How to stabilize temperatures

[EmiLee]

Hi!
In the process of setting up my tank for my BP coming in a few weeks. Its a 20 gallon tank. So far I have put a UTH on the hot side with a hide over it (UTH under the glass of course) its plugged in to a thermostat controller which is set at 91-92 degrees. Its been working great and had it set there for a few weeks to try out.

HOWEVER... our house is way to cold for ambient temperature and since we have very little insulation in our house temperature fluctuate quite a bit. I went to the reptile store here in town and bought a halogen mini dome per their advice with a 50 watt red halogen bulb. I put it over the hot side and temps went up to 110 degrees!! However the cool side was at about 80 which was perfect.

So I went back and got a 25 watt bulb and put it in. Now temps are WAY to low in the cool side at 72-73 degrees. Sigh.

Question: If I put the light over the cool side or maybe between cool side and the middle the temps on that side will be around 80 degrees. Will the UTH be enough for my BP to stay warm enough during his basking time?

I am planning on putting the halogen light on a thermostat controller. Still seem like the 50 w might be too high of a temp and would just keep switching on and off too much.

Hope this all makes sense. Any advice would be appreciated! Started looking into insulating the tank as well..

Emilee

[gunkle]

A CHE (ceramic heat emitter) would serve you far better and you won't have a light going on and off all day/night. Never setup a heat device without a thermostat controlling it. also the more info you give out the better the advice you will get. What are you using to check the temps? what substrate, do you have the screen lid covered at all? UTH's are only to provide a hot spot on the ground and don't do anything for ambient temps. Someone with more experience then me will chime in here eventually.

[EmiLee]

Yes like I mentioned will put it on a thermostat controller. However just trying it out, my snake is not actually here yet.

Substrate is coconut fiber

Screen top

The issue I may have with a CHE is that there is no enough room for a medium size dome on top (believe most dome being able to handle CHE are taller than 5.5 inches. However may definitely be an option once I move to a different place.

Thanks for your response. Hoping I can get this all to work within a week or two. Been able to get most temperatures up to somewhat sufficient at this point.
This is what the temps are right now:

[EmiLee]

Oh also, I have a digital thermometer/hydrometer that I am using to check the temperatures.

[fadingdaylight]

I'm using a similar setup, if you use the deep mini dome, the CHE will fit, and once you have it on the thermostat, it will regulate the heat for you. Your temps look good in the picture.

Are you using a heat mat under the tank? Running both, although not electrically efficient, seems to be working well for me, but you will either need to thermostats of one with two probes, like the Herpstat 2. I just ordered one of them to simplify my setup.

[EmiLee]

Yes I have a reptitherm UTH underneath the hide where the temp is regulated by a thermostat controller to always be set at 91.

The only thing I am worried about is the 75 temp in the far corner as it might get cooler in the night time when temperatures inside drops a bit.

[EmiLee]

The good thing about the halogen dome lamp is that it is energy sufficient so less likely to start anything out especially when having both of the UTH and top heat plugged into a thermostat controller.

Also, another question. Once I plug the dome lamp into a thermostat controller where should I place the probe to read the temps?

[fadingdaylight]

Dangle it under the light, about an inch or so from the substrate. I am having almost the same problem, 75 on the cool side, surface and ambient. I am using an exo terra tank, and it came with one of those styrofoam like backgrounds. So I ordered appropriate sized pieces of that to put on the sides to help insulate the tank better. Something like that may help you trap more ambient heat. It was also suggested to me to line the outside of three sides with 1/2 foam board from a craft store. This would also insulate the tank better.

[Dorsa]

Careful with the wood make sure it’s not grapewood, I made the mistake of getting it and after a couple weeks I noticed mold growing on it!


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