Trials and Tribulations of Tank Temperatures

[jenakle]

HO'k, we're still at it.

Problem:
Cool side's too cool, hot side's too hot. Humidity I can usually keep up with (Florida does have an abundance of it).

Set-up:
30 gal breeder w. sliding screen lid, aspen and cypress mixed bedding, about an inch in thickness. I'm about to put newspaper back under it and maybe add another inch or so of substrate.

A Heatwave large UTH (though, I think it may be desert ... will this make a difference even though its controlled with:
http://www.herpsupplies.com/product.cfm?id=SZMRT10 ??) on the middle right, large water bowl in back right corner (gets about 1/4 of the UTH)

Occasionally I'll have the heat lamp on ( http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products.../Itemdy00.aspx w. dome) to help keep the COOL side warm enough. The rheostat is set to as LOW as it will go and still my temps want to creep up past 95. Probe is under hot side hide so I'll lift the hide to cool it off or occasionally turn the whole thing off.

Opinions wanted:
I'm planning on building a cardboard/ducttape/tinfoil cover for the majority of the screen lid, since I've read a lot of posters saying it helps keep the humidity up, but what about regulating heat?!?

Will it help circulate the ambient temps better? Will I need to get another UTH and dimmer for the cool side? Are there other options I should consider, such as layering different substrates, etc.? It's nothing so extreme as to affect his health/eating...just bugging me as I'd like him to have the perfect setup I dont have to constantly adjust.

Don't say plastic tub, I like the $80 tank I just bought. Just trying to work out a few kinks in the system. I know other glass tanks have been accurately set-up, so glass tank related suggestions only please!

Thanks!

Also, FYI: it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html
AVAST!
If you shiver me timbers, I'll blow ye down! If'n not, I'll make ye swab thar deck and walk de plank for shore me fwoine landlubber!

[Smulkin]

I'm planning on building a cardboard/ducttape/tinfoil cover for the majority of the screen lid, since I've read a lot of posters saying it helps keep the humidity up, but what about regulating heat?!?

If you are committe to sticking with glass defintely do that. You can also run to the grocery or drug store and get clear ConTac paper - its cheap adhezive backed and a lot easier to apply/remove than some other methods of screen covering - but it is defintiely that screen that's your Achilles heel in stabilizing temps.

Start with that - leave 2" triangles open on the 4 corners to start to ensure you can maintain airflow. Since heat rises and gets through the screen effortlessly covering the top will do the bulk of the work toward hitting your goal.

Once you see how much that impacts temps you can tweak from there.

[JLC]

What Smulkin said! It's also a lot more attractive than all that tape and foil stuff.


Also...try reducing the amount of substrate you're using, rather than increasing it. The substrate is acting like a blanket and trapping a lot of your heat against the floor of the cage.

[Naf Eeknay]

I have glass tanks for my buddies and I went through the same thing. What I eventually ended up doing was put a UTH on both sides and run both UTH's on T-stats. Tried the dimmer thing and I ran into the same problems with the temps beign too high even on the lowest settings. I changed out my substrate (from repti-bark to carpet) just so I could get temps more accurate. Still found the hot and cool hides too high as opposed to ambient temps so I drilled a couple holes in the top of each to let some of the built up heat escape. With the T-stats and the other changes my temps hold pretty good. I am also running a heat lamp over the top of each tank to help with ambient temps and covered the screen with some plexiglass from Home Depot (leaving about 2 - 2 1/2 inches on each side for airflow).

Hope this rambling helps!!

[jenakle]

What Smulkin said! It's also a lot more attractive than all that tape and foil stuff.


Also...try reducing the amount of substrate you're using, rather than increasing it. The substrate is acting like a blanket and trapping a lot of your heat against the floor of the cage.

well, that's kind of what I need done, as even at the lowest setting for the rheostat, its a bit too hot on the warm side...the probe is covered by JUST enough substrate to keep Osiris off of it, and while I know the hide will trap a bit of heat (black plastic box), I'm trying to find a way to lower that side while raising the cool side.

[jenakle]

Still found the hot and cool hides too high as opposed to ambient temps so I drilled a couple holes in the top of each to let some of the built up heat escape.

May have to try that as well, venting the hot side hide. Thanks!

[jenakle]

If you are committe to sticking with glass defintely do that. You can also run to the grocery or drug store and get clear ConTac paper - its cheap adhezive backed and a lot easier to apply/remove than some other methods of screen covering

I was thinking of a covered cardboard piece that would wedge into the lid, but could be removed for viewing/cleaning/eventual sale of the tank if needed. If it's a tight fit, would that still work?

I figure, 1 inch open on each side, with a (1 inch diameter larger than the lamp) hole cut out in the center as well, so that should help with ventilation.


so in short, I should be trying to make the cover up water resistant to help hold in humidity, and reflective to help cycle back in the heat?

[Smulkin]

Taking the contac "paper" (its really plastic btw) off is pretty easy - not much residue either - kind of like the stuff on the back of magazine mailing labels (that adhesive boogery shtuff).

Plus lets in ambient light well enough.

Never tried the cardboard approach so I have no clue how well that would do.

[Nate]

What's your humidity? Yeah we have some good humidity for reptiles, maybe too much (guys, i'm still nervous about this)

My humidity rarely goes below 60. lowest i've seen is 57. even with a fan on it hovers around 60-65. When the fan is off and nothing is going on it's around 70. My female had an excellent shed..but now her shed is over and humidity needs to go down. I feel like i need a dehumidifier.

[jenakle]

What's your humidity? Yeah we have some good humidity for reptiles, maybe too much (guys, i'm still nervous about this)

Well I found just cypress kept it way too high for several days, even with only a partial change. I was ready to start baking even the store bags but...mixing it with aspen instead has really helped...it stays in the 50s, a mist or two once it gets low will hold for days. I also have a HUGE ceramic (dogbowl type) water dish that seems to help, and when I mist, its mostly to his 1/2 log hide (in the middle of the tank). I mist daily during sheds to get it up to 70s.