Another T-stat question

:confused: hello everyone
I have, another, question regarding my tank set up. I'm gettin my snake tonight and I've had my repti 500r thermostat runnin since yesterday around noon with my uth attached to it. The uth definitly works, I'm constantly touchin it under the tank and its very warm, not burning, but very warm. My question is though, it's been running since yesterday noon and my tank has yet to even have a hint of a temperature raise in it. The thermometer says 74 and the hydrometer says 52 however i'm fairly sure those are just the readings in my room considering the tank isn't warm at all, not even the glass sides. I have aspen substrate and where the uth is placed under the tank that area is warmish but I need my entire tank to start receiving heat and it's not. Any suggestions? Oh the thermostat dial is almost on hot too, it's brand new too.

The purpose of a UTH is to create a hot spot. It will not heat your entire tank/tub/etc., unless you have it set to temps that will cook your snake if he touches that part of the bottom of the cage. To increase ambient temps, you have to either increase the temp of the room (space heater, etc.) or use some type of heat bulb (ceramic is good for temps, but burns up humidity). You should also insulate three side of the tank (assuming your is glass?) and the lid to hold in as much warmth as possible.

Enter the biggest issue most face controlling the ambient temps.

The advise is good insulation is part of the puzzle. The simplest solution is to run the room at 80. However that is not a very practical solution. Tanks have a problem of too much height and an open top this configuration is not conducive to holding the heat you are generating. There are a number of ideas to combat this, a secondary heat source can help although I don't like the option of over head heaters myself it is easy and not super expensive.

I'll add a few other ideas, a fluorescent light generates heat but not tons of it you could build a hanger to mount a short self contained FL light inside the the top of the tank.

There second idea needs some time and effort tinkering and perhaps a small cost to buy a bit of Plexiglas and some basic tools but you could turn the tank reducing the height and heat loss out the top.

here is a DIY.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

there is a hinge addition at the end of the thread.

Good luck.