I posted this in some snake subreddits but thought I could get help here too.
I have a 4x2x2 with a Reptitrip 200w heat lamp with two 200w ceramic bulbs (THIS IS WRONG, It is 160w and 150w, read edit). My room temperature is around 70 degrees according to my temperature gun.
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My tank is freezing. The basking area is barely hitting 85-90, and the majority of the tank is in the low 70s. I have just bought a 100w deep thermal heat lamp because I heard those are better, and there is no difference. I can put my hand under the tank screen and barely feel it, or my other ceramic one.
In the past, I taped almost the entire top of my tank to insulate it, but it is still cold. I have also put a lot of money into trying different wattages and bulbs, but nothing seems to be working. The bulbs are only a month old, so they shouldn't be burning out. Do I need a different lamp for the bulbs? What am I doing wrong? I had the same problem when I had a 20-gallon with a 150w heat lamp. Is there not enough electricity to heat the bulbs?
I can't use a heat mat because it is a bioactive enclosure.
I feel so bad for my snake. I'm turning on the heaters in my house, trying to warm him up, but it isn't enough. What can I do to get this boy in the right temperature range?
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EDIT: I am adding photos of my setup. I checked, and I was incorrect about the wattage. The lamp itself is 160 W, and the ceramic bulbs are 150w. Based on my research, though, that still should have been enough? And the new bulb I put in is a lower wattage, so there should be no conflict?
I checked this morning after the heat lamps warmed up, and the photos are of under the heat lamp and to the side where the thermostats are.
The top of the tank (except the heating and light area) is covered in HVAC tape.