Need HELP with temps!!

[MikeG]

I need some fast help with getting my ambient temperature up. Im going to be picking my BP up monday so im getting kind of worried.
I have a 31qt tub and two 3"x12" 10watt flexwatt strips that are on a herpstat. The tub is insulated on 3 sides completely and about 1/2 of the 4th side, the tub is covered on both sides of the lid with the same insulation. My herpstat is currently at 97.7, the hot side is at 93.9* and the cool side is 74.3*, the room temp is 71*. Im using a accurite thermometer w/probe under the hot hide, directly on the bottom of the inside of the tub. The tub is sitting on a board with the same insulation on the board. Ive tried aspen on the bottom of the tub, using just enough to cover the bottom and am currently using newspaper but basically getting the same results as the aspen. I ordered another strip of flexwat to put on the cool side to try to get the tub temp up, but im worried its not going to raise the air temp.
So what can i do to raise the ambient temp? Also, i cant use a space heater, i live in a pretty small apartment and it would warm the whole thing up real fast.

All input is appreciated!

Thanks,
Mike~

[Slim]

How many holes do you have drilled in the tub?

[MikeG]

How many holes do you have drilled in the tub?

about 12 or so, currently i have them all taped up though.

I also just put foil under the flexwatt to see of that would help dissipate the heat more, didn't make a difference though

[Kaorte]

I don't think 74* for a few days while you are waiting for more flexwatt will be a problem.
How are you measuring the ambient temp and where is the thermometer located in the tub?

[MikeG]

I don't think 74* for a few days while you are waiting for more flexwatt will be a problem.
How are you measuring the ambient temp and where is the thermometer located in the tub?

Measuring ambient temp with accurite dig. thermometer i got from walmart with probe under newspaper under warm hide. I also have a temp gun and when i had the aspen in there and shot it, it gave the same reading.

Thanks for the input on the waiting for shipping!

Mike~

[Kaorte]

Well it seems like you are doing everything you can so I can't think of much more to suggest. Did you ever try the space heater? I know you were worried about it getting too hot in the room, but maybe you could put it on the low setting and put it on a timer.

[MikeG]

Well it seems like you are doing everything you can so I can't think of much more to suggest. Did you ever try the space heater? I know you were worried about it getting too hot in the room, but maybe you could put it on the low setting and put it on a timer.

Neh..it had a dig thermometer build into it to auto shut off the heat, but i just know that wouldn't work for my setup.

[Kaorte]

Neh..it had a dig thermometer build into it to auto shut off the heat, but i just know that wouldn't work for my setup.

Hmm. Well, just for the record I have had my ambients in the lower 70's and my BP has been fine. She is almost always on the hot side so the air temp in her hide is actually warmer than what my thermometer was measuring outside her hide.

[MikeG]

Also, my herpstat is on proportional for heating, should i switch it to non proportional so that it doesn't give a smooth increase in power?

Thanks,
Mike~

[Kaorte]

I would keep it on proportional (that is the kind with the steady flow of reduced power right? I can never remember). As far as I know, proportional thermostats are better because the temperature doesn't fluctuate.