Thanks Glyn. The lights I have are brilliant so I dont really want to change those. Lily loves the MR.
The probe is buried at the warm end. Its just by the inner edge, so although its at the warm end. Its not directly under the basking spot.
What mystifys me is how can accurate temps be gotten when leaving a probe in the basking spot? If you leave water on a hot stove, the temperature is bound to go up and up and up and up. So if you think of a probe there, for one - I dont know how its kept in place as they have a long wire attached to them and the soil usually is dusty and loose in this area due to the heat - and how a tortoise doesnt run into the lead which connects the probe to the thermometer and knocks it out!
I have tried doing this numerous times. Its hard for Lily to ignore his spot with a long white lead coming out from the ground without knocking it out with his feet (soil being loose and dry) and then...no probe. It ends up just being loose. This perplexes me, together with the fact that the only reading ends up being fluctuated and just goes up. I have to say, I never really noticed it stabilising at all. A spot is going to get hotter the more heat that is upon it.
The thing is, I try and judge, at least for the moment. I like to think I have judged well. The warm end usually reads about 27/28 degrees. To me, by adding on say 5/6 degrees extra for basking spot would then read around 32/33 degrees. Of course, its a best guess. But it never goes beyond 29degrees at the warm end. And Lily (I suppose any tort) will move to the side if its too hot.
During the afternoon all heat lights do go off for around 1-2hours. Then when they come back on, as the temps have dipped during the off period - they then seem to reflect 27/28degrees again, after about 45mins.
What I feel I must get, and I shall - is an infrared thermometer, like I think it was Sarah that gave a link to ones that can be bought - on ebay for one. This will then tell me whether I am totally off with my guesswork, or whether I was approx judging it right.
It is the night temps for winter that I am having to think about.
I may give a big overhaul of all the lighting...but this will cost a bit. However, as usual - I wont cut any corners where Lily is concerned. Only the best for him.
So I intend to get either a new Arcadia 160w. So this will be the sole provider for heat. Keep my 'light' strip, and then a ceramic heater for the nights.
My problems are the housing FOR the heat emitter. I need to know whether I can use my small zooMed lamp stand. But my clamp lamp ONLY holds up to 60w, so this would not work for say a 150w ceramic emitter...again, its what to buy here.
I cant fix the clamp to the sides of the enclosure...I wonder can it be fitted to the small lamp stand.
Its all a bit messy but it basically comes down to what can I use that i already have, and what new things do I need to buy. xxx
Thanks for your responses every one (thanks Glyn xxx
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