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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran towelie4365's Avatar
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    Right idea for DIY rack?

    I'm looking at building my own rack, let me know what you think:

    I'll use melamine, with 3 shelves for 3 tubs, and 11" flexwatt (20 watt/ft) as backheat, controlled by a thermostat. The melamine will cover all sides but the front, with the flexwatt attached to the back.
    This will be for sub-adult/hatchling ball pythons, but I'd like for it to be used until they are adults. Should I go with 40qt or 28qt tubs?

    Should this setup work fine?
    Last edited by towelie4365; 11-12-2012 at 08:04 PM.
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  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran towelie4365's Avatar
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    Re: Right idea for DIY rack?

    Also, what are the positives/negatives of using back heat/under heating
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  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran EAC Reptiles's Avatar
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    For using the bigger tubs I would personally go with belly heat. My baby rack with 6qt tubs has back heat and I have to have the to set pretty high to get the correct ambient temp. Using a bigger tub would require even more back heat to get good ambient heat throughout the tub.

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    towelie4365 (11-13-2012)

  5. #4
    BPnet Veteran satomi325's Avatar
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    Belly heat is only bad for hatchlings because of the size of tubs used.
    It's more difficult to achieve the proper temperature gradient in the small 6 quart hatchling tub, so that is why back heat is preferred there. With belly heat, heating up a 6 qt tub can mean just a hot spot and no 'cool side'.
    If you were to use a larger tub (i.e. 12-15qts), using belly heat is possible. But I believe the 6 qt tubs can be used if you don't put the tub over the flexwatt all the way. It really depends.

    Personally, I use belly heat for my sub adult/adult snakes (28qt tubs). I really like back heat, but it didn't work out well in my house.
    I have a room temp of 70-75 degrees. When using back heat, the flexwatt was 120 degrees to achieve a 90 degree hot spot in the tubs. That's because back heat heats up the air rather than creates a specific hot spot like belly heat.
    Flexwatt isn't designed to run over 100 degrees so I was rather uncomfortable with it running 120. I switched over to belly heat and in the same room, the flexwatt only had to run about 98 to achieve a 90 degree hot spot.

    It really depends on how warm your room temperature is. If your room is 80+, back heat works well. Anything lower, it doesn't work very efficiently or safely.
    Last edited by satomi325; 11-12-2012 at 10:44 PM.

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