Which bulb do you prefer to use for a basking light for aquatic turtles?

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platytudes

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Nov 4, 2006
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Nicole
Just as the title states, what kind of bulb do you use for a basking light?

I just picked up a 20 long at the Petco sale and am going to do a turtle tank for an RES (this will be my third time keeping turtles, it's always been a fun adventure...they have a friend's approximately 20,000 gallon clay pond to move into when they outgrow it).

Right now I have one of these bulbs:
http://www.amazon.com/48690-100-Watt-Reveal-Bulbs-4-Pack/dp/B000089DC9

Which provides plenty of heat, being incandescent, but I will have to look into something better soon, and would appreciate any suggestions.
 

SubRosa

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Jul 3, 2009
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The only real need in a basking light is heat, assuming that you're running a fluorescent for UV. The quartz halogens give a crisper light that makes colors pop a bit, but at a much higher cost.
 

platytudes

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So maybe the 100 watt Reveal bulb will be ok after all? It's not true full spectrum, but it's a pleasing light, much more so than "soft white" or "warm white" bulbs, which are too yellow.

I am planning on running a fluorescent light, probably ReptiSun...unless I can find a cheaper bulb that works just as well. A ReptiSun bulb is what I used last time (over 5 years ago) not sure if there is anything else out there by now.
 

Vicious_Fish

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Mar 6, 2007
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I use a 100 watt Reveal bulb on my turtles.
 
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