building a new viv.

[Craiger]

u just have to match the wattage of the bulb to the flood lights correct? also right now im using a 150 watt bulb to make my basking temp 105-110 right now in my current viv, but i dont think ill need that much in the custom one im going to build, what wattage are u using?

Depends on the need. In the fixtures where light is the only desired affect, I use standard household fluorescent coiled bulbs. These are usually on the cool end to keep temps down. In the basking light fixture, I usually use 100W floodlights. I can easily get the desired basking temps with my ceiling height at 2 feet and my basking surfaces about 8 inches off the floor. I also have dimmers built into my fixtures so I can dial in the temps. I just can't use them when I have the fluorescent coils installed as they could cause the bulb to burn up....and possibly worse, a fire.

I believe the fixtures are rated for 150W bulbs, but I've never used bulbs with wattage that high. Like Janie said, it really depends on your ambient temps and the setup.