# Ceramic as a basking light??



## Sara1210 (Aug 28, 2012)

I'm really stuck on what to do for my Chinese Water Dragon's night time heat. At the minute hes got a UV bulb across the top of his enclosure, he's got his cool side and his basking spot at the other end. I'm currently using a 100w basking bulb in the day time then using a very dim 60w night time bulb that Im swapping over when I switch off his UV bulb every night. 

He just a baby at the minute, and Im saving for an arboreal viv so don't want to spend a fortune on thermostats and stuff for the enclosure he's in now because when we get the bigger viv that wont be powerful enough for the bulbs we'll be using. So right now im trying to keep the costs in this viv as low as possible. 

What I need to know is can i use a ceramic bulb for his basking spot or does he need a proper basking bulb that gives off light. Like I said he has a UV bulb so he has light im just wondering if I can use a ceramic bulb for his basking spot for now?


Edited to add: I mean use the ceramic bulb day and night in his basking spot. Cause if its going to save keep swapping bulbs over ill get the thermostat and ceramic bulb and set day and night temperatures on that. Im just confused cause on the internet im reading some people say the light directs them to the heat and others are saying ceramics are fine as long as they have there daylight hours from the UV???????

Please help!!!


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## dubs (Oct 13, 2008)

I'd be interested to hear some experienced views on this aswell .


_Posted from Reptileforums.co.uk App for Android_


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

This is based on a Bosc Monitor but may hopefully help you out..

He has his UV on for 12 hours a day which I turn on and off manually. He has a ceramic heater I think it is 150w I can't remember but I know that it maintains his basking area at 120 degrees F in the day time. I keep it on a thermostat which when I turn off the UV at night I turn the temp down on the thermostat too. In the morning when I put the UV back on I just turn up the thermostat. I had to keep altering the temp on my thermostat until I knew what temp to set it at in order for it to reach correct temps in the viv.

I would say that this what you wrote sounds about right :thumb:


Sara1210 said:


> Edited to add: I mean use the ceramic bulb day and night in his basking spot. Cause if its going to save keep swapping bulbs over ill get the thermostat and ceramic bulb and set day and night temperatures on that. Im just confused cause on the internet im reading some people say the light directs them to the heat and others are saying ceramics are fine as long as they have there daylight hours from the UV???????


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## greendale9061 (Aug 26, 2009)

*ceramics vs halogen*

Hi,

I was in the same siutation a couple of year ago.

I use to have a 150watt ceramic - no reflector & Standard UV tubes by Exo Terra with a standard temp thermostat. I would have the lights and heat on for 12 hours a day - everything off at night. I had at the time 9 60x45x45 exo terra glass tanks and it would cost me around £25-30 per month for heating and lighting.


I thought 'there must be a way to reduce my wattage & electric bill & keep my skinks happy at the same time' At the Same time I just purchased a new wooden hand built stack from Volly. 

My First Though was - get 1 big bulb that does everything - i.e. PowerSun by Zoo Med, but after some advice from local shops, breeders adn Arcadia John I chose this below:-

First off, I changed all my lighting to Arcadia D3 6% T5 tubes with reflectors (The inital outlay was expensive as had to buy new lighting controller units - but sold the old standard ones)

I then changed my heat source to Halogen 50watt spots with Dome reflector.

Lastly I changed all my thermostats to Dimming - as they give longer life to bulbs, by reducing the brightness (i.e. heat emitted) instead of turning off and on all the time to keep the temp constant.

The inital set up costs was around £80 per tank all bought from Surrey Pets, but te main point is my electric costs are approx -40% less, maybe more. I say I spend around £15-20 per month (inc the recent price hikes!) on running my tanks & the animals appear to be happily & healthier. 


Please note: This is now running 5 x 4 ft wooden tanks (stack) & 3 x 2ft wooden arboreal tanks (stack) VS 9 60 x 45 x 45 glass tanks.


Hope this helps. - change to haolgen instead of ceramics to save on electric. This is my personal experience, but others may differ.


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## greendale9061 (Aug 26, 2009)

*Heating*

Sorry just re read your thread - I don't use any night heat, as my spare room is fairly warm during the night, so have never bothered with extra heat in the tanks.

Sorry but my post doesn't really offer a solution. :-(


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

I wouldn't use a ceramic for a basking source for lizards, they associate light with heat, for example the sun.

At night it's fine to use however. 



That my opinion on the matter


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