Looking to build a 3 tub rack for three adult ball pythons

Hey everyone, I am wanting to make a three tub rack for three ball pythons. I have one adult female and in march i am going to be getting a banana and a Lemonblast. (ive always wanted to make bps that have both pinstripe and banana). So my question is, what size of tubs/rack would i need to make, and how to heat it, and what kind of thermostat to go with it???? Any and all help would be awesome, cheaper the plans the better they are! thanks!

41q made from melamine, heated with flexwatt on a Herpstat EZ 1 :D

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

41q made from melamine, heated with flexwatt on a Herpstat EZ 1 :D

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what thickness of melamine? 1/2" or 3/4"? also, don't i need a thermostat that can take three readings since i have three tanks??? also, how much flexwatt would i need ?

0.5" melamine to avoid warping and provide security/sturdiness, but i'm looking into PVC instead of melamine. same thickness though.

you should use heat tape, and it should be one continuous strip to be controlled by 1 thermostat.

I'd say the 1/2 would be fine and if you wire the flexwatt through each other/weave it through the shelves it can be run through one thermostat. Much more cost effective to use one good one instead of three cheap ones.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

0.5" melamine to avoid warping, but i'm looking into PVC instead of melamine. same thickness though.

you should use heat tape, and it should be one continuous strip to be controlled by 1 thermostat.

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Do you have some pictures or something? i'm having a hard time seeing how you'd use one strip for three tubs??? Thanks for all your help! Is PVC similar price to melamine? i still have some melamine left over from the 6 foot tank i made for my retic.

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Originally Posted by dylan815

Do you have some pictures or something? i'm having a hard time seeing how you'd use one strip for three tubs??? Thanks for all your help! Is PVC similar price to melamine? i still have some melamine left over from the 6 foot tank i made for my retic.

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PVC is much more expensive, but a lighter material (which is why i'm thinking of going PVC over melamine).

i can post photos/video of my rack's heat tape when i'm home. basically there's a hole cut out on the edge of each self so the heat tape can be fed through to the shelves below. my heat tape is weaved in an "S" shape through my three shelves.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ake-Rack-Build
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ake-Rack-Build
These show the wireing through each other(Dont remember what its called)
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1...I1c/edit?pli=1
Tried to make a doodle of the weaving method...

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

PVC is much more expensive, but a lighter material (which is why i'm thinking of going PVC over melamine).

i can post photos/video of my rack's heat tape when i'm home. basically there's a hole cut out on the edge of each self so the heat tape can be fed through to the shelves below. my heat tape is weaved in an "S" shape through my three shelves.

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That would be awesome tttaylorrr! Thanks for all your help.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1...I1c/edit?pli=1
Tried to make a doodle of the weaving method...

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