Grand Heating Debate

Okay, so I am planning on having 2Leos in a long 20gal tank with papertowels as substrate and i'm trying to figure out how I will be heating and lighting the tank.
I know Leos aren't supposed to receive UV rays. I would like to get a blue "moonlight-similar" bulb for night, so i can see my Leos under a nighttime blue light. I currently have a long Fluorescent hood that i can use for lighting but i am willing to get a different setup for light and heat.
So i would LIKE to get a moonlight blue bulb for night, but yet, i am trying to decide whether or not i want to use the Fluorescent light for during the day or an actual blue daytime heating bulb. And also, it appears that blue daytime heating bulbs only come in combos at petsmart and petco, with red nighttime heating bulbs.
I could also choose to use a heating pad to heat my tank during the day and at night. Should i do just the heating pad, just the heat bulbs, or both? And also, if i should choose to do a heat bulb for night, what about a blue moonlight bulb? Again, the blue moonlight bulb is just a WANT.
But how should i heat and light my tank? PLEASE HELP!
Also listing good brands for heat lamp types would be helpful too!

A good heat lamp is one left not bought! Heat mat is the way to go, because Leo's digest via belly heat. So, they need the heat to come from below! You can use a blue heating bulb or you can buy just a regular lighting bulb to use and light up their tank that way. Honestly, flipping the light switch isn't going to stress them out if you want to look at them at night.

Ah i completely forgot about the belly heat-digestion problem. Thanks for reminding me of that!
I will use a heating pad along with my Fluorescent light during the day, does that sound okay? or should i use a blue heating light for during the day instead?

Well, if you have a window in the room I would just tilt the blinds some and that'll create a day night cycle.

You don't NEED a light during the day. Leos are crepuscular, so they come out at dawn and dusk. A light source is needed to create a day/night cycle, but light from a window is sufficient for that.
I recommend the Exo Terra Heat Wave for a heating pad. I use it for my 20 gallon tank, and it works really well.
I've also used the Zoo Med Repti-Therm, which is also good. I do prefer the exo terra one though.

Tanasha have you read the sticky in the housing section yet on making the perfect leo set up? Belly heat is a MUST, not only does it aide in digestion, but since leos are thigmatherms, they need and regulate their core body temperature by things they lay on that are heated unlike heliotherms like bearded dragons that prefer to get their heat from above. A heat mat is NOT an option but a must. I wouldn't use the florescent bulb. That will be much too bright for your leo and stress them out. I also wouldn't get 2 leos together straight away. They'll be too young to sex and putting 2 males together accidentally will be disastrous once their about 4-6 months old and battle for dominance. 2 makes can never line together. then theres the problem of a male female combo, ornate needing can kill your female, fights because the male wants to breed and the female doesn't... Just too many problems that can and usually do end in disaster. I would seriously consider starting with 1, make sure you can properly care for 1 then in the future consider another. Leos are NOT communal animals, they do not crave company, and putting them in a group situation goes against their natural programming. It is usually our own selfish desire to have more than 1 and save money by making them live together that leads to problems. I personally don't think a 20 long is big enough for 2 leos when you consider you'll need 2 hot hides, 2 cold hides and 2 most hides to make sure theres no tiffs for the best spaces/resources.

As far as the moonlight bulb, you can use one if you want/need to, pretty much any brand if good but I wouldn't use anything more than 60 watt which will add about 6 degrees to your overall viv temp so be sure to monitor temps closely to make sure your night time temps aren't higher than your daytime temps or your leo will be all confused and stressed.

I use the Zoomed UTHs and the Exo Terra ones too, and both are good but I've gotten a few defective Exo Terra UTHs. I think that the Exo Terra medium ones are a great size for a 20 long. They are 10x11" I believe.

I do have two low watt moonlight bulbs on Stanley's viv to raise the ambient temps a little bit. These work really well:


They come in 15 and 25 watts, so they won't add too much heat to your viv.

Thanks kathstew and Jess for the recommendations

IDk about you guys but ive heard it is bad to put a day light bulb in the tank 24/7.

It its not recommended for a daylight bulb to be used 24\7

I just have a heat mat covering 1/3 of my viv's floor space, I have enough daylight coming through my window for my leo to establish a day and night cycyle. But I also have a dull blue led set for night time veiwing

@James - maybe that is what i will do? i can allow a little bit of light thru the blinds in my windows or what if i found a way to seriously dim that flourescent light to about half its brightness? i'm just curious... if you guys think it's seriously bad to use the flourescent, i won't use it
also, just so the tank will have a warmer feeling about it, it is normally 70-80degrees Fahrenheit in my room, i will definatley have a heating pad under one half of the tank for them to use but do you think it'd be wise to buy a heat lamp for during the day and at night (day and night bulbs?)
so of course the bottom of the tank will definatley be like, 80degrees Fahrenheit or possibly warmer but is it necessary for the air/oxygen or whatever to be warm also?

The air temperature isn't as important as the ground temperature. If you need to elevate air temps its recommended to use a ceramic heat emitter, not bulbs. The florescent bulb isn't recommended, just natural daylight, florescent is much too bright, as has been mentioned, repeatedly. a regular 15 watt incandescent bulb would be better if you want viewing pleasure. 80 degree floor temps isn't enough, it needs to be between 88-96*F for proper core temperature regulation... Again all this is covered in the proper housing sticky. I really encourage you to read it, please. You kee asking the same questions about needing lights, and honestly its getting a little frustrating seeing the membership tell you over and over that you don't need the lights, that they will stress your leo unnecessarly, but you insist looking for justification to use them... bottom line is use them if you want, we can't stop you but you do your leo no justice by using them. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm losing patients with you on this mater but honestly... I am... when all the info you need is in 1 thread about the perfect set up, it makes it pretty clear how and why leos NEED this ype of set up instead of the junk the petshop tried to sell you. Please... I'm emplor you, listen to what were saying. Its been a tried and true method used for years by successful herpers... trust us.

@Kermit - i'm new to this site and i suck at using the internet, it took me forever to even figure out how to post a topic and it took me about 30min to figure out how to reply
i can type fast but i can't figure out how to find these threads that you are talking about-sorry, i don't mean to frustrate you, i don't know what you talk about when you say housing threads
and also i am listening to what you are saying i'm just checking cuz i know i have the Fluorescent bulb and i was just wondering if there was any way i could use it but if you guys think letting in a little light thru the blinds is the way to go then i will do it! i just thought i'd check it out
please explain to me where this housing thread is, i'd love to read it, i just don't know where to find it

Here is the housing sticky Tanesha: http://www.leopardgeckoforum.com/t166-proper-housing-for-leopard-geckos

In each of the topic sections (such as the housing section, the food section etc) there are threads (this is a thread for example) that are "stickied". They stay at the top of the page so they are easy to find. The housing thread is a sticky. It has a lot of great info about housing your leo properly.
So if you go through the different topic sections, you will find different stickies that contain useful information. Stickies are chosen at the discretion of the forum staff, so you are ensured you are getting valuable, true information.

Also the best thing I can suggest is set-up the tank with only the heat pad as the heat source at the beginning. Do not buy your leo at this point. Monitor the floor temps with a temperature gun or probe thermometer (like this one: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752560). If the hot side temps stay within 88*-95* you don't need a secondary heat source. If they don't despite the use of a thermostat to control the temp, I would consider a ceramic heat emitter. A ceramic heat emitter provides heat but doesn't provide light. Once you have the temps all sorted out, THEN you can get your leo. There is no point planning for a secondary heat source, when in most cases its not needed.

thanks so much kathstew