Habitat - Indoor :: Lighting

[Karawr]

Overdone question that I can't really find a straight answer to --

Can I rest my two lamps on eggcrate? Or will it melt? Will cutting holes where the actual bulb is help prevent melting or..?

I am building an ATBA and don't know how to set up my lamps. I have two clamps for them but nowhere to clamp them. Thanks.

[VeipaCray]

I would not rest the lamps directly on the egg crate. I suspect the metal part of the lamp might retain enough heat to melt the cheap plastic egg crate. Can you use clamp lights to suspend the light fixtures just over the egg crate? Whats your atba made out of? Can you clamp the lamps to the edge of the ATBA?

Or post a pic or two for us to look at. It might be easier to help if we could see what you're working with.

[vear]

I have my heat lamp sitting on the eggcrate. That portion is discolored, but it doesn't melt it. I use a regular incandescent bulb. What bulb do you have?

[Karawr]

I can't exactly remember what bulb I'm using but I think it's a Zoo Med Splashproof Halogen Lamp. Maybe 75W??

Here is what my lamps + clamps look like. I'm not able to clamp it to the side of the tank/ATBA because they only point outwards (like in the pic); I can't move around the lamp to make it look down, into the tank. Dumb design, in my opinion.




I haven't built my ATBA yet just have the plans drawn out. Right now I have a shelf above the tank that I have the lamps clamped on to at just the right distance. But I may have to take the shelf out because it is so close to my tank I don't think the ATBA will fit.

[VeipaCray]

You could always do what I did. Look at my build thread linked in my signature. I modified a reptile lamp stand and used it.

[Karawr]

Hmm looks complicated lol. Plus I would have to buy two stands (or one if I opted to buy an MVB) online which is a little inconvenient. Otherwise it works great with your setup...

I've seen lots of people on this forum resting their lamps on something. And now that I want to know about it, I can't seem to find their posts! haha I could always try eggcrate and if it starts to melt, find something else. How far away does the bulb need to be from the eggcrate? Even if I got some kind of way to clamp it up above the atba, it's still gonna be fairly close so that it can be warm enough + UVB rays need to reach.

I guess that still means I've gotta cut a hole for the bulbs to shine through?

[VeipaCray]

How about suspending the lights? Hang them from the ceiling or something. You should be able to get them really close to the eggcrate and not have any issues. I would just be worried about the fixture or the bulb directly making contact with the plastic but Vear says he's been doing it without melting the plastic a few posts up.

Also if you're concerned with mounting two separate fixtures... have you see this one?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4188809

[Karawr]

That looks handy! I'll have to stop by the store and see if it's there.

Really last last resort would be to hang them from the ceiling lol. I think that would look sort of awkward. I'm gonna try the eggcrate for now and see how it goes.

Thanks for your help!

[mokota]

We just got Baby yesterday and I know that compared to the habitat she was in, she is absolutely thrilled with her new home. My problem is this....I know I need to get a tank heater because she likes her water warmer, but it's going to be about 7 days till I can ge the heater and cover and I'm worried that she will get sick before then because we can't get the temp regulated. Also what kind of thermometer do you use to keep the basking area warm enough? And here's my last question.....we bought her the Zilla deluxe kit which came with the daylight bulb and the basking bulb but I'm not sure the basking bulb is warming the area enough (I wanna say it's a 75W) because she stays in the water a lot but her last habitat didn't allow her to swim at all and she was in that one for quite a while I guess. Any help would be great! Just want her to live a long and healthy life!

[VeipaCray]

Also what kind of thermometer do you use to keep the basking area warm enough?

And here's my last question.....we bought her the Zilla deluxe kit which came with the daylight bulb and the basking bulb but I'm not sure the basking bulb is warming the area enough (I wanna say it's a 75W) because she stays in the water a lot but her last habitat didn't allow her to swim at all and she was in that one for quite a while I guess.

The thermometer measures temperature and does not keep the basking area warm. Your basking bulb produces heat and will keep the basking area warm. Use the thermometer to measure the temperature of the basking platform after the basking bulb has been on for a while. You need about a 10-12 degree difference between water temperature and basking platform. My water is at 77 degrees and my basking platform is around 90. If the basking platform isn't warm enough, move the basking light closer. If it's just not getting the job done no matter where you put it, get a higher wattage bulb but make sure the fixture is rated to handle the wattage bulb you put in.

[KatieSmeltzer]

I have my incandescent lamp directly on the egg crate, and the uvb bulb as close as possible. I had to put the incandescent bulb directly on the egg crate because my apartment was rather chilly this winter (and it still kinda is), so my basking area wasn't getting warm enough. The egg crate has not melted. (Fingers crossed.)

[richieboy]

This is what I use, I think it's awesome. I think you need to buy the dome separately though.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... d=11147204

[VeipaCray]

Yeah that's the same one I use. I just hacksawed the base off the bottom and epoxied the bottom (largest diameter part of the setup with an adjustment screw) to the back of my ATBA.

[sflemin2]

I stole someone's idea on here of using wall plant hanger. Installed it last night and It works great.. I got one one that matched the decor in the room too so it looks nice
Here is an example (although this one it on a bird cage!) http://www.splat-n-retro.com/lights.html

I just clamped mine to it but this looks nicer.. I think I might take my clamp off... you can adjust the height better this way