Rack insulated: Check!

[CntrlF8]

Ok, so as some of you may (or may not) know, I've been having some issues with keeping my ambient/low end temps stable. Many people suggested that I insulate it, which I tried to do for a while with a regular blanket. Well, that wasn't doing the job, so today I went out and bought some real insulating wrap and did up the rack with that.. Here's some pics of that project, as well as one of my "little helper."

[mmchoppers]

The best way I have found to keep a stable ambient temp is to put the rack in an area where the room temp can be heated up to 80 F. with, say a space heater/thermostat combo.

[CntrlF8]

Don't you think I'd do that if I had the space? I mean, really...

However, I live in a 1br apartment, where heating ANY room heats the whole place. Us folks here in Western Washington don't generally see the need for air conditioning, considering it rarely gets above 85 to begin with. So I'm doing what I can with the space I've got, and so far this seems to be working.

[JoshJP7]

Yea with the situation you got there isnt much you can do... You can do a space heater and have it near the tubs to put some warmth near the rack... maybe even try a CHE pointing towards the bottom of the tub since the heat will rise... I was in the same situation last winter when I was usuing glass and I had to use a CHE with each tank... that got expensive real quick and the electric bill went skyrocketing... Now I have them in a room where I can keep the temps above 76 at all times... How cold is it getting in there? I allow my night temps to drop to 77 and have had no problems. Best of luck... Hopefully ur little idea will work out for ya.

[CntrlF8]

Nighttime temps in the room drop to about 70, and there isn't much I can do about that. I do, however, see some merit in having a small space heater to try to kindof adjust the temps. I've got a thermostat already, so I may try to hook that up...

I like my temps to be 100% stable if possible. I don't want it to drop at night more than 1 degree, since I'm trying to get them to breed this year..

[dr del]

Hi,


This is probably a dumb question so forgive me in advance.

Is the thermostat you have spare the kind you could use with an extra set of flexwatt on the cool ends of the rack? It might be a bit of a pain to fit to an existing rack but should keep the temps rock steady without heating the rest of your appartment or costing too much to run.

Since you have clearance for the flex at the back the front shouldn't pose any great problems or am I missing something?



dr del

[West Coast Jungle]

Don't you think I'd do that if I had the space? I mean, really..

Dude you don't have to get testy, he is only trying to help, relax.

Aside from flexwatt there is also heat rope/cord which Animal plastic and Vision Racks use which could be placed around front side of tubs with a small hole drilled in every shelf to run down to next level and then controled by a thermostat. It is very easy to use and comes in different legnths. Since you can't control the room they are in, which is the ideal way, you may be able to run the heat cord faily easily.

Just a thought.

Insulating isn't your problem. Flexx watt is designed to heat the surface it is in contact with, not the whole tub. I think you will be better off with some kind of secondary heating source controled by a t-stat.

[Kagez28]

yea the whole idea of using a rack is to use the flexwatt as a hot spot and room temp as ambient temps. if the reflectix works for you more power to ya, but be warned you might have some trouble come winter time.

[CntrlF8]

Dude you don't have to get testy, he is only trying to help, relax.

Aside from flexwatt there is also heat rope/cord which Animal plastic and Vision Racks use which could be placed around front side of tubs with a small hole drilled in every shelf to run down to next level and then controled by a thermostat. It is very easy to use and comes in different legnths. Since you can't control the room they are in, which is the ideal way, you may be able to run the heat cord faily easily.

Just a thought.

Insulating isn't your problem. Flexx watt is designed to heat the surface it is in contact with, not the whole tub. I think you will be better off with some kind of secondary heating source controled by a t-stat.

Wasn't meaning to sound testy, just emphasizing that I AM a logical person, so if it were possible for me to do things that way I would. I don't even have a closet I can use...

As far as flexwatt, that may very well be the next step, instead of an external heater. Again, though, as you said it's only meant to be a surface heater, not to heat the whole tub, right? So wouldn't the ambient temps still be too low unless I heated the air somehow? Sure, the temps directly on the flexwatt will be perfect, but what about the space between? or the air above?

[CntrlF8]

yea the whole idea of using a rack is to use the flexwatt as a hot spot and room temp as ambient temps. if the reflectix works for you more power to ya, but be warned you might have some trouble come winter time.

Winter will actually be easier to regulate for me... I can use a heater to heat their area, then adjust my house heater up or down to make it comfortable for me...