Bins Bins Bins. Bins?

Good morning guys. With the addition of another ball to my collection, I decided to switch over to bins/tubs to avoid having 20gals everywhere. I'm building my rack this weekend but there are a few things I don't understand and was hoping I could get some help with.

Heat tape/Flexwatt. Does this go inside the bin or on the walls of the rack? My understanding is that I can just plug the Flexwatt into a thermostat and a thermometer probe into the hot side of the tub. If I have Flexwatt do I still need a heat mat? And do I have to buy a separate thermostat for each bin or can they all run through one main one? How much / what size heat tape do I need?

Is there a size chart comparing grams to how many quarts?

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/CW317M3.jpg

As for the wood, I read that any non-chemically treated wood is ok. What about spray paint? I planned on spraying the rack a matte black. Does it matter what kind of spray paint I use as long as it's completely dry before adding the sneks to the bins?

Sorry for all the questions, I know it's a bit much. I appreciate any help I can get. I've been going off of Vypyrz's "Tub Basics" thread. :)

I would suggest using melamine or PVC for the rack. Alternatively if you are willing to use a lid-on-tub design you can just get a regular plastic shelving unit and cut the legs down to the point where the bins can just fit between the shelves; I did this for a 54-qt five-level rack as it ended up half the price of even melamine and it comes apart easily if I need to move or store it.

Heat tape goes on the shelf of the rack under the bin.

Only one thermostat needed since each piece of tape should be the same size, or the tape is threaded along the shelves.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Only one thermostat needed since each piece of tape should be the same size, or the tape is threaded along the shelves.

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Wait, so the heat tape is to get the whole rack to one certain temp, which would be the low side?

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Originally Posted by Monty44

Wait, so the heat tape is to get the whole rack to one certain temp, which would be the low side?

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Heat tape located at the back of the rack creates a gradient from the back of the tub (warm) to the front of the tub (cool)

I just watched an old video from BHB reptiles, he had stacks of plastic tubs like that stacked several high with lids on a wire shelving unit for ball python hatchlings, seems like maybe he was in a pinch for space and added some quick tubs. I would think you could heat your room to low to mid 80s and do away with the heat tape for a short term space problem. I'd keep the stock lids and drill a few holes in the sides of the tubs for air.

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Originally Posted by cchardwick

I just watched an old video from BHB reptiles, he had stacks of plastic tubs like that stacked several high with lids on a wire shelving unit for ball python hatchlings, seems like maybe he was in a pinch for space and added some quick tubs. I would think you could heat your room to low to mid 80s and do away with the heat tape for a short term space problem. I'd keep the stock lids and drill a few holes in the sides of the tubs for air.

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That's Brian's incubator in his basement of his house. His heat is at the back of his racks at his shop.