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Old 13-08-2011, 01:23 PM   #1
Trac3y
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Exclamation Help with heat lamp temps please asap

Hi, i get 2 new iberas tonight. I have a tort table, an Arcadia D3 basking lamp 100W and a large exo terra porcelain clamp lamp + glow reflector.
Ive been advised by breeder to get the basking spot at 35 deg c.
I have a digital probe but struggling to get the temp right i can higher and lower my lamp on my table so that's not a problem. Where is the correct place to measure temp. If i leave the probe on the slate it says 37.1 deg which is ok I know i can higher the lamp to cool the temp down but if i hold the probe just off the slate where the tort shell would be it measures about 28.3 deg c. My exo terra thermometer that is stuck on the bottom wooden wall of the table measures about 35 not digital.
What do I do? Anything / nothing?
Advise appreciated
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Old 13-08-2011, 01:36 PM   #2
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firstly I'd not put slate or similar under the heat lamp as it can get far to hot, just have the soil under there, nothing else either that could catch fire, I always go by the surface temp and 37 is a bit high, 32-34c is usually sufficient. Also bear in mind that obviously as the substrate dries (assuming you spray at least once each day) it will get hotter and also any sun through the window will make the table hotter, so its better to be on the side of caution. Don't forget that only the basking area needs to be that warm the rest of the table is room temp or around 20c.
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Old 13-08-2011, 01:40 PM   #3
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Thank you, I'll move slate now and re check temp xxxxxx
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Old 13-08-2011, 01:54 PM   #4
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Does it matter how close the lamp is to the soil if the temperature is ok?
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Old 13-08-2011, 02:33 PM   #5
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With the D3 you would be unlikely to be blasting your tortoises with too much UVB unless the lamp was really very very close to them. I think there is information on the box or in it, which says how much UVB is being produced at certain distances. Unless the UVB is going to be a lot over 150uW/cm2 at that distance then it will not harm the tortoise.
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Old 13-08-2011, 03:38 PM   #6
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Its currently at 10" which is providing the soil at a temperature of 33.0 deg C. The probe has been under the lamp a while on the soil, so the soil will have warmed no doubt.
The exo terra thermometer in the same area is reading at about 35 not digital. It is 35 that i have been recommended to have the basking spot at.
The Arcadia lamp (bulb) states 20cm to tortoises head, which is 8". So I'm guessing this is ok. This allows 2" for the tortoise? They are about 1 year old so I dont think they are very big yet. Does this all sound ok? Thanks to everyone who has replied x
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Old 13-08-2011, 04:23 PM   #7
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Are u using a round disc type of thermometer, if so, they are very unreliable, u could really do with getting a digital type, not very expensive, i get all my stuff from here....
http://www.livefoods.co.uk/product_i...rmometer-p-986
there u go, they have most things u could possibly need.

Marg.
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Old 13-08-2011, 04:35 PM   #8
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No a digital probe, though i do have a stick on thermometer as well.
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Old 14-08-2011, 01:18 AM   #9
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If it was me I would not be at all worried if I had the lamp slightly lower in order to get 35c. It is important the basking temp is high enough. But I think you will find out s lot more once you have the little ones under it! You might do a little fine tuning once they are in place. Congratulations on your new babies!
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