# I'm all confused about "Dimming"



## Ventrata Idris

I don't wish to appear dim but... I'm all confused about "Dimming" :blush:
I'm at the research/planning stage of getting a Bearded Dragon and just trying to sort out what would be the best equipment to get.
I think I've got most of it sussed out but am confused about dimming things.


1. Basking lamp - does it need a dimming thermostat of some kind and if so what is the best type to get?
2. Ceramic heat lamp (for night) - not sure if I need this yet as I haven't check night time temps in my house. If I found the temps to be too cold then which type of dimming thermostat? Would it run off the same one as the basking daytime lamp or is it a separate one?

OK the above are for temperature regulation, but I have also read about special dimmers for lights, so that they dim down over a period of about 30mins (i.e. a dusk and dawn simulation) so as not to 'shock' the reptile.

Are these needed/would be nice for bearded dragons?
Are they used on the basking lamp only and if so do they also control the temp?
Are they also used on the UVB tube? (I'm thinking of getting Arcadia D3+ T5 type). And if so can they be controlled by the same unit as for the basking light?
I can't seem to find an example of this type of dusk/dawn dimmers on the Internet to figure it out for myself.
Thanks in advance for any help.


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## Hannah81

ANY Heat source needs a thermostat. You will have to use a dimmer with a lamp but you can use either a dimmer or a pulse stat with a ceramic. You don't need 2 different types of heat source, one will be sufficient.
You can put more than one element on a stat as long as you do not exceed the maximum wattage for the stat. Usually around 600w.
A day/night cycle can be done with a timer on the socket or by getting a "night eye" thermostat, these only work if they can be placed near enough a window as they rely on the natural light to work correctly.
You would only have the UV lamp or any other kind of lighting on during the day.
The simply way of doing this is to simply turn it off at night.


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## _simon_

Hannah81 said:


> ANY Heat source needs a thermostat. You will have to use a dimmer with a lamp but you can use either a dimmer or a pulse stat with a ceramic. You don't need 2 different types of heat source, one will be sufficient.
> You can put more than one element on a stat as long as you do not exceed the maximum wattage for the stat. Usually around 600w.
> A day/night cycle can be done with a timer on the socket or by getting a "night eye" thermostat, these only work if they can be placed near enough a window as they rely on the natural light to work correctly.
> You would only have the UV lamp or any other kind of lighting on during the day.
> The simply way of doing this is to simply turn it off at night.


Small correction to "ANY Heat source needs a thermostat" ... Mercury vapour bulbs (MVB's) cannot be used with any type of thermostat. It's also not strictly true that any heat source needs a stat, it depends on the enclosure, method of heating and whether it's ambient or basking but in this case with an enclosed viv you most likely will.


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## Ventrata Idris

Thanks for the replies.


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## hounddog

*thermostats*

Am looking for exactly same information for reed frogs. Principles will be the same, no doubt. Suggestions for makes of thermostat, please?
Bought an exo terra dual canopy (on recommendation) but don't like it as the extractor fan is on constantly when basking light is on so difficult to keep up temperature and humidity and seems a shame the 2 tubes cannot be worked independently.


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## _simon_

hounddog said:


> Am looking for exactly same information for reed frogs. Principles will be the same, no doubt. Suggestions for makes of thermostat, please?
> Bought an exo terra dual canopy (on recommendation) but don't like it as the extractor fan is on constantly when basking light is on so difficult to keep up temperature and humidity and seems a shame the 2 tubes cannot be worked independently.


Habistat and Microclimate are both decent stats. Not used any other brands.


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## ourfamous dead

Hi there,
"dimming" means the thermostats control the amount of power going to your ceramic heat bulb. An on/off thermostat means the bulb is either 100percent on or off. 
The dimming thermostat is probably (in my opinion) best for the ceramic heat bulb used for basking.
I have used an on/off but keeping a constant temp is more difficult as the heat lamp can only be on or off. therefore when the temp drops and the thermostat kicks in...the bulb comes on 100percent and this can raise your temps above the basking temp for a short period until it switches off and cools down.

the dimming stat however can operate anywhere between off and 100 percent. This means it will switch on to 100percent until it reaches the desired temperature then it can drop to operating around 60 percent to maintain the temp.

With regards to your setup, I use a Habistat dimming thermostat connected to a ceramic heat bulb (basking heat source). You have to turn the temperature of the stat down for your night time drop though.

With the lighting, Im using an exo terra light unit connected to a timer, providing 12hour off, 12 hours on.
The bulbs id recomend for this are Arcadia 12UVB (Strip light).

I have seen the lighting units that provide a dusk / dawn simulation but I have never used them. All my reptiles (bearded dragons, Crested geckos, GTP's) lighting is just on an off/on timer and Ive never seen them stressed out or anything, its possibly just a marketing feature but I couldnt say for sure (unless anybody else has experience?)....

Hope that helps you
AJ


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