setting up a tank

[kamil16v]

Im getting a 50 gal tank today and i was wondering what wattage basking light would be best. Any help would be grate. thanks

[Marie]

What kind of UVB lights are you going to be using?--fluorescent tubes or mercury vapor?

[kamil16v]

Fluorescent for now i was thinking about a zoomed 50 w i just don't know if it will be hot enough .S/he has a uva uvb light and under tank heaters so the temp is ok. Just needs a hot spot to bask under.

[Marie]

I am not positive but a 100 watt CHE may work. You could use a thermostat or rhetostat with the CHE to be sure it doesn't get too hot in thae basking spot. Or you could experiment with ordinary light bulbs to find out what wattage to use. Someone should be around that is more familiiar on how to set up a small enclosure.

With CHE's you need to be sure to they are securely mounted. You should also use a ceramic socket rated for the wattage you need. And you need to make sure the iguana can not burn itself on the CHE.

[IguanaKing]

If you choose a heat lamp other than the CHE that Marie suggested, you don't need to buy the pet store bulbs. Pet store heat lamps are MUCH more expensive than their hardware store equivalents, and I haven't been too impressed with their reliability or longevity. Keep in mind though, this applies to heat lamps only. The UVB lamps you need to buy from a store that specializes in reptile lighting. What type of UVB fluorescent are you using?

[kamil16v]

I would like to use a light bulb if i find the right wattage . Both my clamp lights have ceramic sockets and are good for 150 w each. I was thinking 50 w or 75 w but im new to this so i don't know if that would be overkill or not . If i cant find a good one ill get a CHE .

[kamil16v]

My uv is a exo terra sun glow 15w i don't trust it tho .It came with the tank and iggy when the previous owner dropped it off. Next week im going to get a better one . I was thinking about a repti sun 5.0 (i think that was the name) till then i use the exo and take the iggy outside for an hour or 2 when the sun is out.

[IguanaKing]

You can still take your ig outside, even when its overcast but warm. There is usually still PLENTY of UVB that gets through clouds. I think the Reptisun 5.0 will work just fine for your current situation. What wattage you use is difficult to determine. That depends on the ambient temps in the room where the tank is. Get a couple of digital thermometers and place them at opposite ends of the tank. During daylight hours, the cold end should be high 70's to low 80's, and the hot end should be mid-to-high 90's. It also helps to have a no-contact temp gun so you can measure your ig's actual body temperature. Depending on your heat source, his body temp can actually be much higher than the air temperature.

With Reptisun 5.0s, the basking spot should be about 6-8 inches from the surface of the lamps. You also need to provide him with a hide in which he can, not only hide, but seek shelter from the UVB rays when his body tells him to. At some point, I recommend that you get a UVB meter so you can be sure of the UVB output of whatever lamp you are using.

Also...start planning for building his adult-sized habitat as soon as possible...he is going to grow very quickly. ;D

[kamil16v]

thanx i was thinking about getting a uvb meter some time later i know they are like 150-175 so im going to save for one . As for the tank temps im going to keep an eye on them when i move him/her to the 50 gal . Right now its79 and no basking spot. When i set up the 50 im going to set up a spot .

[IguanaKing]

When you get to a point where you are ready to buy the UVB meter, here's a link www.beardeddragons.biz/solarmeter_6.2.htm . That's where I bought mine from, and they provided excellent service. The total cost was $160, including shipping.

[kamil16v]

Tank has been set up temp is fine cold side is 78 and basking is 93 i ordered a reptisun 5.0 . Also i was thinking about APOGEE reptarium when titan out grows his/her tank but i need more info on them. Im going to call the people at BIGAPPLEHERP.COM to see what they say.

[bgingras]

I looked up the Apogee Reptariums, and I cannot seem to find any that are remoetely large enough for an iguana once they grow a bit.

[prism_wolf]

kamil16v said:

i ordered a reptisun 5.0 .

It's recemmended that when using flourescents you use two. One isn't quite enough, but two do a fairly good job, especially if you use a foil backing in the light hood... .

[Merlin]

If you are talking about the mesh reptarium they are not suitable for iguanas. they aren't big enough, they will not hold heat and humidity.
A large iguanas claws will quickly shred the mesh.

[kamil16v]

ok then ill look into building one instead and order another light thanx