in my other enclosure . I don't think any other bulbs will work for our lamp . We tried getting bulbs at the hardware store but can't get more than 100 in the types that produce heat because they aren't energy efficient .

[Susann]

If you get a "spotlight" type of bulb you will get a hotter basking SPOT. They concentrate the light straigt down instead of spreading it through the sides and the whole bulb.

[Alioop]

Working at the pet store I see bulbs returned every week that have blown out after less than a couple months of use. Its ridiculous! I always steer people away from the bulbs we sell, towards the much cheaper, and much more reliable halogen spot bulb.