uvb is actually based on what tank mesh you have! 
#Brands for heating and lighting?
shrewd cosmos
personally though I have the bn-link on/off thermostat for right now combined with the flukers dimming dome
eternal pewter
Our shopping list should have all in stock products. If there are any that are out of stock let me know and I will find alternate links.
Just cus they aren’t on sale doesn’t mean they aren’t good tho. Any of the links on the shopping list are good products.
The links also are for trusted sites and companies per product :3 (ie you will not find everything on Amazon)
Ah yeh that one is unavailable because general use halogens are banned in the states now. The new version of the shopping list doesn’t have it on there anymore. I’ll try to get that version finished for everyone tonight!
What heat bulb you use is heavily impacted by enviromental factors as well so it may be trial and error for you
What works for one person may not necessarily work for another
I’d look into the wide array of incandescent heat bulbs though!
Exoterra’s intense and daylight bulbs
Arcadia’s solar floodlight
Zoomed’s repti basking spot bulb
Fluker’s basking incandescent bulb
i always suggest trying out a 75w first before going higher or lower with wattage!
box images for you
so with heating.
Things like room temperature, ventilation of the tank, tank material, distance from the basking spot/ground, clutter around the basking spot etc all affect what bulb you're gonna use. and what wattage you can use!
75w is in the middle between higher and lower wattages.
For example: I can get away with 50w bulbs (i am using 75w currently tho) in my tanks- meaning i don't have to use too much to get to proper temps, but avery , another mod has had to use 100 to even 150w bulbs in previous tanks to get their basking temps and ambients to be in the correct range.
OH this is the bookshelf tank is it not?
that you're wanting to build
so in relation to that. because how that bookshelf is right now, you're going to have a hard time heating and lighting because that second level is very short.
Also because of the way it is you aren't really going to be able to clutter it properly / loose substrate on top is going to essentially be impossible. It also may not heat properly to begin with. top may become super super hot.
If you're looking to build something i wouldn't use the bookshelf and i would just build a properly framed tank.
with something like that there's also no guarantee the animal may even go up or down the levels and thermoregulating may be difficult for it.
you probably could get way with like 2 8x4 ply pieces (most likely just even 1 for a 36x18x18) , hardware mesh and something for the doors.
I did read it
the bookshelf also looks way smaller than thriving minimum to begin with even with different levels
do you have the dimensions of the bookshelf?
imma be real and say i agree with the others that i would just keep with the glass tank since she is already in a 20 long
because atleast in the glass tank you know that you can provide a gradient and you're not going to risk making it overly hot and there's not any kinks you have to work out.
you're not really upgrading her other than giving her "height" with the bookshelf also
also loose sub on the top shelf is a bad idea because it is only 12 inches tall. and you want atleast 4-6 inches of substrate for geckos. so really both levels you're only gonna have about 8 inches of space after substrate is added. and then take into account decor that you do add / hides etc. so maybeee 4 inches from the top of each shelf?
you COULD take the second shelf out and make it a 30x12x24 so that you can have overhead heating, uvb, proper amounts of substrate, and proper clutter / climbing space. That would be a better design for the animal.
but having both shelves it's not really a feasible design
could probably use the second shelf as part of the front frame material as well
Cus with a full 24" tall tank you're in safe distance for uvb and heating after adding 6ish inches of substrate. top of the sub would be 18 inches roughly, and then stacked decor and hides would be about a foot away from any fixtures. so you don't run the risk of accidentally burning the animal with both uvb and heat. especially with custom mesh which tends to be lower blockage. it also allows you to be creative with stacking wood and rock and other pieces of decor to create natural cubby holes and such!
you're good!
Tank building and design is a special interest of mine but so is heating and lighting so those two things are big big factors in when i am thinking about tank builds.
Def try out the 30x12x24 i suggested tho! that will probably be the best and safest option.
a visual of what i mean might help as well as i see there might be some confusion
yeh. use the middle shelf as the frame bits for the front / door
this ^ will give you the best design for creativity in hardscape planning AND safety with heating and lighting
until you're able to move out with her i would say yes
cus with this you're atleast able to provide more climbing enrichment and actual uvb since it's taller
it's good to think about footprint but it's also important to think about practicality and safety!
another thing with heating, is say you did keep the middle shelf in and you had to raise the heat bulb.
beams get larger as they get further away generally. so now you also have to think about is it going to heat up the room and the outside of the tank possibly? which could lead to the bottom level being warmer than you want / no gradient after all
material heats up > inside is gonna be hotter
even in my 4x2x2s which are made out of pvc. if the room is 72, my cool sides are 78 and the heat lamps aren't even touching that side
well for that tank size a 50 probably could work unless you just have like. Antarctica in your room LOL. but def try out the design i suggested over the split level thing. ❤️
if you need a 3d model ever of like how it would get cut and stuff i can do that for you btw! :3