[agibsonky]

I attached a picture -I hope I did it right -I've never done that before. So, I finally moved him to the 20 gallon tank. The big rock in the front is new - it has burrows in it -he's been in there all day. I put a new (bigger) under tank heater and a bigger heat lamp and changed from carpet to tile. The temp on the warm side is still only about 85 degrees. The folks at the pet store told me not to spend the $$ on a ceramic heat emitter until I found out for sure what size I needed to keep the tank warm enough, so I bought a dark heat lamp, but not ceramic. It is a 75 watt right now. Still too cool...How big should I go to get the temp where it should be? I was hoping that moving to ceramic and a bigger under tank heater would do the trick, but no such luck... He is doing fine - still eating about twice a week and he just shedded yesterday, but I want to take good care of him, including having the correct temps...

Any advice?

[cricket4u]

Hello,

What are you measuring the temperatures with?

[agibsonky]

It's a digital thermometer with a probe...i sit the tip oftheprobe on the floor right under the heat lamp.

[cricket4u]

Originally Posted by agibsonky

It's a digital thermometer with a probe...i sit the tip oftheprobe on the floor right under the heat lamp.

It can take hours for the tile to reach the maximum temperature if it was installed today. Another possibility is the tile you bought is too thick or the heat mat is not large enough.

[agibsonky]

Hmm...we made the change about 9 or 10 this morning, I checked the temp about 5...maybe it hasn't gotten all the way warm yet... The tile is only about 1/4 inch thick...maybe not even quite that...I'd be afraid to go any thinner...it seems it would be brittle. I bought the heat mat made for 20-30 gallon tanks, I have a 20 gallon long. Should I have gotten the one for 40-50 gallon tanks??? It covers just shy of half the tank, but doesn't reach all the way across...there's a bout 2 inches at the back of the tank with no heat mat.

Thanks for all your help...

[cricket4u]

Originally Posted by agibsonky

Hmm...we made the change about 9 or 10 this morning, I checked the temp about 5...maybe it hasn't gotten all the way warm yet... The tile is only about 1/4 inch thick...maybe not even quite that...I'd be afraid to go any thinner...it seems it would be brittle. I bought the heat mat made for 20-30 gallon tanks, I have a 20 gallon long. Should I have gotten the one for 40-50 gallon tanks??? It covers just shy of half the tank, but doesn't reach all the way across...there's a bout 2 inches at the back of the tank with no heat mat.

Thanks for all your help...

Your welcome. Wait a few more hours and check it again. As for the 40-50gallon? I am a firm believer that the bigger the enclosure the better. Just keep in mind that you will also need to provide more heating and hides.