Hydrofarm Thermostat Help!!

Hey everybody,

I have been lurking on this site for quite some time and am getting ready to get a BP. I am in the process of setting my tub up before she arrives. I recently got a Hydrofarm thermostat, My question is that I have it set for 105 trying to get the hot spot up to 90 but it wont ever reach the temp I have it set to? The thermostat just sits at 101! It is driving me nuts! Any Help would be appreciated

What type of heat tape do you have?

4" flex watt

What substrate are you using and what surface temps are you getting at the hot spot? I haven't had any issues with the hydrofarm t-stat in the past. I am currently using Herpstat-1s in my enclosures. May be a defective unit...they do have a 2-year warranty but may also want to just flip for the Herpstat (~$140) from Spyder Robotics: http://www.spyderrobotics.com/store/

When I first got mine I set the temp at 90 ( I have a zoo med UTH) It stayed at about 130 :O for about 30 mins, it might take some time maybe if you leave it set. You're trying to get the hot spot to 90 but you have it set for 105? Why not lower the temp you have it set to, to about 92-94? I usually have mine set to about 92 and the hot spot sits to around 88-90. What kind of substrate are you using?

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Originally Posted by Grave334

When I first got mine I set the temp at 90 ( I have a zoo med UTH) It stayed at about 130 :O for about 30 mins, it might take some time maybe if you leave it set. You're trying to get the hot spot to 90 but you have it set for 105? Why not lower the temp you have it set to, to about 92-94? I usually have mine set to about 92 and the hot spot sits to around 88-90. What kind of substrate are you using?

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I have it set at 105 because currently the hotspot is 89. If I lower it it won't be hot enough, I'm using paper towels as substrate

Hm, seems kind of weird I use paper towels as well and I haven't had any issues yet with my hydrofarm, usually stays at a solid number close to the temperature I want it at...could be it's a faulty one? Not too sure on it :/

I wouldn't worry about it. I have to set my thermostats (herpstat and ranco) to 98 to achieve a 90 hot spot.

What is your room temp? And what is the temp of your heat tape? (Not hotspot)



How are you securing your probe? If you have tape on it, then it can trap heat and read inaccurately.



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Originally Posted by satomi325

I wouldn't worry about it. I have to set my thermostats (herpstat and ranco) to 98 to achieve a 90 hot spot.

What is your room temp? And what is the temp of your heat tape? (Not hotspot)



How are you securing your probe? If you have tape on it, then it can trap heat and read inaccurately.



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My room temp is a little low it's at 73 I taped my probe down with foil tape. It's all crazy with the no contact thermometer I'm reading directly off the flex watt 100 on each end and 108 in the middle! Yet my surface temp in my tub is still at 88

Yes, it does take a little while for it to get into sync. This isn't a five minute process. What type of enclosure (glass, tub, etc)? Where is the heat tape (taped to the bottom of the enclosure, running along the back of the enclosure in a rack)? Where is the t-stat probe (sandwiched between heat tape and bottom of tub-if taped, taped directly on top of a back-run of the heat tape)? If you're using papertowels there should be less of a difference. I was using 1/2" Cypress and I did have to crank mine up a bit to get a decent hot spot. I never really fret about a single degree up or down...better than running the UTH at 130 wide open!

Normally shouldn't have to work that hard though. I would maybe get another in then send that one in for warranty replacement and you'll have a spare if one craps out. I would highly recommend getting a proportional t-stat eventually vs the on/off action of the hydrofarm.

Dang it satomi325...I was getting there with the questions :P

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Originally Posted by Willie76

Yes, it does take a little while for it to get into sync. This isn't a five minute process. What type of enclosure (glass, tub, etc)? Where is the heat tape (taped to the bottom of the enclosure, running along the back of the enclosure in a rack)? Where is the t-stat probe (sandwiched between heat tape and bottom of tub-if taped, taped directly on top of a back-run of the heat tape)? If you're using papertowels there should be less of a difference. I was using 1/2" Cypress and I did have to crank mine up a bit to get a decent hot spot. I never really fret about a single degree up or down...better than running the UTH at 130 wide open!

Normally shouldn't have to work that hard though. I would maybe get another in then send that one in for warranty replacement and you'll have a spare if one craps out. I would highly recommend getting a proportional t-stat eventually vs the on/off action of the hydrofarm.

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I have had it running since yesterday evening. The probe is taped down on the flex watt beside the tub. It's a 15 quart tub, and it's sitting on a Plano shelf. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/06/9era4ane.jpg

It sounds more to me like a defect, which is unusual. I have three hydrofarms hooked up and all run accurately. Either that, or your heat tape is defective and the probe is reading inaccurately because of the way it's taped down...? I'm not sure on that one, because I don't tape the end of my probe, I tape the first part of the cord instead and have the probe exposed but against the heat tape.

Good luck, I hope you get it worked out! This is odd!

I'm so frustrated! Urgghh

Don't use foil tape to secure the probe. It retains and traps heat. Its reading hotter than what its suppose to be.

Just tape down the cord closest to the probe.

And make sure the probe is in the middle of the flex

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I'm sorry, it IS frustrating! If you can afford to, I would order another Hydrofarm (if you want to try Hydrofarm again), and return that one when you get your new one... so that you aren't waiting to return that one and then receive a replacement and not having a thermostat in the mean time. I do kind of feel like it's the heat tape though.... Best of luck - it'll get sorted out! :)

Thanks everyone I guess ill just keep tryin different stuff till I get it right!

You're doing so much right. Try not to get discouraged, they make a million of those at a time so there's bound to be a bad one or two in the batch. :gj: for even using a t-stat and thinking about the welfare of your animals first and foremost. I know proportional thermostats can be cost-prohibitive for many, but in the end, it's well worth the simple investment.

There are a number of issues with hydrofarms. I have looked very hard at them for adapting to an other use, extensive testing and many confabs with tech at hydrofarm.

The issues, well as mentioned, the foil tape is not helping. Flexwatt will also vary a few degrees in the length.

Hydrofarms have poor accuracy to start with they are spec'd at 2ºC up or down (that is just short of 4ºF) so set at 100 it could actually be 96-104. This is the beginning, they also have hysteresis this is the amount over and under the set point before it shuts down this is 1ºC up and down. This runs the possible error to 94-106º. The third issue is backlash swing. This is more complex and is compounded by cool room temps. It is the sample speed and the amount of time that big metal probe takes to respond. The heater heats up the probe heats up at a slower rate the unit shuts down the heater cools the probe cools and the unit kicks on again. The backlash is when the heater heats and cools faster than the probe. In the case of reptiles faster enclosure heats and cools. Cool room temps with plastic tubs are simply the worst for this condition. IMO they should NEVER be used on a tub with a UTH (carbon heater) connected to it with no gap. They are marginally ok with a indirect heat where there is a gap between heater and tub (like a rack) if used with an ACCURATE thermometer one better than 2ºF +/- (accurite units are 2ºC +/- for example they are not good enough the range is too great.) They are better suited to glass bottom glass acts as a buffer and levels the temp spikes.

In my tests I was able to get 15º spikes and 20º drops. With a tub direct heat, (wire type heating pad) in a room with an ambient air temp of 68ºF With a set point of 100º I got spikes of 121º with drops to 74º and back up again. Every 2 seconds. I personally would never recommend them I have had 8 units now in two groups (3 and 5) not one was even close to correct. I took the best 3 home as 'fail safes' these are they.
The best was 2ºF high and the worst was 5ºF high. If you don't have an accurate thermometer all you can do is guess.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

There are a number of issues with hydrofarms. I have looked very hard at them for adapting to an other use, extensive testing and many confabs with tech at hydrofarm.

The issues, well as mentioned, the foil tape is not helping. Flexwatt will also vary a few degrees in the length.

Hydrofarms have poor accuracy to start with they are spec'd at 2ºC up or down (that is just short of 4ºF) so set at 100 it could actually be 96-104. This is the beginning, they also have hysteresis this is the amount over and under the set point before it shuts down this is 1ºC up and down. This runs the possible error to 94-106º. The third issue is backlash swing. This is more complex and is compounded by cool room temps. It is the sample speed and the amount of time that big metal probe takes to respond. The heater heats up the probe heats up at a slower rate the unit shuts down the heater cools the probe cools and the unit kicks on again. The backlash is when the heater heats and cools faster than the probe. In the case of reptiles faster enclosure heats and cools. Cool room temps with plastic tubs are simply the worst for this condition. IMO they should NEVER be used on a tub with a UTH (carbon heater) connected to it with no gap. They are marginally ok with a indirect heat where there is a gap between heater and tub (like a rack) if used with an ACCURATE thermometer one better than 2ºF +/- (accurite units are 2ºC +/- for example they are not good enough the range is too great.) They are better suited to glass bottom glass acts as a buffer and levels the temp spikes.

In my tests I was able to get 15º spikes and 20º drops. With a tub direct heat, (wire type heating pad) in a room with an ambient air temp of 68ºF With a set point of 100º I got spikes of 121º with drops to 74º and back up again. Every 2 seconds. I personally would never recommend them I have had 8 units now in two groups (3 and 5) not one was even close to correct. I took the best 3 home as 'fail safes' these are they.
The best was 2ºF high and the worst was 5ºF high. If you don't have an accurate thermometer all you can do is guess.

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Wow that a lot of fluctuation!! Yea I don't know what to do the hydrofarm is reading 102 and my accu rite says 84 at the hot spot!!!

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Originally Posted by jhotch

Wow that a lot of fluctuation!! Yea I don't know what to do the hydrofarm is reading 102 and my accu rite says 84 at the hot spot!!!

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The foil tape over the probe could be the problem.


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Originally Posted by nimblykimbly

The foil tape over the probe could be the problem.


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I took it off about an hour ago and now I have the tub sitting on the probe in the middle of the flex watt

It definitely sounds like a problem with your Hydrofarm :/ kitedemon gave a lot of really good info! I use it in my racks with back heat, and a separate thermometer to verify the temps. It has worked well so far for me. :) I've been testing it in my incubator also, with two separate thermometers and it's kept my temp completely steady at 87.5 bottom, 88.9 top. I wanted to let it run for a good while before any eggs to be sure... So far I haven't had any issues with the Hydrofarm... I guess I feel that the temp
fluctuations with it shutting off and on aren't a huge deal, since in nature the snake's environment is never at a perfectly steady temp either. As long as it's not fluctuating to an insane or dangerous level, it's okay, to me.


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Originally Posted by jhotch

Wow that a lot of fluctuation!! Yea I don't know what to do the hydrofarm is reading 102 and my accu rite says 84 at the hot spot!!!

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Accurites can also be inaccurate. I've had a few where they were 10 degrees off from the others and my temp gun.

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Do you think the flex watt could possibly not have a good connection I used the clip set from rb

Did you do it yourself or have them clip it for you?
What does the heat tape itself read?

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Yea I did it myself😱 my temp gun says the flex watt is like 93 on the outsides and 103 in the middle but hot spot is reading 86

The Hydrofarm has to be adjusted to give you your hot spot temp. Your hot spot is the actual surface, not ambient temp. Do you have a temp gun to read the actual temp of the surface? If the heat tape itself is 100, the hot spot surface should be close to that.


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Originally Posted by nimblykimbly

The Hydrofarm has to be adjusted to give you your hot spot temp. Your hot spot is the actual surface, not ambient temp. Do you have a temp gun to read the actual temp of the surface? If the heat tape itself is 100, the hot spot surface should be close to that.


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That's what I would think but I open my tub and hit my hotspot above the paper towel with my gun and the highest I've got is 86

Okay, my Hydrofarm for my back heat is set at about 99, and that gives me a hot spot of between 89 - 92 on the back of my tubs depending on when I check it. Does your hot spot feel warm to your physical touch? Or does it feel cool?


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Originally Posted by nimblykimbly

Okay, my Hydrofarm for my back heat is set at about 99, and that gives me a hot spot of between 89 - 92 on the back of my tubs depending on when I check it. Does your hot spot feel warm to your physical touch? Or does it feel cool?


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It feels kind of warm, I just left it for like 2 hours and came back my hot spot said 86!!! I took the tub off and gun the middle of the flex watt and it said 110!! its like no heat is transferring up to the tub, do you think because i have it on the thin plastic shelf and my room temps are lower it is affecting it?? Could i get a foam insulation board and put my flex watt on it then put my tub on that?? Thanks for all your help i'm trying to get this figured out as i was planning on getting her towards the end of the week!!!!

Also where do you have your hydrofarm probe under the tub or beside the tub on the flexwatt?

i would tape the probe in between the flexwatt and the tub.

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Originally Posted by creepin

i would tape the probe in between the flexwatt and the tub.

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Yea that's where I got it

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Originally Posted by jhotch

It feels kind of warm, I just left it for like 2 hours and came back my hot spot said 86!!! I took the tub off and gun the middle of the flex watt and it said 110!! its like no heat is transferring up to the tub, do you think because i have it on the thin plastic shelf and my room temps are lower it is affecting it?? Could i get a foam insulation board and put my flex watt on it then put my tub on that?? Thanks for all your help i'm trying to get this figured out as i was planning on getting her towards the end of the week!!!!

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Originally Posted by jhotch

Also where do you have your hydrofarm probe under the tub or beside the tub on the flexwatt?

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That could be, but it shouldn't lose that much heat, even if the plastic is thin. But I've never used a plastic shelf... However, I think that if you continue to have problems and we've ruled everything else out, you should get a piece of melamine or some similar type of thicker material/board cut to the size of your shelf and put your heat tape and tub on that instead of the shelf. Maybe that can create more insulation for your heat tape. If your room is pretty chilly, it could have a harder time keeping your temp up. Also, perhaps your heat tape is getting hot enough and switching the thermostat off before the inside of your actual tub gets to temp, but again you shouldn't have to set it so high just to get your tub hot enough. Is your temp gun accurate, by chance? If the tub hot spot feels warm to the touch, that sounds like higher than 86 degrees, also.

You're welcome - I hope we get this sorted out! :gj:

P.S. My probe is on the shelf right in front of the heat tape, within 1/8", between the back of the tub and the heat tape....

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Originally Posted by nimblykimbly

That could be, but it shouldn't lose that much heat, even if the plastic is thin. But I've never used a plastic shelf... However, I think that if you continue to have problems and we've ruled everything else out, you should get a piece of melamine or some similar type of thicker material/board cut to the size of your shelf and put your heat tape and tub on that instead of the shelf. Maybe that can create more insulation for your heat tape. If your room is pretty chilly, it could have a harder time keeping your temp up. Also, perhaps your heat tape is getting hot enough and switching the thermostat off before the inside of your actual tub gets to temp, but again you shouldn't have to set it so high just to get your tub hot enough. Is your temp gun accurate, by chance? If the tub hot spot feels warm to the touch, that sounds like higher than 86 degrees, also.

You're welcome - I hope we get this sorted out! :gj:

P.S. My probe is on the shelf right in front of the heat tape, within 1/8", between the back of the tub and the heat tape....

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I believe my gun is on its brand new!! I'm gonna go to Lowes Tommorow and get some melamine board and hope that helps I will update tomorrow! When I get the board should I put the probe under the tub or I saw on another thread on here where someone routed a slot to set the probe under the flex watt?

I would just put it on top of the heat tape, near the tub. I would think routing it under would trap a lot of heat and give an inaccurate reading...? I could be wrong though :) good luck! Will keep an eye out for an update!


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Part of the issue is you have nothing that is basically correct (accurate) in your heating system.

The Hydrofarm has an 8 degree window. (+- 4 degrees). The Accurite thermometer is the same an 8 degree window. If you check the specs on you gun you are likely to find it has a 4 degree window (+\- 2 degrees)

It guns are great tools but they reflect and refract like all light does so they really can only be trusted with matte objects that are about the reflectance of brown paper. Measuring flexwatt may not give correct readings.

I believe every set up should have one tool, thermometer, thermostat that is accurate. A few years ago I would have said less than 1/2 a degree f. Now I go for one full degree a two degree window. Sadly a certified thermometer that has this accuracy is almost always more costly than a high end thermostat that is better than one degree accuracy. I don't think you have anything wrong other than you have nothing that you know is right and this makes everything suspect. A herpstat is about 100$ for the base one this is how I would proceed. A better t-stat that you can be certain if it says it is 90 it is 89-91 or better.


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Good news today I said to heck with the Plano shelf and built a small rack/cabinet with insulation and left it for an hour thermostat says 99 hot spot reads 98, obviously my room temps were to cool to let the tub heat up to 90! Now all I need to do is dial it in. Do you think there will be enough air flow?? Hot spot 90 cool side 82 and humidity 58http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/07/u7upazet.jpg

Awesome!! Glad that fixed the problem! :D


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Glad to hear it wasn't the hydrofarm. Onward!


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Originally Posted by Willie76

Glad to hear it wasn't the hydrofarm. Onward!


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Yea me too!

I would suggest more holes it looks like one? Hole on the ends are efficient. Cross ventilation.

I still suggest a better thermometer than one rated with an 8 degree window.


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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I would suggest more holes it looks like one? Hole on the ends are efficient. Cross ventilation.

I still suggest a better thermometer than one rated with an 8 degree window.


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My thermometer is on with my temp gun, and now my thermostat and thermometer are in sink. I have five holes on each side and one on each end. Is that enough humidity is holding at 60

When you remove the water bowl how quickly does the RH drop to the room. I use one hour as a max. (one air change per hour).

If that is ok for you that is great. I am glad you have a solution. Personally the thought that the thermometer and thermostat can be wrong by 4º in either direction and the IR gun are (almost always) spec'd at +/- 2ºF some are worse. (did you check you guns specs? You should) would make me very nervous.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

When you remove the water bowl how quickly does the RH drop to the room. I use one hour as a max. (one air change per hour).

If that is ok for you that is great. I am glad you have a solution. Personally the thought that the thermometer and thermostat can be wrong by 4º in either direction and the IR gun are (almost always) spec'd at +/- 2ºF some are worse. (did you check you guns specs? You should) would make me very nervous.

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You are correct it's +/- 2. What I did was took my thermometer out and let it sit at room temp then gunned right where the probe was and it was right on, a couple shots I got were +\- 1 but I'm fine with that. I'm gonna take out my water bowel and check humidity- thanks for the help