cant maintain a high temperature in glass cage

Small update:
- Foil wrapped my lid and left a 1'' opening in the back for fresh air flow and a cut out for the lamp. Is a heat bulb different from my black light bulb?
- Placed the the acu rite probe directly on top of the UTH on the glass. Acurite device is now on left side (cool) reading the UTH (right side)
- removed a LOT of substrate. Now only about 1'' of substrate.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...w/40bd5937.jpg

Im still using my thermostat at the moment because if i dont, the UTH heats up to a crazy 140+! so my zilla thermostat is currently bringing that down. The picture shows 113 but its gone down to 99 since ive been typing this update.

I actually have two UTH because I had the same problem. Only, one is on the bottom and one is on the side. My tank is fiberglass, so the heat transfers "gently." I waited for the side heater to get as hot as it gets before putting my snake in and felt the wall it is on with my own hand to make sure it wasn't searing hot. It wasn't, just a very gentle, comforting warm spot. I see my snake curled up touching that wall a lot, it must feel really good.

Ok Ill try to explain this best I can :). First goto the hardware store and buy larger rubber feet for your tanks (about $5) also get some foil tape if you dont already have it. Attach the larger rubber feat to your tank and tape the T-stat probe to the bottom of the heatpad under the tank. Adjust the T-stat temp till you get to about 95 on the inside of the glass use a thinner layer of substrate I like to about the first knuckle on your finger little less than 1/2 an inch or so. Switch to a CHE on a dimmer (available at Homedepot here ) Then I cover 3 sides of my tanks with foil tape covered cardboard or foam insulation and use the foil tape on the outside of the screen top looks kinda like this. As you can see this allows me to keep my temps and humidity very well this pic was taken early in the morning to room temps were about 68f and warms up as the day goes on to about 73f temp in the tanks hits a low of 78 and a high of 83. Hope this help if I can ever get around to it Ill post about how I insulated the tank and made the screen topper:) Hope this helps it works great for me :D I am using 11inch flexwatt and a 60watt CHE on a dimmer for heat

If u insulate the bottom of the tank than how would the heat get in from the uth

Hi,

Because the insulation is on the outside of the UTH not the inside?


dr del

Lol that makes perfect sense.. Im srry.. Had a slow moment there

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CatandDiallo

I'm surprised no one mentioned this yet. The thermostat probe should be directly touching the heat source. I.e, the probe should have been placed on the bottom of the tank, with the heat source taped ON TOP or it, or you can use tape (aluminium tape works best) to tape your thermostat probe on top of the heat source.

The thermometer probe should be right above (or just a tiny thin layer below) the substrate.

Other then that, I was going to suggest thinning out (A LOT) of your substrate, but someone has already mentioned this.

Good luck.

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This is absolutely correct, your t-stat probe should sit in the tank, directly on top of your heat source, the reason for this is your Bp, will borrow into the substrate to get closer to the heat, and if your temp above the substrate is 95 then guarantee the temp on the glass is higher, this can cause burns as Bps aren't that sensitive to the heat where burns are concerned and will not move in time to prevent serious burn.

Worst case scenario--buy some foam insulation board, cut it to fit, and cover 3 sides of your tank with it, leaving only the top, bottom, and front exposed.

Glass tanks simply aren't the best choice when it comes to housing many reptiles, but unfortunately many people wind up with them because they are relatively cheap, and pet stores have little else (if anything).

Had a quick question about UTH and mounting the thermostat probe. I already have my UTH installed, and you can't exactly take it off now to mount the probe. I'll be getting my herpstat next week and wondered how to get it between the UTH and the tank without wrecking my UTH.

Dont take the UTH off the tank I just tape the T-Stat probe to the middle of my UTH with foil tape and take my temps on the glass inside the tank. Adjust the T-stat till you gety the desired temp. Mine is set at 97 and I get a constant 94.5 on the glass inside the tank but yours will be different. Start by setting it at 93-95 and see what you get raise and lower the temp untill you get the desired inside tank temp your snake needs. I would never but a thermostat probe anywhere it could get wet or moved as this could casue the T-stat to turn up the heat and overheat you enclosure or burn your snake :)