Basking Temps and Materials

[Pirarucu]

We all know that monitors need very hot surface temperatures to bask under,and that low watt flood bulbs are best to achieve this. But some of the fine details are talked about less frequently. I hope to hear the specifics of everyone's hotspots.
Things like:
-Species and size of each monitor.
-Highest possible temperature on the basking spot.
-Highest temperature the monitor utilizes.
-Wattage and exact type of bulb used. (Size of the bulb itself would be nice too.)
-Distance between the bulb and the basking spot.
-Type of basking surface. Wood, rock, bricks, etc.
-Construction and placement of the basking surface(s).
-How much time are the lights left on? Are they ever turned off?

I'm curious as to the specifics, as it seems like normally all you hear is "Use low watt flood bulbs to get a basking temperature of 130 degrees or higher" and then it is left at that.

[infernalis]

Because, that "sweet spot" is all that matters.

Some people use those plywood stacks, some people use flat rocks, some people use logs... There is no set material to use, as long as it's achieving the correct temps.

Brand / size / etc.. of the light bulbs is another variable too.

A GE 45 watt is the same as a Sylvania 45 watt is the same as a Phillips 45 watt, or Chinese, Ikea, Westinghouse, sunbeam, zoo med, etc...

Distance from the basking spot will depend on the material used for the basking spot.

Rocks take longer to heat than logs, Logs take longer to heat than plywood...etc.

If your lizard has burrows, there is nothing wrong with leaving the lights on all the time, some folks turn them off, some people don't.

That's why these things never get brought up. a lot of variables.

[Pirarucu]

That's what I thought, and I know all of that. I'm just curious what everyone uses and especially in how hot their temps are. I spoke with someone recently who told me he provides a surface temp of up to 200 degrees for his ackies and that they use it.
I would like to provide the same, but one worry was the choice of basking surface. He uses a wooden platform similar to yours, and I was considering building a basking area similar to stair steps out of bricks. Now, obviously I had a bit of a concern that the bricks would get hotter than wood, perhaps too hot, turning it into a frying pan. I was aware that bricks or rocks heat up faster and cool down slower, but I'm not sure if they heat up hotter than wood. I think it's important to remember that the heat they use isn't coming from the surface, it's coming from above. If you stand on the hot pavement for a while, you drain the heat out of it and you are left with the radiant heat from the light. That's why they can bask effectiely on just about anything, be it dirt or grass or wood or rock. They themselves act as the basking surface.
So if bricks heat up hotter than wood, I would need to have the lights farther away so that it wouldn't get too hot. But if they were to lay up there and drain the heat from the bricks, they would be left with the radiant heat, which would be farther away and not as hot as in the wood platform scenario. If that makes sense?
It would still be plenty hot of course, but still. The key is to give them options, and let them decide for themselves, so if they use hotter temps I would like to provide them. Sorry if I'm not conveying my ideas too well, It's not as easy to review what you're writing while typing from a phone. LOL.

[infernalis]

You are conveying your thoughts just fine.

Just temp gun the bricks, that's all their is to it.

No matter what you use, it will be hottest right where the light hits, getting gradually cooler as you move away from the "focal point" (where the light is the strongest)

That's why spot lights are never used, they focus to a single point (like a magnifying glass) and can cause skin burns in small areas.

[Pirarucu]

Yes, but my concern is partly that the bricks may end up getting hotter from the lamps than the monitors would, due to the difference in distance, as opposed to a wooden basking spot, which would be closer to the lamps and still achieve the same temperature.

[Pirarucu]

Now that I think about it, I could simply place a piece of plywood on the top step on top of the bricks, to prevent it from overheating. Wouldn't look as nice though. Or I could just leave it, it may not get too hot and I could be worrying about nothing. If it's too hot then they most likely just wouldn't use it. I could also choose bricks that were more heavily pitted, therefore decreasing the amount of contact with the monitor's belly while increasing air flow to lessen the amount of heat transfer from the brick itself.

[infernalis]

There is a very large flat rock under my wood platform.

Look close, this was taken before I added all the dirt..

http://www.chompersite.com/LF/platform.jpg

[Pirarucu]

Huh, didn't know about that. I presume it is to help keep the soil warm there or something?
What other secrets does your cage hold? Any little leprechauns running around in the tunnels..?

[infernalis]

Yes, the rock holds heat.

when the lizards get too big to use the platform, I will lower the bulbs and remove it, so the rock gets the direct exposure.

That rock takes a very long time to cool off inside that insulated cage, so power failures are no big deal to me.

[Pirarucu]

Very nice, well thought out. I won't need to worry too much, living in Texas means it doesn't get too cold.. My room usually averages 80 degrees..

[varanus_mad]

Fair enough mate... some of my basking spots ive used/have used...

Bosc's my first bosc:

Liked it 135F...

my second preferred 150f...

My argus's quite happily utilised 220f...

I hasten to add i wasnt doing it myself... he dug up all the soil in his viv and piled it right up over his basking spot...

Gave me a start when i temp gunned it LOL.

Ackies 150f

Timores/auffenbergi 135f for the timors 145f for the auffenbergi.

I used rocks/wood/soil

[Pirarucu]

Thank you, that's exactly the sort of info I was looking for. One more question, were those temps the highest they had access to, or did they have access to higher temps and just not use them?

[infernalis]

Very nice, well thought out. I won't need to worry too much, living in Texas means it doesn't get too cold.. My room usually averages 80 degrees..

Even though I live in New York, our reptile room averages 80+ year round.

I find it cheaper to keep the whole room warm, as opposed to running dozens of "tank heaters"

[Pirarucu]

Yep, when I have a larger collection I will probably do the same. For now though, it's small enough that it would be more trouble than it's worth.

[varanus_mad]

with the everyone i went right up to 200f and back down again and observed food intake/behaviour etc...

back down again

[Robyn@SYR]

I did a comparison of different surface temps in the sun a couple of years ago, never got around to publishing the pics, I should dig them up.

Compared wood, rock, tile (both textured and glossy, as well as black and white), direct sun and shade. Was quite interesting. Wood stayed the coolest (relative- it still approached 130F) and gloss black tile got the hottest, as I remember.

Day temps were low 80's, also as I remember. It was all for a PE FAQ, I really should get it put together )

[Pirarucu]

Thank you, I would be very interested in seeing that.