lamp vs. pad

I wanted to know what everyone thinks is the best way of heating a emp. tank...a heat lamp or side mounted heat pad. I think I have read just about everything online about the setup but it seems there is some mixed info out there on what is the best. I have a Zoo-med heat lamp and a heat lamp but I'm still not sure of what is the best...

I would think that a lamp would put out more heat, but it also dries out the substrate more.

And wastes more energy.

personally I prefer heatmats; but thats just personal preferance.

I was leaning more to the heat pad than the light. Plus, I live in FL so it's hot 9 months out of the year.

If you live in Florida you'll probably only need supplemental heat for Middle-Eastern desert species -- and in that case I'd use a lamp (more heat output, more dryness).

I'm guessing, since this is in the emp forum, you're asking about heating your emps. They should be fine in Florida's climate.

I only heat mine in the winter where I live, and I just keep them in a room with a heater.

If you want to compare and contrast the differences between both...

• Heat lamps
  
  • Benefits
    
    • Provides more heat
      
    • Covers a larger area
      
    • Can easily be moved to another enclosure if need be
      
    • Can provide visibility of scorps while being dark to them
      
    • Bulbs are replaceable
  • Drawbacks
    
    • Uses more electricity
      
    • In almost all cases you have to move it to get the lid off
      
    • Dries out the substrate quicker
• Heat pads
  
  • Benefits
    
    • Uses less electricity
      
    • Doesn't dry out substrate as quickly as heat lamps do
      
    • It stays in one spot so you don't have to keep moving it when performing maintenance and feeding
  • Drawbacks
    
    • Cannot be moved as easily an a heat lamp can be
      
    • If installed incorrectly, you can cook your scorp
      
    • No replaceable components
      
    • Cannot view the scorps at night

I think that I may have outdone myself there

If anyone wants to add anything to the list, tell me and I'll edit it

i prefer the lamp, even if you live in Florida you can get a low wattage light bulb and get the appreciation of the tank. I think a tank should be nice and decorated to mimic an environment and the lamp makes it more esthetically pleasing. makes it stand out more. Emps are not to active so a bright tank with decor makes there space more appreciative.

^Makes me think I should put fluorescent bulbs above my tanks in my "future goal" thread . . . I like it if the tank actually looks cool when no one's out and about.

^^
just make sure there far enough away so the florescent dont harm your scorp with there nasty nasty UV rays, but, Your Mike i already Know that you know about UV being harmful!

Yep yep -- but in a good fluorescent bulb, all the UV is converted to visible light by the layer of phosphorus coating the glass.

Some residual UV may get through, but if the tops of the tanks are glass they'll block UV as well.

I prefer ceramic heat lamps. 24/7 heat (when needed) lasts for years, and produces no UV or light.

I've never been a fan of something you have to stick onto the tanks. I don't even like using those stick on thermometers/hygrometers, but I do use them anyway when I need to (like in my CWD tank.

I say bobby throw out the darn Thomas edison invention and use a heat strip or if your room is 25c anyway dont use anything, i keep servel for not saying Alot of sp from warm places like africa and such and none of mine are keept over 26c maybe 27 if they are lucky and they are all doing fine. So i cant see what all this Lamp thing is all about. Use a heatstrip, go the green way, think of the bunnies!! saves power.. Lamps is more expensive, bulb chould go because of humidity and scorp chould get burned on it and such..

I use a combination of heat mat and infra-red with specialist uv for plant life. using the heat mat as the main source, with a thermostat set slightly above that of one for the infra red so that there is a very limited "hot spot" and then the daylight flo's for a few hours effectively simulating day/night and temp changes etc, there's also a heat rock all of which they use and seem to appreciate, but the one thing i don't have is underground heating... a definite no no!
as far as the humidity, if you have settled with the appearance of the interior, having some plant life, moss etc helps keep up the natural levels of humidity, also if you have deep enough substrate they will dig to seek higher humidity in burrow. I've structured my tank on different levels and also use a fogger! simple really!! ha ha

Casteaux wrote:

there's also a heat rock all of which they use and seem to appreciate

I can't advise in favor of using a heat rock -- they're notorious for burning hets, and I wouldn't want to risk it on my scorpions.

If you want them to have a rock that's warm the way it would be in the sun, just stick a rock under the heat lamp (but basking on hot rocks isn't typical scorpion behavior, anyway).

I have rocks under the lights and have never seen my scorps bask...

heat rocks are for reptiles and i STILL WOULDN'T SUGGEST USING THEM.
they've burned a few herps that i know of.

heatrocks have a lot to awnser for.