# Heating a 18x18x24 Exo terra tank ASAP!



## Tokek (Oct 3, 2016)

Hi everyone, 

I made an account on this forum in the hopes of getting some info about heating my 18x18x24 (45x45x60) Exo Terra Terrarium. 

Basically i bought hydroballs + mesh for the bottom, on top there will be plantation soil, i bought 5 bricks, so more than enough. I also bought 3 live plants and a fake one, some rocks, a digital thermo and hygro meter (exo terra). 

now! On top of the terrarium, there is an Exo Terra Compact top. (45cm one)
But as you may know it says it only handles 25w bulbs, though ive heard alot of people use more than that without problems. My question: I have tried a single 60w exo terra day glo bulb, but it only raised the temp from 20c (my room) to about 23,5c. I am aiming to raise the air to around 27-30c. should i just use another one? is it even safe to use those on the compact top? and for night time i used a blue 50w exo terra bulb which got the temp to 24c, so the same question, can i use 2 of them? 

It is for a juvenile tokay but as far as i know they dont need light (uvb).

I am picking the tokay up on thursday! 

Thanks,:blush:


----------



## Tokek (Oct 3, 2016)

Anyone?..


----------



## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

You'd be better trying out a standard household bulb than a reptile brand one. I use 18w bulbs and get a hot spot of mid 30c. I wouldn't over load the canopy as I have had one melt before. You can buy other canopies/holders that take much higher loads which you may need to look into. Not all the enclosure needs to be raised to 27 -30c so focus on getting a good temperature in a smaller basking area first. 

You can use 2 lights however most reptiles benefit from a nighttime cooling so they may not be required at all if your room temperature does not drop too low (or switch the night lights on for viewing purposes)


----------



## casuk (Oct 12, 2015)

Most people use a ceramic heat emitter on a pulse or dimmer stat for their heat source, i m not sure you can use ceramic in a compact top, if your using lights as your heat source why not leave the blue on during the day aswel as night to keep your heat up a little or get a dome, ceramic and stat and you will have full control of the enviroment, you'll get a stat on this site for quite cheap 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## Tokek (Oct 3, 2016)

Are you using 18w household bulbs right now? What reptile is it used for and how big is the terrarium? Also, are these 18w households used in a exo terra canopy/compact top? 

I could buy two and turn them both on during the day in the exo terra compact top. However wouldnt the temperature drop back to 20c at night when i turn them off? Is that way too low? 

About the basking, these bulbs seem to direct the light into one line forward, but the exo terra compact top faces to the sides so i couldnt use basking bulbs ( i tried). 

Any thoughts?


----------



## Kain Angelo (Oct 5, 2016)

Tokek said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I made an account on this forum in the hopes of getting some info about heating my 18x18x24 (45x45x60) Exo Terra Terrarium.
> 
> ...





casuk said:


> Most people use a ceramic heat emitter on a pulse or dimmer stat for their heat source, i m not sure you can use ceramic in a compact top, if your using lights as your heat source why not leave the blue on during the day aswel as night to keep your heat up a little or get a dome, ceramic and stat and you will have full control of the enviroment, you'll get a stat on this site for quite cheap
> 
> Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


I think that casuk has given you a good idea ! i would use a dome fixture like what casuk suggested, they reflect the heat down and you can use higher wattage bulbs with a dome fixture : victory: exoterra are overpriced & a lot of new pet owners fall into the exoterra trap lol i sure know i did !


----------



## Kain Angelo (Oct 5, 2016)

Kain Angelo said:


> I think that casuk has given you a good idea ! i would use a dome fixture like what casuk suggested, they reflect the heat down and you can use higher wattage bulbs with a dome fixture : victory: exoterra are overpriced & a lot of new pet owners fall into the exoterra trap lol i sure know i did !


ideally the exo terra compact tops are used for UVB Exposure and not as a source of heat. You can have the canopy with a nice UVB bulb & get an exo terra dome fixture and have that resting behind the compact top over the mesh


----------



## Tokek (Oct 3, 2016)

Thanks, i was planning on putting a Exo terra "Natural light" bulb, as tokays dont need any uvb light. The natural light bulb stimulates Plant growth which is important as i have 4 live plants in the vivarium! For the second bulb in the canopy i was thinking an Ion bulb, its a small exo terra bulb that reduces odors, my brother tried it and said it really worked! So a natural light one for the plants and great vision, and an ion one for the odors. Also, i will go and get a dome then! With a ceramic bulb so i can keep it on 24/7. At night i will just switch off the canopy. 

I am picking the tokay up today ! Its going to be my first reptile.. :laughing:


----------



## lozmick (Jun 24, 2013)

Sorry but I disagree I've kept and bred a lot of tokays and they do use uv and bask directly underneath it on the branches provided. Also 2 other members off here have had tokays off me Robbrown and Tremerz and both have witnessed the same with seeking and using uv with tokays provide a hot spot of 33 with a night drop of no lower than 15 humidity should spike so a good spray first thing in the morning a good heavy spray then be left until say 5-6 for a light spray and another good spray just before lights out. I feed a very mixed lot of bugs including moths and soldier flies every other day and also feed a pot of Pangea left in there all the time change it every 2 days. Hope you enjoy the tokay.


----------



## casuk (Oct 12, 2015)

My kind of local exotic breeder/seller will use uvb on all his gecko Viv's, tokays, cresties, ect he won't sell you anything without the correct set up and always says uvb is an important element in the set up for health and development of the animals 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## lozmick (Jun 24, 2013)

casuk said:


> My kind of local exotic breeder/seller will use uvb on all his gecko Viv's, tokays, cresties, ect he won't sell you anything without the correct set up and always says uvb is an important element in the set up for health and development of the animals
> 
> Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk



I use uv on everything apart from my leopard geckos but when I upgrade their vivs after Christmas then they will also have uv
I keep

Cresties 
Gargoyles
Vipers
Mourning 
White line
Golden
Tokays

All above are geckos and have uv

Leopard geckos currently don't have uv nor do my inverts

Chinese water dragon and Kimberly rock monitor also have uv

Please use uv unless the species your keeping is cave dwelling


----------

