Any safe dimmers? | Leopard Geckos | Page 1

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 6:58 AM

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help pls

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faith how are you still active/awake

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:02 AM

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flukers 8.5 dimming dome seems to be a popular one, however you could get a regular dome and add a dimming switch to it. i use the lutron plug in dimmer switch with one of my domes for this method

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LOL insomnia things

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:02 AM

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Same lmfao

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I don't know if I trust myself with the electrical task of adding a dimming switch to this zoomed dome I just got

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:03 AM

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which dome? its fairly simple i promise lol

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:03 AM

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5.5

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pretty shallow

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I used a 50w but honestly I think its overkill

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because at 12 inches it claims to project around 95-96f

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and considering the ambient of my leos tank is going to be pretty high I dont want to fry the lil guy

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:06 AM

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95 is a perfectly fine basking spot temp, i actually keep mine higher but i do have a larger tank. youll just want to monitor your ambients with some digital thermometers on the warm and cool end to make sure theyre in good range. cool end would ideally in the low-mid 70s

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as for your worries on the !setup itself, we have an image that may help you understand how it works

unborn stoneBOT Oct 9, 2022, 7:06 AM

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https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/446319772934864907/848716508532310036/heatUVB_setup_map.png

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:07 AM

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I suddenly regret owning three leopard geckos with the space Im working with

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and budget

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:08 AM

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if it ever gets to be too much, rehoming is definitely an option

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:08 AM

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yea I know

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but as for a dimmer switch plug thingy the lutron plug is a safe one?

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I am ok with measuring regularly to keep track of temps. I also just want to test this dhp thing out and see if it encourages my gecko to come out andeat

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or just be more active

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:10 AM

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yeah i use it with my dome and halogen, have for a while now and had no issues

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:11 AM

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ok

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:11 AM

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yeah you definitely will have to keep track of things a little more frequently than if you had a dimming thermostat , however it can work on a budget

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:12 AM

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plus i dont know if this is something im going to stick with

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i kinda just trust what im running with right now

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no offense to you

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i might just vibe with the mats because its what has worked and seemed to keep them happy so far

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I certainly will look into larger enclosures when i can get the space for them lol

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:13 AM

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no offense taken, i just do my best to present the scientific reasonings behind proper care. i understand the comfortability people have with what they currently do,, change can be hard especially when you’re just learning a bunch of new care ideas that you dont fully understand

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we try our best here to mimic what they experience in the wild. they dont have heat mats, carpet, and small enclosures in the wild. they have the sun (which a halogen or dhp mimic best), dirt/sand/clay mix, and all the room in the world to explore

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there is a lot of misinformation in the reptile world, based on old care

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:16 AM

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it certainly makes sense

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i just wonder if they are happy now

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:22 AM

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our current care guidelines are what we consider “thriving” for a leopard gecko , however knowledge is always changing and we will know more as the time comes and evolve with it. leos are hardy as hell, can go through a lot of shit.. which is why a lot of people are hesitant to make upgrades to the current care we recommend because “they seem fine” or havent shown many signs of distress to the untrained eye

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however i just want to note in case you missed the messages from earlier,, just be aware that with a dhp on a dimmer+ on/off will likely have the bulb have less of a lifespan, like red mentioned earlier so you may have to buy bulbs more often

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dimmer will help with that a bit, but its just something some people have noticed

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:34 AM

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this may be dumb

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in the meantime could i spruce up my 20L's? As in add some more natural aspects to their habitats?

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I dont think I will be able to get all my leo's on a dhp

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Not only cause money but as I said space

stray elbow Oct 9, 2022, 7:36 AM

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Do you need night time heating ? (Room drops below 65 f)

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:36 AM

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Naw

stray elbow Oct 9, 2022, 7:36 AM

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Are you in a state where halogens are illegal

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:36 AM

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No

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Unless petsmart getting shady

stray elbow Oct 9, 2022, 7:36 AM

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You can use halogens then :0

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:37 AM

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Light sensitivity

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:37 AM

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i believe they said they have light sensitive leos

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ye

stray elbow Oct 9, 2022, 7:37 AM

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Oooh

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henlo fellow all albino owner

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:37 AM

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Ye 😦

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pain

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and hi :3

stray elbow Oct 9, 2022, 7:38 AM

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Albinos in theory can have halogens as well- like with uvb it’s about giving them spaces they can cryptic bask from and have shade. :0 (I will say though from testing it mine prefer the dhps more. Even my non light sensitive one)

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If you can’t get all dhps cus I know the pain of having to buy 3 LOL. It doesn’t hurt to test with proper amounts of clutter / cryptic basking opportunities

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:39 AM

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I honestly just dont think overhead basking is possible with my current setup

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I kinda just ran with the info I had while making this from my friend who both owns and breeds leo's which was: heating mat, 20L, water and feed bowl, humid hide with that good ol sphagnum, and powdered calcium in lil cap (without d3 I know) and calcium with d3 dusting on foods

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so now I have them setup in a spot where vertically I'm kinda at my spaces end

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vertically challenged

stray elbow Oct 9, 2022, 7:41 AM

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I see q-q

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 7:42 AM

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I am happy that despite these short comings that I am coming to recognize my leo's are still thriving (as I mentioned in general some too much, she a big girl)

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But now I feel like I am essentially torturing them 🥹

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especially seeing all the fancy and detailed tanks you guys have

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 7:53 AM

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i personally wouldn’t consider an overweight leo as healthy or thriving in the way you mean,, for example i have an obese rehomed leo i just took in and she is going to the vet tomorrow to assure she does not have any fatty liver disease due to improper diet from her previous owner causing her to be well like she swallowed a golf ball. overweight can be dangerous as well and generally takes a lot of time to get back down. sometimes a few years

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we all didnt have perfect care from the beginning! a lot of us are relatively new to this, as newer care standards evolve. i look back at the old pics of my leos first setup and just sigh

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i also started off in a 20 gallon as well, it doesnt make you a bad person

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:21 AM

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Ok, so, I think I have a plan of sorts. My primary focus is going to be getting my leo's overhead heating right now and taking them off the mats. I got some really overpriced fixture and dhp, and the 50w dhp bulb I got is too strong, are there any alternatives?

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I also read through the buying guide. Are these thermostats reliable? https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108Â°F/dp/B01I15S6OM/
Also, probably a dumb idea, but could I use one thermostat to regulate all the separate tanks lamps?

BN-LINK Digital Heat Mat Thermostat Controller for Seed Germination...

BN-LINK Digital Heat Mat Thermostat Controller for Seed Germination, Reptiles and Brewing Breeding Incubation Greenhouse, 40-108°F, 8.3A 1000W ETL Listed

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My secondary focus is going to be providing each of them with some more natural layouts. I don't know if I can do what yall are doing with your tanks but I can certainly remove the carpet and get some natural bedding in there. With the bedding what is my safest option? I have a little leo and I reallllly dont want to impact him.

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:26 AM

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the 50w dhp is kinda known for not being the strongest bulb, a lot of people even with 20s end up getting an 80w bc of that like i said earlier. so i doubt itll be too strong. and yeah i use that thermostat for my frog. and yes you can use one thermostat to regulate all your tanks, but not this thermostat. it has one outlet. to do this, it would be from a dimming thermostat, and for that many outlets for your leos itll be a couple hundred $ for that

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:27 AM

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I was getting 101 degrees on the top of the hide rock from the 50w lmfao

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:28 AM

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cheapest option will be a 70/30 mix of organic topsoil (no additives) and washed playsand. will be about $10 or less generally. with proper care (especially heating) impaction isnt very much a huge risk. they can pass small amounts of substrate as well

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:28 AM

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how about store sold stuff? whats the safest

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:29 AM

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i assume thats only from a few inches away so that makes sense, proper thermostat regulation will help with that. in a larger tank that temp isnt much of an issue but it can be in smaller ones

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those are sold in stores, like lowes/home depot,, but if you mean a reptile store then you could use reptisoil and reptisand but for 3 enclosures i wouldnt be shocked if you paid $100 for that lol

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:32 AM

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I don't have to worry about anything transferring over from something like this?https://www.lowes.com/pd/Garden-Time-2-cu-ft-Brown-Garden-Bark/3731889

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:32 AM

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that is mulch, not topsoil

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:33 AM

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lol

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oops

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:33 AM

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some safe !topsoil brands however most soil varies locally and youll have to check bags when you get them

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cmon carl

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:33 AM

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I remember awhile back I got something that was like bedding from coconut husk shavings?

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:33 AM

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work

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!topsoil

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am i the idiot

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yes

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!soil

unborn stoneBOT Oct 9, 2022, 8:34 AM

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When picking a soil for your substrate mix, you want to find organic topsoil. It is worth noting that topsoil is different from potting soil.
In general, the topsoil you use should not have any additives such as fertilizers, manure or perlite/vermiculite. However, there are a select few additives such as charcoal and worm castings that are safe.
You can normally find topsoil in hardware or gardening stores, and if none is available, Reptisoil is a safe alternative.

Be aware that the soils listed in this graphic may have ingredients that vary across regions. Be sure to read the ingredients and labels to ensure they do not have any fertilizer or other harmful additives.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/917259635847737375/986308558448636024/image0-1.png.jpg

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:34 AM

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my bad LMAO

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:34 AM

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eugh

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huh???

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:35 AM

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west summit I remember awhile back I got something that was like bedding from coconut husk s...

no coco fiber is extremely dusty and can be a respiratory issue, and also cannot hold burrows

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:35 AM

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THEN WHY DO THEY SELL IT WHAT

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:35 AM

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because it is not for arid setups

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:35 AM

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oh

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so no wood chips?

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:36 AM

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but many reptile branded products are extremely dangerous anyway like carpet, heat rocks, etc so its not shocking something dangerous would be sold. all in it for the money for them tbh

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:36 AM

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yea i getcha

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:36 AM

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no, some wood chips is fine in your sub but you dont want full wood chips

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:36 AM

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so wood chips plus a lil bit of safe topsoil listed above

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70/30 soil to wood

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:37 AM

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well topsoil typically has small wood chunks in it, which is what im referencing

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you want 70/30 soil to playsand

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:37 AM

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ohhh

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dude what happened to my bearded dragon info

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like this was all a "no duh" thing to me when I had my bearded dragon

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I got sloppy

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:38 AM

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lol it happens

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care also evolves

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:39 AM

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ok, i can do that for the bedding

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as for humid hides I use a plastic hide with sponges for humidity

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if that makes sense

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im sure you've seen it

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:39 AM

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like the ones that go in the top?

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:39 AM

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yom

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yes

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that with a lil bit of sphagnum that i dampen

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your typing makes me afraid

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that I have made a mistake

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:41 AM

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ive recommended them to someone that has a leo with a possible neuro issue and eats paper towels/sub and from my understanding it works. i generally prefer a humid hide to be humid on the ground as well as i find that to help with shedding, especially around the toes. so yeah some moss on the bottom as well would work if you already have those hides

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:41 AM

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ok good

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:41 AM

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lol sorry , i generally type slow LOL sorry if its scary

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:42 AM

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no you're good I was just like oh shit I fucked up for a second

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ok good that I have something to work with

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:42 AM

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mystic isle the 50w dhp is kinda known for not being the strongest bulb, a lot of people eve...

could you reword this for me again

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Im a lil confused

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I can use one thermostat with probe to regulate all three lamps?

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:43 AM

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not with that thermostat no

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:43 AM

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oh ok

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:43 AM

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you would need a fancy dimming thermostat and those cost a could hundred for that many outlets

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:43 AM

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so, plugging a splitter into that one thermostat would be a no no

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fire death and destruction

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:44 AM

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yeah i personally wouldnt

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you also only have one probe LOL

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youd need 3, which you cant do

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:45 AM

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I thought you said thats ok

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oh ok not ok

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:45 AM

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if you wanted one thermostat youd need something like this

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:45 AM

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jesus

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dude im dumb

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ok so 3 of those thermostats per tank then

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the one i asked about not the 400 dollar ones

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:47 AM

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yea, a dimming stat will definitely be cheaper in the long run with the amount of bulbs youll have to go through especially w this method not being the greatest for a dhp ,, but for now what youve got planned works

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yeah one thermostat per tank if thats what you meant

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:48 AM

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whats the best method for keep dhp bulbs from pooping

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:48 AM

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a fancy dimming thermostat

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:48 AM

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400 dollar one?

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:49 AM

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there are cheaper ones like the exo terra dimming stat, but those youll need one per tank as its one outlet im pretty sure

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i have a herpstat on my dhp and its been running for like 2 years no problem

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using a dimmer switch on your on/off will help like ive said but its not the greatest, even on halogens like i use with that method

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:53 AM

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the on and off is the one I asked about right

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:53 AM

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yes

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:53 AM

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ohh

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it just turns on and off at a certain temp

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:54 AM

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yes kinda like a rave if you have heat w a light.. which u dont want LOL, and with an added dimmer it will lessen the amount of flickering

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which helps with bulb longevity but it will not be as effective as a dimming stat in itself with longevity

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:55 AM

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oh ok

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so in that case I might just have to caveman it and use a manual dimmer

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and just measure

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:55 AM

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without a thermostat?

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 8:56 AM

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yea because that thermostat just turns the power on and off as it gets hot

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which i can see why that would kill your bulb

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 8:56 AM

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not with an added dimmer no, it will only flicker probably a few times a day

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you always want a thermostat. just having a dimmer can be dangerous as it doesnt take into account ambient room temperature changes, if your room changes even one degree higher it can alter your basking temps

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having a thermostat stops this from occurring as they take the ambient temperatures into account

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:01 AM

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are you prepared for Picasso levels of drawing

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this is what im understanding

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thermostat on/off goes into power splitter...thing. That goes to dimming cord. That cord goes to lamp.

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:02 AM

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dome plugs into dimmer, dimmer plugs into thermostat, thermostat plugs into timer.. or plugs into wall if you dont have a timer.. and if you do then timer plugs into wall

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:03 AM

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If I don't have the outlets for it could I use a power strip

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:04 AM

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yeah, i use timers with multiple outlets

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:05 AM

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and is the dimmer just there to hopefully save the bulbs life span?

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:05 AM

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yeah pretty much, and will make it more effective for stable basking temps as the source isnt just on and off constantly

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:06 AM

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I think I'm just confused as to what dimming does or doesnt do for the thermostat

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ohh

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:07 AM

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stops the rave

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makes bulb last longer

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:07 AM

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wait so the dimmer switch essentially allows you to tweak with the output and edit how much heat you are giving

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that stuff too

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:07 AM

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yeah

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if you want a crazy long text blurb on thermostat types and how they work from our lovely carl i can give that lol

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:09 AM

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no please its 2 in the morning

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carl sounds like a very smart man

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:09 AM

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LOL thats why i asked beforehand

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:09 AM

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good brain on carl

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my brain, questionable

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:09 AM

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5am here so i would not be able to comprehend a huge text block

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:12 AM

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Ok so to summarize and leave you alone (thank you btw for everything).
Ill need:

3 dimmer switches at about 5-6 dollars a piece.
3 on and off thermostats at about 17 dollars a piece.
I have no idea how much playsand is but I remember bedding being not that insane plus these are 20L I'm filling so it couldn't be as bad as filling my 40 gal. But 70 recommended topsoil/30 play sand.
I'm going to return the 5.5 dome fixture I just bought and get a cheaper one. I also have an old 8.something deep dome from my 40 gal tank that should function fine. and one more dome as well.
Probably two 50w dhp's and one halogen (could I just run with dhp's since I understand them even though Gremlin doesn't need light sensitive bulbs?)
Future remodeling materials (logs, fake plants, new hides, all that good stuff).

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:15 AM

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halogens are cheaper (and better heaters) so if a dhp isnt required for a leo then thatd be better tbh

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:16 AM

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What wattage am I looking at for a 20L?

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:16 AM

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but yeah sounds good, and the substrate is relatively cheap. i spend about $8 in total for a 40 gallon and still have leftover sand

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for a halogen you could probably get a 50 but a 75 would dim down as well, just would need dimmed a bit further

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i use a 60w on my 40 gal and it works fine so id imagine a 50 would be fine for a 20

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:19 AM

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Alright. I'm going to see what parts I can get for cheap from a local reptile place and such

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This is probably going to take a bit to save up for. I know what I have now isn't perfect but would it suffice?

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Well its been like a year I've had them like this so I guess its not too bad just not ideal

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:22 AM

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yeah, rn id say most urgently would be to replace the carpet with some paper towels. they harbor bacteria and can snag teeth/nails

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like i said leos can go through some shit lol so theyll be alright while you save up, its not the end of the world

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:23 AM

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ah ok gothcu

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whats the dimmer switch thingy you use again?

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trying to record everything down for future purcahsing

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:23 AM

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lutron plug in dimmer switch

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it looks like that

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:25 AM

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Ohhh ok

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Thank you again

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:27 AM

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no problem

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:27 AM

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I'm going to ignore my classwork now and crash

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:27 AM

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me too honestly LOL

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:28 AM

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bro I have a revised paper proposal with working annotated bibliography coming up and I don't even have all my sources or a solid thesis

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then I have to write a critical analysis paper for a primary source

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while learning fucking spanish

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ahhhhh

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:29 AM

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i have 5 weeks of work to do as i have done none of my work for my course LOL … just gonna not do that rn

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:30 AM

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dude is that like an overarching project that you've had to do?

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how can you still turn that stuff in

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:31 AM

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some college professors are lenient and will let you turn in work as long as its by a set date

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:32 AM

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that's nice of em

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I cant keep pushing stuff like this off because this class is a capstone required for me to graduate

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I'm at the end but I've never been more exhausted and looking for ways to bypass work

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:34 AM

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no same lol, ive hit my limit with school (kinda funny since i have education degrees) and dont plan on doing more after this class

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:34 AM

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I'm trying to credential

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:34 AM

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except a herpetology course or smth

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:35 AM

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that would be fun

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I'm not looking forward to California's mandated single subject credentialing program

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just so I can read lesson plans

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:37 AM

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oh interesting i wasnt aware of that there

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:40 AM

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yea, the time you give up in classes to become qualified to teach GE (a job that is hardly paying well for most teachers nationwide) is equal to the time you spend earning a master's in most colleges

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here in cali

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:41 AM

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yeah ik it’s different over there, my partner and i both have edu degrees and they live in ca, i do not.. i dislike the way they run some edu things there lol

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:41 AM

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it's pretty appalling

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especially considering that a majority of calis school districts rank so far down on the nations totem pole of decent schools

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:45 AM

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yeah its really sad :/ here i can make 27 an hour (iirc) just subbing long term, which is what i plan to do because of the pay. but my partner wouldnt make close over there

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very saddening

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i mean thats not even good pay i think its like less than 35k a year lol but i currently make $11 so.. ill take it

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:49 AM

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my goal is to afford a studio man

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which may be possible on 32 an hour??

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theoretically

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:51 AM

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depends on the area

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california, hard but possible id say yeah

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:51 AM

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I found some places for 1500-1800

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:53 AM

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nice

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:53 AM

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which is theoretically possible on 32. Partime on 32 a week is around 800. Bi weekly 1600

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monthly 3200

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assuming I get 32, assuming weekly is 28- 32 hours

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:54 AM

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you cant handle a carl text blurb but you can do extreme math at this hour LOL

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:54 AM

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my brain works in mysterious ways

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adhd

mystic isle Oct 9, 2022, 9:55 AM

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me too me too

west summit Oct 9, 2022, 9:55 AM

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its the best drug sometimes

shell siren Oct 9, 2022, 11:47 AM

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Btw if you struggle with spacing issues I highly, highly suggest getting a shelf if you can rearrange some things to fit it

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A lot of people use them in order to maximize on the space that they have. My apartment is absolutely tiny but I'm able to fit Bongo's 40 gallon in on the shelf.

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 3:04 AM

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@mystic isle how close would you have a tank that's above another to a heating lamp below itM

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?

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I'm trying to figure out how much space I should give between my tanks

mystic isle Oct 10, 2022, 3:05 AM

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not quite sure i understand the question bc i mean if there is a shelf then it doesn’t really matter

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do you mean how big a lamp fixture is?

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because thats dependent on the one you buy which means youll just look at the measurements

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 3:54 AM

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nvm nvm

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 9:14 PM

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@mystic isle hi faith, sorry to keep bugging you

mystic isle Oct 10, 2022, 9:15 PM

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i am here hello

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 9:15 PM

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you said a 5.5 dome is ok for a 50 w halogen

mystic isle Oct 10, 2022, 9:16 PM

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5.5 domes do work but they can suck with ambients as the heat isnt as dispersed, so 8.5 is preferred,, but if you have limited shelf space and need a 5.5 then thats fine, just make sure your temps are alright and all

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 9:17 PM

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I found some on an amazing sale at petco

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Do you trust flukers?

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https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/flukers-clamp-lamp-796417?store_code=1181&mr:device=m&mr:adType=local&cm_mmc=PSH|GGL|CAL|SBU05|SH13|0|9tmUKD5hTskndYP9WVkGs9|58700007475749267|PRODUCT_GROUP|0|0|pla-1455900004510|129523121496|15114789014&gclsrc=ds&adlclid=ADL-f6a73ed3-1e7b-45ba-a11c-dee27994d3c0

Fluker's Clamp Lamp - 75W; 5.5" | Petco

Bathe your reptile in soothing warmth and light. Metal reflector features a ceramic socket and spring-loaded, swivel-head clamp. For incandescent bulbs., or ceramic heat emitters up to 250 watts. 110 volt, polarized plug.

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This one in particular

mystic isle Oct 10, 2022, 9:20 PM

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people do use flukers domes yes, this one seems fine it has a ceramic socket and all so thats good. just be aware that if the 50w somehow doesnt get hot enough do not go over 75w as thats all this dome can handle

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 9:20 PM

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and that's ok, I feel even if it's not as great with the ambient I have not only the heating mats for the really cold nights here in Cali but the ambient should be fine because it's hella hot all year round

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and for sure. I'd be shocked if I need something more than 75w but I won't push it past that

mystic isle Oct 10, 2022, 9:21 PM

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yeah i do fine with 60w in a larger enclosure and honestly considering moving down to 50 next bulb i need lol so should be alright

west summit Oct 10, 2022, 9:22 PM

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ok thank you

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 5:34 AM

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https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-turtle-tuff-splashproof-halogen-lamp-50-watts
So my local shop ran out of normal halogens but they had this one, is this a safe use for Leo's?
@mystic isle

Zoo Med Turtle Tuff Splashproof Halogen Lamp | Petco

50 Watts, A heavy duty ";splashproof"; halogen lamp. For use with all types of aquatic turtles and other aquatic terrarium pets.

mystic isle Oct 11, 2022, 5:45 AM

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i havent used or thought ab them much but i cant really think of an issue for them so i assume its fine. i looked back at the messages in here and i see another qa saying theyre fine too to another person. you could always order reptile branded ones online tho, california is odd w halogens and it has to be reptile branded ones

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 5:55 AM

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ok, i suppose itll be fine because they are all bound to burn out sometime sooner or later

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 8:41 PM

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@mystic isle besides the lack of humid hide does this look ok?

mystic isle Oct 11, 2022, 8:42 PM

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very open , i would add more clutter. things like cork, sticks, foliage, etc

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 8:42 PM

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I will

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I'm just setting up the basics

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I think I have some fake plants I can set up but I'll have to get some more from my local reptile store

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Is the topper to sand ratio ok?

mystic isle Oct 11, 2022, 8:46 PM

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if you stick your finger in it and it holds its shape, then yeah

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thats kinda how we base it lol

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 8:54 PM

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Oh ok

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also last question

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probe go inside hot habitat or next to it

mystic isle Oct 11, 2022, 9:02 PM

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on the basking spot

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ideally on something like slate

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 9:05 PM

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ok, I put it right below the epicenter of the basking spot

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I turned the dimmer to full just to see what it's highest temp and then I'll adjust from there

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dude Gannon is fucking so confused with the new bedding lol

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west summit Oct 11, 2022, 9:52 PM

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I might get rid of the thermostats and just use a manual dimmer selection

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Because after plugging the lamp into the dimmer switch and directly into the wall, no rav

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Also these thermostats are horribly off. Heat gun says 91, thermostat says 83

mystic isle Oct 11, 2022, 10:00 PM

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you have to adjust your probe yeah, but a thermostat is definitely required

west summit Oct 11, 2022, 10:00 PM

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adjust it to where? it's directly on the basking spot 😦

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both of them are

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 12:34 AM

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sorry ive been working, but sometimes it just requires moving it around on the spot to see which placement is best. however if you dont have like a basking rock or anything like that, it may be part of the issue. different materials absorb and hold heat differently

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 1:04 AM

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i managed to get it in the right spot

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im just worried they wont bask

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 1:07 AM

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might not see a full bask, leos are notorious for cryptic basking, which is sticking a leg, head, tail out into their heat or uvb

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 1:11 AM

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but they will digest right?

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ahhh this is spooky

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 1:13 AM

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yeah

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lots of times leos come out after lights off to absorb heat on the basking surface, like they would in the wild. but proper warm side ambient temps also help with digestion

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 1:16 AM

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oh ok

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for cold nights I can use those heatmaps as backups? do they work with the bedding?

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 1:17 AM

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heat mats dont work through substrate no, if temps drop below 65 at night it’s recommended to use a deep heat projector

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 1:18 AM

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could ceramic emitters be ok?

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I have a few extra's

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and dhp's are reaaally expensive

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 1:25 AM

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they dont produce deep tissue heating so its not ideal,, if you regularly have nights that dip below 65 in your house you could just use dhps as your primary heating then

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 1:31 AM

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ohh ok

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 7:33 AM

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@mystic isle you said things like ecoearth is a no go right

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 7:34 AM

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yea its dusty and can cause respiratory issues as well as not good for burrows

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 7:34 AM

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ah oki

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https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/snake/decor-and-accessories/zoo-med-reptisoil-5263218.html?fmethod=Search

PetSmart

Zoo Med Reptisoil

null

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so this stuff right

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and whats the ratio for play sand to reptisoil

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my geckos are going to hate me for switching up their homes so quickly but im going to try and make a run tomorrow to fix this because

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i cant stand fertilizer cryingcat

mystic isle Oct 12, 2022, 7:46 AM

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yes that would be the overpriced dirt

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70/30

west summit Oct 12, 2022, 7:46 AM

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oh hell yea

#Any safe dimmers?