Equipment Review and Discussion :: Heating and lighting for outdoor year-round enclosure?

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Post Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:03 pm   Heating and lighting for outdoor year-round enclosure?

I have a question. I am purchasing a 500w titanium heater for Pistachio's 60 gallon pre-molded pond. She is a 6-7" diameter RES. We live in Tucson, Arizona (the Sonoran desert). Even though it's a desert, it can get down below 32 degrees for a couple of hours by early morning in February. Of course, it always gets back up to the high 40's to high 50's (or higher) in the daytime. I'm only referring to the coldest temperatures in Winter. Summer's not a problem. Additionally, the sun shines every single day. Does anyone have any concerns about this setup? Can this tube heater burn her if it's sitting on the bottom of her pond and she lays against it?

Also, I am curious if I need to buy a UVA/UVB light for her. Does she need a heating lamp for basking during the winter if her water is warm? I have been told that I need to purchase a light with a ceramic base. As I mentioned, the sun shines in Tucson almost every single day.

Thanks for your help,
Roycpat
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:21 pm   

This pond is going to be inside (I can't tell from your post and don't know if you've mentioned this elsewhere, so I'll assume it is). 500-watts for a 60-gallon preformed/ plastic(?) pond sounds like a lot. I'd be concerned about the pond melting if the heater comes in direct contact with it. I'm using a 400-watt heater in a 110-gallon stock tank and have it in a heater guard as a precautionary measure on the chance that the heater might melt the tank. (BTW, if your turtle's shell diameter is 6-7 inches, the shell length must be longer, making that 60-gallon size too small--as a guide think 10 gallons of tank/pond per inch of shell length.

Your turtle should have a UVB light (which also gives out some UVA rays) if your turtle can't have access to direct/outdoor sunlight. Light through a barrier like glass will block out most of the UVB rays. A heat/basking light should also be used over the basking area next/close to the UVB light. You want an incentive (the heat) for your turtle to bask; basking area should be about 10 degrees warmer (water about 75F, basking area high 80's - 90F) than the water for this reason; a regular lightbulb is fine for this purpose. Warm water and a basking area temp that's the same/not significantly higher will mean your turtle won't bask, which will eventually cause shell problems.

A fixture with a ceramic base is good (and necessary) if the bulb you use is a higher wattage (the heat can melt the plastic). Some say ceramic bases can extend the life of the bulb.
Last edited by marisa on Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:27 pm   Pond is outside and built into the ground.

Actually, the pond is outside year-round. In fact, we built it up in a bricked enclosure with a wire-mesh cover to protect her from predators. Just to give you an example. The current low temperature gets to the 50's at night. The pond's water temperature is in the low 70's. She does get plenty of sunlight every day. The high temperature is in the 80's right now. By Thanksgiving, we'll have high temperatures in the low 70's. But, back to your main question, the pond is outdoors. Thanks.
Roycpat
 
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:36 pm   

Now that I read this, (as well as reread the subject of your post)...I'm wondering why you're going to the trouble of keeping your turtle outside in a heated pond and planning to get the basking area up to a temp where he'll want to bask. Are you going to build some kind of cover over the basking area to trap in the heat? The sun is fine for your turtle's UVB needs, but if the air is cooler/the same as than the water, I'm not sure how much your turtle will bask, if at all. Why not bring him indoors during the coldest months?
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