I have a 20 gallon tall tank on a table near a window. Nobody in there now. Just noticed though that even without any bulbs in it the temp inside it will go way up (over 130 F) in the middle of the day. To bring it down I have to shut the window blind behind the tank and turn on the air conditioner in the house. (There is a duct under the table the tank is on.) Any suggestions on what to do about this before I get a lizard? I don't want to mess this up and I'm not sure I can find another spot for the tank.

You have got to move it away from the window. As you see, the temps get really high. You can use those florescent coil lights, they make hardly any heat.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I'll do my best to find some place else to put it then. It's just the fish tank is in the only obvious place that isn't near a window. Well, it's not like I haven't got time. I haven't bought the lizard yet! I want to have things like this worked out before I do!

Good planning. Just think of a glass aquarium like a car sitting out in the sun all day with the windows up! What are the temps if you keep the blinds closed. That's always an option if you don't mind closed windows for that part of the day.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Liz is right, you can get some heavy blinds and keep them closed if you're determined to leave the tank in front of the window. I would recommend not leaving it there though. Especially since it's right above an air duct, that will mess with the tank temps as well.

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~Christi
1.0 Red Ear Slider: Mikey
1.0 Het for Albino Red Tail Boa Constrictor: Kaa
0.0.1 Northern Blue Tongue Skink: Petri
1.0 American Staffordshire Terrier/Lab: Brutus
1.0 German Shepherd: Pax
1.0 Husband: Will
“Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to a man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so do other creatures.”——His Holiness The Dalai Lama

I traded places with the tank and my sewing machine. The sewing machine was in a corner just to the left of the window. They are both on the same table, it's just how the table is arranged. I'm going to try and talk hubby into building a separate table for the tank to get it farther away from the air duct. That way I can put it just bit farther from the window as well, but already the temp is staying between 80 and 90 with no bulbs added. Much better to my eyes. The only difference being no direct sunlight. Thank you both so much. Amazing what another opinion will make you see is possible.

Direct sunlight shining thru glass is of no use anyway. The glass filters out the needed UVB light.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Try putting a deflector on the floor vent, or close it up a little.

Got it on a table in a corner now and it stays about 85 - 90 F during the day and 75 - 80 F at night.

Sounds good to me!! Is this with or without additional heat (bulbs, Under Tank Heater)?

__________________
~Christi
1.0 Red Ear Slider: Mikey
1.0 Het for Albino Red Tail Boa Constrictor: Kaa
0.0.1 Northern Blue Tongue Skink: Petri
1.0 American Staffordshire Terrier/Lab: Brutus
1.0 German Shepherd: Pax
1.0 Husband: Will
“Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to a man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so do other creatures.”——His Holiness The Dalai Lama