Please help me with my new tank!

[Jupiter215]

Hello! We are getting a bearded dragon and I’ve read conflicting info so I just want to make sure I have the proper set up!

Our tank is 48”x24”x24”. I have a 22” T5 10% UVB Bulb by Zoo Med. I also have a 100w ceramic heat emitter.
Do I also need a basking light? Are my bulb strengths efficient? What would you recommend differently?

We are using textured tile for flooring, Have a lizard lounger hammock, 2 thermostats/hydrometers and bought some fake plants. I still need a log and hides yet, just haven’t found what I’m looking for yet! Am I missing anything?

Finally, what do you wish you would’ve known as a first time bearded dragon owner?

Thank you so much for the guidance!

 

[Sadie]

Hello! We are getting a bearded dragon and I’ve read conflicting info so I just want to make sure I have the proper set up!

Our tank is 48”x24”x24”. I have a 22” T5 10% UVB Bulb by Zoo Med. I also have a 100w ceramic heat emitter.
Do I also need a basking light? Are my bulb strengths efficient? What would you recommend differently?

We are using textured tile for flooring, Have a lizard lounger hammock, 2 thermostats/hydrometers and bought some fake plants. I still need a log and hides yet, just haven’t found what I’m looking for yet! Am I missing anything?

Finally, what do you wish you would’ve known as a first time bearded dragon owner?

Thank you so much for the guidance!

The uvb please get the reptisun 10.0 24 watt bulb-- www.petmountain.com 22"- you have the 24" fixture correct? Yes on the basking bulb-- flukers basking bulb-- I would order the 100 watt and the 150 these are trial and error for surface basking temps-- those need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- for a 6 months old dragon 95-100- if your getting a baby recommend you partition the tank off - like at least 1/2 or 1/3- your uvb will need to go into the tank 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor - and basking temps should be 105-110-- first time dragon owners need to have the correct surface basking temps--and uvb correctly placed and distanced- this I wish I would of known from the beginning - this is crucial to the overall health and behavior of the dragon

 

[Jupiter215]

The uvb please get the reptisun 10.0 24 watt bulb-- www.petmountain.com 22"- you have the 24" fixture correct? Yes on the basking bulb-- flukers basking bulb-- I would order the 100 watt and the 150 these are trial and error for surface basking temps-- those need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- for a 6 months old dragon 95-100- if your getting a baby recommend you partition the tank off - like at least 1/2 or 1/3- your uvb will need to go into the tank 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor - and basking temps should be 105-110-- first time dragon owners need to have the correct surface basking temps--and uvb correctly placed and distanced- this I wish I would of known from the beginning - this is crucial to the overall health and behavior of the dragon

Yes, I have the 24” fixture. It’s built into my tank. So I just need to make sure whatever I get log wise, gets him 12-15” from the light. The bearded dragon I’m getting belongs to a friend of a friend and I’m getting him in a week. They’re moving and can’t keep him. He is 2yrs old.

So the basking bulb for during the day and the ceramic hear emitter at night when the light is off?

 

[Sadie]

Yes, I have the 24” fixture. It’s built into my tank. So I just need to make sure whatever I get log wise, gets him 12-15” from the light. The bearded dragon I’m getting belongs to a friend of a friend and I’m getting him in a week. They’re moving and can’t keep him. He is 2yrs old.

So the basking bulb for during the day and the ceramic hear emitter at night when the light is off?

Yes on the basking bulb-- surface basking temps 95-100 make sure you have the digital probe thermometers - 2 of them - the uvb fixture is not on the back wall is it? Che only needs to run if your tank is falling below 65 at night ambient temp - he's going to go thru relocation stress- so his eating will be off if he stops eating all together there's a issue

 

[Jupiter215]

It’s not affixed when I get it. I have to put it together. They have pre drilled holes to put it on the top of the enclosure but I can mount it wherever I want. My enclosure will be here any day, just waiting on mail! Pictures attached on the one I’m getting and the recommended mounting placement are attached! Just to clarify, for the thermometers do I place one 12-15” below basking light and the other at the other end towards the bottom?

 

[Sadie]

It’s not affixed when I get it. I have to put it together. They have pre drilled holes to put it on the top of the enclosure but I can mount it wherever I want. My enclosure will be here any day, just waiting on mail! Pictures attached on the one I’m getting and the recommended mounting placement are attached! Just to clarify, for the thermometers do I place one 12-15” below basking light and the other at the other end towards the bottom? View attachment 33524View attachment 33525

Ok your the first person I have seen w/ one of their tanks- you need to place the probe thermometer on the spot where is going to sit for basking- the 12-15 inches is for your uvb distance - the basking bulb should be no closer than 6" - when you get everything set up please let me know how you like the tank - what brand is the uvb please? The other probe needs to go on the cool side - 80ish ambient temp

 

[Jupiter215]

Ok your the first person I have seen w/ one of their tanks- you need to place the probe thermometer on the spot where is going to sit for basking- the 12-15 inches is for your uvb distance - the basking bulb should be no closer than 6" - when you get everything set up please let me know how you like the tank - what brand is the uvb please? The other probe needs to go on the cool side - 80ish ambient temp

The bulb I bought is zoo med but I can get a different one if necessary! I also have the heater guard mesh in my Amazon cart for my order tomorrow for the basking lights. I do need those right?

 

[Sadie]

The bulb I bought is zoo med but I can get a different one if necessary! I also have the heater guard mesh in my Amazon cart for my order tomorrow for the basking lights. I do need those right?

Uvb is the zoo med? Reptisun 10.0? You do not need the cage if your basking bulb is 6" or higher- you only need one basking bulb-- here is my tank I have 2 different basking spots one hot side and one in the middle by uvb- I can explain more tomorrow -

 

[Jupiter215]

Love your tank! My apologies it is a reptisun 10% uvb 22” bulb. I asked my daughter what the brand was and she just said zoo med lol. Question, Do you leave water in their tank or does he mainly get it from his food source? I’ve read and saw on TikTok that some leave water all the time, others say don’t leave a water bowl in the tank and just curious as to what you recommend.

 

[Sadie]

Love your tank! My apologies it is a reptisun 10% uvb 22” bulb. I asked my daughter what the brand was and she just said zoo med lol. Question, Do you leave water in their tank or does he mainly get it from his food source? I’ve read and saw on TikTok that some leave water all the time, others say don’t leave a water bowl in the tank and just curious as to what you recommend.

Ok water bowls usually increase humidity - normally they do not drink from a water bowl so its up to you if you leave it in the tank -- I do not leave water bowls in the tank and tried increasing humidity this past winter in the tank and it did not work - I ended up buying a small humidifier and placed it beside the tank - I got the humidity up in the 20's% range which is better but not as good as l liked it - you dont want the humidity below 20 % - that should be taken w/ a digital probe hygrometer placed on the back center wall of the tank - at night humidity goes up in the 30's which is good - optimal is 40-50% which I get in the summer time but winter is difficult -- my dragons get water from rinsing the greens they eat and I offer water sprayed on the nose/ head that drips off and they lick or lick from the puddle formed on the mat in the tank - So the tank shown in the pic has 3 basking lights - two on the hot side one is a 150 watt and the other a 75 watt - temps in that area are 100 ambient and then the piece of decor offers different heat gradients - if he wants hotter he climbs on the decor piece -- the middle of the tank is his UVB and a basking light sits behind it on the screen and the rock/ hide below is in the 90's - that bulb I believe is a 100 watt - the cool side of the tank runs in the lower 80's - in the summer time that 150 gets dropped to a 100 watt -- and the 75 watt gets shut off - temps will fluctuate w/ the room temp - your bulb is a 10.0 T 5 24 watt which is what you want -- make sure the distance for that bulb is 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor changed out in approx 10-11 months and its inside the tank --

 

[Jupiter215]

Got our new tanks set up! thank you so much for your help!

 

[Sadie]

Got our new tanks set up! thank you so much for your help!

What is the distance for the UVB? The tan looks nice just make sure he can directly under the UVB w/ in the distance of 12-15 inches