Is this a Good Thermostat to use?

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...d_bxgy_k_img_b

I was looking up the Accu Rite thermometer and this thermostat came up. Since I don't have one of those either I'm wondering, is this a good brand?

If not are they any specific ones you guys recommend or have had a good experience with?

Thanks! :)

Sorry just saw the other Thermostat thread :rolleyes:

You will get alot of mixed opinions and this is just my opinion on them from my limited experience. This was the first thermostat I have ever used and still use it. I use to use it on my breeder rack where it controlled about 11 feet of 4 inch flex watt. I just recently upgraded my breeder rack to a ranco but I still use this thermostat for my 3 younger snakes and it controls about 3 ft of 3 in flex watt.

In my opinion its better then rheostats, and better then zoo med, zilla, a-life basically anything else in the $50 and under range. That being said it is a $30 thermostat, it isn't meant for dead on accuracy.

The differential range is about 2.5 degrees I believe, and the temp isn't 100% accurate on the digital read out. I have a thermometer under a tub where I keep my small snakes and its usually 5 degrees higher then the read out on the thermo. I just adjust accordingly. I plan to keep this thermostat and when I build my new rack it will control the heat on that till I get a new ranco.

My overall opinion from limited experience yeah its not bad for the price. Ranco's are better and give you more control herpstats and helix are even better, but not all of us have the $70 to $120 to shell out for a nice thermostat. If you get it keep an eye on it check it daily, (I check mine two or three times a day, where my ranco I check maybe once every other day) and if it starts acting funny get a new thermostat asap. I hope this helps and good luck.

you get what you pay for, i wouldn't trust it... i have 3 herpestats and really enjoy them.. i would aim for a high quality thermostat if your going to get one

Thank you so much for your response. I only have one BP right now and she has a UTH that I want to make sure isn't outputting too much heat (I have cardboard and aspen between here and the glass but you never know). I also use a temp gun to check temperatures on the cool and warm side constantly throughout the day so checking the thermostat multiple times a day wouldn't be a big deal.

And yeah we don't have the money for a stat that's over 100 dollars right now but since I'm only monitoring one thing I was hoping that one would be OK.

If my collection ever gets bigger then I will most likely try to acquire a higher quality one.

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Originally Posted by benwallage9

My overall opinion from limited experience yeah its not bad for the price. Ranco's are better and give you more control herpstats and helix are even better, but not all of us have the $70 to $120 to shell out for a nice thermostat. If you get it keep an eye on it check it daily, (I check mine two or three times a day, where my ranco I check maybe once every other day) and if it starts acting funny get a new thermostat asap. I hope this helps and good luck.

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peace of mind is priceless

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Originally Posted by Yaqcubper

Thank you so much for your response. I only have one BP right now and she has a UTH that I want to make sure isn't outputting too much heat (I have cardboard and aspen between here and the glass but you never know). I also use a temp gun to check temperatures on the cool and warm side constantly throughout the day so checking the thermostat multiple times a day wouldn't be a big deal.

And yeah we don't have the money for a stat that's over 100 dollars right now but since I'm only monitoring one thing I was hoping that one would be OK.

If my collection ever gets bigger then I will most likely try to acquire a higher quality one.

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what type of UTH? like zoomed or exoterra? those are fine to just be left on without extra junk involved.. but if i had them in a glass tank, i used a heat lamp, coco husk bedding, and UTH and no worries

sorry i blew up your thread :(

No problem!

And I bought the Zoo Med 6x8 one (because I have a 20 gal tank)

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Originally Posted by Tidus10

peace of mind is priceless

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Ya it is I still worry about the hydro every time I leave for a night or two

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Originally Posted by Tidus10

what type of UTH? like zoomed or exoterra? those are fine to just be left on without extra junk involved.. but if i had them in a glass tank, i used a heat lamp, coco husk bedding, and UTH and no worries

sorry i blew up your thread :(

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I hope you are not suggesting to use an unregulated UTH with no way to restrict the max temp? That is not good advise if that is what you intended. UTHs get hot especially zoo med and exoterra zilla ones. Only the style designed with limited out put (self regulating) (won't get over 90 under normal conditions) with out some sort of control.

Hydrofarms seem to be a ok unit I have been testing one (really testing it) and have as of yet been able to force it to fail. It as noted is not an accurate unit it cannot be trusted to read temps correctly. The three I have been paid to test read high. What is says the temp is, is wrong. I would not suggest to trust it that way. It also has a longer 'throw' than I'd like myself it seems to be about 5º in total hi to low. That is quite a long way. Glass tanks however don't give up heat quickly and in a fairly warm room will likely work well tubs on the other hand heat very quickly and cool very quickly, so I'd suggest hydrofarms with a single tub set up (direct heat) in a cool room (less than 77ºF) to be a poor choice. Before anyone jumps on me for that make sure you have read my post carefully. I am tired of explaining direct heat and indirect heat warm and cool rooms are not the same.

I use the hydrofarm and really like it. It works great for me and is a good t-stat if you're on a budget. But I hope to upgrade someday when I get better funding and more snakes.

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Hydrofarms seem to be a ok unit I have been testing one (really testing it) and have as of yet been able to force it to fail. It as noted is not an accurate unit it cannot be trusted to read temps correctly. The three I have been paid to test read high. What is says the temp is, is wrong. I would not suggest to trust it that way. It also has a longer 'throw' than I'd like myself it seems to be about 5º in total hi to low. That is quite a long way. Glass tanks however don't give up heat quickly and in a fairly warm room will likely work well tubs on the other hand heat very quickly and cool very quickly, so I'd suggest hydrofarms with a single tub set up (direct heat) in a cool room (less than 77ºF) to be a poor choice. Before anyone jumps on me for that make sure you have read my post carefully. I am tired of explaining direct heat and indirect heat warm and cool rooms are not the same.

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Okay so, just to make sure I understand correctly...I get that the thermostat I mentioned is not the most accurate but do you mean that it's OK to use on a TANK and NOT a TUB or OK to use on a TUB and not a Glass TANK?

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I use the hydrofarm and really like it. It works great for me and is a good t-stat if you're on a budget. But I hope to upgrade someday when I get better funding and more snakes.

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I want to upgrade too one day to some of the other more high quality looking ones but right now I don't have any stat at all and not enough money to put down over 100 dollars for one so I was hoping this one would be ok for now.

I'd feel ok using it on a tank. The problem is this if you set it for 90ºF (leaving the messing about you have to do to correct the probe inaccuracy) the unit will heat until it hit 92 or so and then shut down until it reaches 87 or so then kick back on again. Follow me? Glass hold heat a long time it cools at quite a slow rate once it is warm the probe of the hydrofarm is heavy but will still cool faster than the glass will. The unit kicks back in before the glass cools too much reducing the range of the 'swing hi to low' the test I set up in a warm space (78ºF) only swung 2ºF so it went 1 1/2º below the set point and 1/2º over it. Tubs heat and cool faster than the probe. So the tubs temps dropped lower than the probes by 2ºF and higher than the probe by yet another 1º So every cycle saw temps range from 85-93 than back. That is quite a range cycle through every few min.

I don't really recommend it as I feel that the degree of swing is a bit much and that temp control is harder to achieve but it can be made to work with a tank without messing with it much.

I use the hydrofarm with my rack its pretty good. I dont care what others say about it and the quality of the thermostat and the price. The Hydrofarm is used for gardens but has the same functions as other thermostats. It doesnt get above 98 or something which is good, less risks of burning and what not and its affordable. Not everyone can afford the fancy 100 dollar thermostats or the 56 dollar thermostats. It does fluctuate a bit but not that much for me. I have my rack set up with the hydrofarm and all them are eating well and looking healthy.

Thermostat:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat

Thermometer:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Appl...umidity-Gauges
Get the 24 dollar one.

These really work great for me.

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Originally Posted by Yaqcubper

Okay so, just to make sure I understand correctly...I get that the thermostat I mentioned is not the most accurate but do you mean that it's OK to use on a TANK and NOT a TUB or OK to use on a TUB and not a Glass TANK?

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It's a good thermostat for what you want ot use it for. You can use it on tank or tub. I am running 3 of them now and they are within the +/- 2 degrees as advertised. You will have to find your set point depending on your setup.

It does not matter if one is using a $150 or a $30 thermostat there should be a backup system of some sort. Electronics no matter the cost can fail.

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Originally Posted by Maddumpling

I use the hydrofarm with my rack its pretty good. I dont care what others say about it and the quality of the thermostat and the price. The Hydrofarm is used for gardens but has the same functions as other thermostats. It doesnt get above 98 or something which is good, less risks of burning and what not and its affordable. Not everyone can afford the fancy 100 dollar thermostats or the 56 dollar thermostats. It does fluctuate a bit but not that much for me. I have my rack set up with the hydrofarm and all them are eating well and looking healthy.

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Indirect heat vs direct heat are completely different. Unless you have glued heat sources on each tub it is simply not the same. Part of the problem is that a rack in a controlled room has next to nothing to do with a tank in a regular room. A t-stat that is problematic in direct heat in cool conditions likely will not be under regular snake room conditions. It is like saying my car is an off road vehicle because it handles the gravel on my driveway.

Hydrofarms work well under some conditions and not so well under others. Ranco and johnsons and slightly better under conditions that make hydrofarms screwy as their probe accuracy is better and they have a one degree up down swing rather than the 5º the hydrofarms have. Just to note mine is the 'new' design not the old design it is mark new and improved accuracy. When they changed it and what the old one was like I have no idea.

26.9ºC = 80.42ºF this is a platinum LTD thermometer that is calibrated once a year and is accurate to 0.1ºC and is reading correctly.

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Originally Posted by Strick

It's a good thermostat for what you want ot use it for. You can use it on tank or tub. I am running 3 of them now and they are within the +/- 2 degrees as advertised. You will have to find your set point depending on your setup.

It does not matter if one is using a $150 or a $30 thermostat there should be a backup system of some sort. Electronics no matter the cost can fail.

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A fail safe t-stat IMO is not an optional it should be part of a standard set up. Probes get pulled off, things fail ___ happens, Fact of life. There are too many threads speaking of over heating from one thing or another. I have had a t-stat fail and have seen heat tape get so hot it burned a hole in a tub and rack. Failsafes will stop most failures from becoming a problem. Hydrofarms make great fail safes as they have high wattage ratings and the probe inaccuracy is not super critical in a fail safe. Mine is set to 100 (new version hydrofarm). I'd rather see two hydrofarms than one herpstat.

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