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  • 12-28-2011, 10:59 PM
    jdouglas
    Final Tweaks to my 20L tank Thoughts?
    So far my setup

    • 20L tank with
    • 2 Zoo Med 11x8 UTH's hooked up to
    • 2 hydrofarm thermostats
    • The back and sides are blacked out with a thick black cloth(2 layers) fastened with black duck tape
    • The lid is covered 90% with 3 layers of foil and black duck tape
    • 2 acu-rite thermometers each monitoring their own side (under the hides and ambient temps on the back wall)
    • 1 flukers thermometer/hygrometer mounted to the very top/center/back wall.
    • I am using 1 repti-carpet and cut to the exact dimensions of the tank
    • I then have a layer about 1/4 inch deep of eco earth on top of the carpet


    Underneath each hide under the eco-earth(on top of the carpet) the temps on the warm side are 91-93, and the cool side 80-82.

    However the substrate top layer not under the hides is staying only around warm side 83-85 and cool side 76-78. Ambient temps in the tank are only around 76-78.
    Room temps are only 72-75

    So how can I improve this setup?

    Humidity is staying at a constant 55 since I shut off the CHE!
    If you do recommend that I hook the CHE back up, What would be the best method to not kill my humidity? If I run it 2 feet from the top center of the lid without any holes (so its pointing at the tape/foil) would this hurt humidity?
    I do have it on a lamp dimmer.
  • 12-28-2011, 11:25 PM
    Daybreaker
    Is there a reason you have two UTHs along with a CHE?
  • 12-28-2011, 11:25 PM
    The Serpent Merchant
    I would remove the Eco earth. That would fix the temp problems.
  • 12-28-2011, 11:29 PM
    jdouglas
    I am not running the CHE, I originally started with 1 UTH and it wasn't enough for the cool side. So I bought a CHE and it put my humidity down to around 30%.
    So I bought another UTH and put it on the thermostat that the CHE was on.

    So I have 1 UTH on the warm side set to 92 and 1 UTH on the cool side set to 82 and the top of the carpet is perfect.

    I have tried removing the eco-earth but the humidity falls greatly
  • 12-28-2011, 11:32 PM
    The Serpent Merchant
    Maybe a thinner layer of Eco earth? If you have the funds a radiant heat panel will heat your tank really well without zapping the humidity.
  • 12-28-2011, 11:38 PM
    jdouglas
    I just scrapped up a good bit of the eco-earth off the carpet to a thin layer everywhere but the hides.(didn't want to uncover the probes).

    I guess ill give it a few hours and see if the temps stabilize higher than before.
  • 12-28-2011, 11:42 PM
    The Serpent Merchant
    Yeah getting your set up just right takes some playing around with. Hopefully you will find a set up that is low maintence and cost effective. I tried 3 or 4 completely different set ups before I settled on my current set up
  • 12-28-2011, 11:50 PM
    jdouglas
    I do have some flexwatt on the way and I already have a 28qt tub. I am hoping to be able to get it set up correctly this weekend as well. I would like to have the tank and tub setup correctly.
    That way I can decide which I like the most. I truly like the idea of the tank so I can look in on him, and a nice natural tank looks great!
  • 12-28-2011, 11:54 PM
    The Serpent Merchant
    You will be regulating the flexwatt with a thermostat right? I would strongly suggest a proportional thermostat like the Herpstat ND. If unregulated flexwatt will get hot enough to kill your snake.

    I prefer enclosures over tubs as well I keep all of my snakes in Animal Plastics PVC enclosures.
  • 12-28-2011, 11:54 PM
    Daybreaker
    Re: Final Tweaks to my 20L tank Thoughts?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant View Post
    Maybe a thinner layer of Eco earth? If you have the funds a radiant heat panel will heat your tank really well without zapping the humidity.

    A RHP won't work with a fish tank (with a screen lid) - they're ment for PVC/melamine type enclosures.

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jdouglas View Post
    I just scrapped up a good bit of the eco-earth off the carpet to a thin layer everywhere but the hides.(didn't want to uncover the probes).

    I guess ill give it a few hours and see if the temps stabilize higher than before.

    If temps and humidity keep giving you trouble, I would look into a tub setup unless you're set on the 20L. Also for substrate I recommend starting new snakes on paper towels so you can check for mites better.

    Edit: you two type faster than me: to the OP a tub will be a lot better for regulating temps and humidity.
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