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longsh0t
Snake mite
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - 27/06/2011 : 22:27:18
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My wife's cousin breed BRB's and is giving one to me once one of her females gives birth (should be any day now). For Father's Day my wife got me a 55GAL fish tank. I've covered most of it with plexiglass leaving enough open for ventilation through the screen. I'm currently using a large heat mat that covers almost half the tank.
Temp/humidity on the "hot" side is about 21C/70%. The humidity since that it was left on overnight without any misting. The "cold" side is about 19c/68% humidity. I know misting and use of a fogger will fix the relatively low humidity but my concern is now the temps. I was previously using a 150w ceramic emitter but it was bringing my humidity down extremely quickly. I'm looking for suggestions on how to raise the temps approximately 10-15 degrees that will not mess with my humidity levels too much.
Thanks in advance! I really want this to be ready to go for when my new snake arrives! |
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gmac
Grumpy Scots Admin
United Kingdom
710 Posts |
Posted - 27/06/2011 : 22:57:22
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where is the heatmat located? is it inside tha tank or outside. where is the stat probe located again inside or outside the tank amnd what are you using to measure temps.
And sorry, Welcome to the forum |
GMac
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longsh0t
Snake mite
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 27/06/2011 : 23:10:24
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Thanks for the reply!
The heatmat is located on the outside of the tank. I am using 2 digital thermometers/hygrometers on opposite sides of the tank (on the inside). The mat I purchased didn't come with any type of probe. |
Edited by - longsh0t on 27/06/2011 23:16:23 |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 27/06/2011 : 23:20:46
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| Longsh0t, do you have the mat hooked up to a thermostat? |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
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longsh0t
Snake mite
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 27/06/2011 : 23:25:44
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No. I was only going off of the temps from the thermometers. I didn't think about getting a separate thermostat since it was my sole source of heating and the thermometers were showing the temps. There is a pretty decent layer of cypress mulch and some sphagnum moss over the heatmat.
I was considering getting one to use with the ceramic emitter but I'm concerned about the humidity dropping too quickly again. |
Edited by - longsh0t on 27/06/2011 23:26:54 |
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gmac
Grumpy Scots Admin
United Kingdom
710 Posts |
Posted - 27/06/2011 : 23:51:59
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My biggest worry about your setup is not having the mat hooked upto a thermostat, without regulating the mat there is a possibility that the heat may fracture the glass.
I dont really know what is used in the USA for BRB's but Snakesitter and a few others are best placed to offer you guidance on best practice over your way.
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GMac
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2011 : 01:11:30
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I agree with Graeme, and would always advise using a thermostat. Skipping that safeguard can kill a pet snake quickly. Personally, I use Herpstats for most of my collection, with one Johnson double-unit also in the mix. However, I've also heard good things about other vendors such as Helix. (Part of the reason I like Herpstats is that some units come with several independent controllers, which effectively means a lower price per unit.)
You can also use a rheostat if money is an issue, but I have no experience in this area, so would advise speaking with someone who does before heading that route. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
Edited by - Snakesitter on 28/06/2011 01:11:53 |
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longsh0t
Snake mite
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2011 : 01:37:26
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| I'll take a look at the thermostats but I'm still not sure how to raise the temps since I already have a heat mat that's effectively running at "full power" (since I'm not using a thermostat) but I still need to raise the temps by about 5-10 degrees. Would a heat pad on the side of the tank be ok? I guess my only concern would be if the snake were to lay against the glass that the heatmat is on but I could put it a little higher up. |
Edited by - longsh0t on 28/06/2011 01:41:20 |
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longsh0t
Snake mite
USA
6 Posts |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2011 : 21:00:41
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What are the specs on your heat mat (size, power)? Have you checked the manufacturer's website to see what model they recommend for your size of tank? A heat pad would have the same issues as the heat mat itself: it needs a controller for safety.
Zoo Med generally makes solid products. In theory, this one looks like it should do the job, but I've never used one of theirs. Please let us know how it goes! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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longsh0t
Snake mite
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2011 : 06:14:06
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| Well, the Zoo Med Hygrometer arrived and I set it up with the ceramic emitter. I have the fogger on the left side with the heatpad and emitter on the right. I set the low temp to 29c and humidity level low to 73% and I let it run for the day. I got back home and the "hot side" was about 28c but the fogger tank was almost empty. It seemed like it had been running all day. I'm assuming this shouldn't be how it should work. :( |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2011 : 20:06:04
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28C is fine. Did you measure at the bottom of the tank, which is where the snake would be? What was the cool end temp?
What was the humidity reading? If the fogger is working correctly, it will run as long as needed to keep humidity above your minimum set point. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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Topic |
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Need Help with Temps
