Help needed fast, ambient temp

Hello,

Today I came home and checked on the tub set up to see the temp. Today was a pretty cold day and there was no one at home (apartment) and the temp was down to 66 degrees, in the tub as well. 15 qt plastic tub, with 4 inch heat tape is all it has currently. No snakes right now, I am picking it up this weekend. I will be doing couple things within a week.

I am going to put bubble wrap on my room window. This window takes up 80~90 percent of the wall (pretty big big) letting every cold air into my room. I heard bubble wrap is an awesome insulator for windows during winter.
Also, I will be building close sided one level rack with melamine wood for just one tub, which I heard can help keep the heat better.
These are two things that I am going to do for sure.
However, I doubt that the ambient temperature in the tub will be on the safe side in cold days. So I really need your guys' advice from experience or knowledge on how to fix this problem.
I had some options in my head, and these options are considered after the five sided one level rack made with melamine sheet.
put belly heat tape on the hot spot and another tape along the side of rack along the cool spot, acting like a side heat. Or put belly heat tape on hot spot and another belly heat tape on the cool side set to 80 degrees. These options, I know require two thermostat.

In the summer, it gets pretty hot/warm here so I don't think it will be a concern. Winter is the problem, Colorado sucks in winter lol. When it is really cold, I do have an oil-filled radiator to heat my room as back up. I just don't want to run heater all day long, just cold days. I really hope insulating window helps because I feel a lot of cold air coming from that window when I stand next to it.

Please help me experts!! thank you so much in advance.

You have to be the leader for most threads created in a 24 hour period.


Heat tape does nothing for air temps. You need another heat source. Racks are always difficult to keep in cool rooms.

If it were me I'd add a lamp on a lamp stand over the tub for additional ambient heat.

Raise the stand to lower the heat delivered.

Lower the stand to raise the heat delivered.

Or, add a dimmer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

You have to be the leader for most threads created in a 24 hour period.


Heat tape does nothing for air temps. You need another heat source. Racks are always difficult to keep in cool rooms.

If it were me I'd add a lamp on a lamp stand over the tub for additional ambient heat.

Raise the stand to lower the heat delivered.

Lower the stand to raise the heat delivered.

Or, add a dimmer.

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I think at this point the Rack is a bad idea for him. In a cold room he needs another source of heat and with less experience the rack is going to be to much back & forth for him to dial in... At least a tank or something he can put a CHE over. I dont know what to say, he has my head spinning too hahahaha
Im afraid he will build a rack that slides hard against the heat tape and he will cause a Short and have a disaster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

You have to be the leader for most threads created in a 24 hour period.


Heat tape does nothing for air temps. You need another heat source. Racks are always difficult to keep in cool rooms.

If it were me I'd add a lamp on a lamp stand over the tub for additional ambient heat.

Raise the stand to lower the heat delivered.

Lower the stand to raise the heat delivered.

Or, add a dimmer.

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would that help with tub with lid on it though? and what wattage lamp? you are referring the CHE right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gusanr14

would that help with tub with lid on it though? and what wattage lamp? you are referring the CHE right?

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Heat Tape does nothing for ambient in a cold room. You need to rethink this set-up for your house conditions bro. You need a CHE and the UTH for your hot side.. Ditch the homemade rack idea for 1 tub. Use the heat tape now to keep him warm under his Hide and get yourself a 20 long tank this weekend so your CHE goes over the top on the cool side, uth on the hot side. Make it easy on yourself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

I think at this point the Rack is a bad idea for him. In a cold room he needs another source of heat and with less experience the rack is going to be to much back & forth for him to dial in... At least a tank or something he can put a CHE over. I dont know what to say, he has my head spinning too hahahaha
Im afraid he will build a rack that slides hard against the heat tape and he will cause a Short and have a disaster.

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I don't understand what you mean by going back and forth. I think I can make a leg on tub so there can be space between heat tape and tub. But, I thought closed rack helps with heat tape or just keeping the heat? I just saw some posts saying five sided rack helps with heat a bit. I am not building multiple rack though, would be more like a tub storage with one open side. I am not experienced so my thoughts could be wrong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

Heat Tape does nothing for ambient in a cold room. You need to rethink this set-up for your house conditions bro. You need a CHE and the UTH for your hot side.. Ditch the homemade rack idea for 1 tub. Use the heat tape now to keep him warm under his Hide and get yourself a 20 long tank this weekend so your CHE goes over the top on the cool side, uth on the hot side. Make it easy on yourself.

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What size tank is ideal of the adult male ball python? I guess 20 gallon tank for babies and i will need bigger ones later right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gusanr14

I don't understand what you mean by going back and forth. I think I can make a leg on tub so there can be space between heat tape and tub. But, I thought closed rack helps with heat tape or just keeping the heat? I just saw some posts saying five sided rack helps with heat a bit. I am not building multiple rack though, would be more like a tub storage with one open side. I am not experienced so my thoughts could be wrong.

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Your problem is your House temps. People with Racks mostly have there Snake rooms heated. When I say back and forth I mean your going to struggle with temps not dialing in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gusanr14

What size tank is ideal of the adult male ball python? I guess 20 gallon tank for babies and i will need bigger ones later right?

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10 gal Hatchling but id go with a " 20 gal LONG" so you can use it for a year at least.. Once he is a adult you might want a PVC display enclosure for $200 shipped. Like the AP (animal plastics T8)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

10 gal Hatchling but id go with a " 20 gal LONG" so you can use it for a year at least.. Once he is a adult you might want a PVC display enclosure for $200 shipped. Like the AP (animal plastics T8)

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how does that CHE thing work? do I need separate thermostat? what is difference between dimmer and thermostat?