Question on Heater

[dougefresh]

Just picked up a ExoTerra Desert Heat heater for my ten gallon tank(the one that sticks to the bottom of the tank) ......the tank is gonna be home to a single leopard gecko.......my question is to maintain the heat in the tank should the heater be left on constantly? or should it be turned off at some point during the day? ........thanks guys.....

 

[Z Trip]

Turn in on in the morning and off at night. Thats a normal day for any animal. I hope you have the little heat pad, lss then half of one side should be heated.

 

[dougefresh]

Turn in on in the morning and off at night. Thats a normal day for any animal. I hope you have the little heat pad, lss then half of one side should be heated.

Yea it is a little one and as stated is less than half of the tank.......i didnt know if it should be turned off at night because i thought that would fluctuate the temperature of the tank too much?

 

[marcos]

what I did was buy a cheap rheostat from the hardware store and adjust it to the right temp and leave it on 24 7 if its only covering half the tank or less you will be fine

 

[dougefresh]

what I did was buy a cheap rheostat from the hardware store and adjust it to the right temp and leave it on 24 7 if its only covering half the tank or less you will be fine

Well i dont really wanna buy another heater especially because this one is already attached to the bottom of the tank.........so i guess i'll just leave it on during the day and off during the night

 

[dougefresh]

any other thoughts?

 

[marcos]

now you dont have to remove it just get a rheostat (dimmer switch) and plug it in

 

[dougefresh]

now you dont have to remove it just get a rheostat (dimmer switch) and plug it in

ok........just curious about how much do they cost?

 

[marcos]

at the hardwear store about $10-$30 at the pet store about $35-$50

 

[Danyal]

unless you've got an infared heat lamp you'd be better off leaving the heater on during the night(when they're most active) and turning it off in the mornings, house tend to get a bit cold during the night. at the moment mine stays in the mid/high-seventies during the day but gets into the low/mid sixties during the night. make sure that you've got multiple hides placed around the tank, that way you don't just have one on the hot side.