The solution if you are using a tank!

Ok, I've been listening to the same question about covering a Ball Python tank for FAR too long, so I'm going to chime in. This is regarding Ball Pythons in aquariums. I've heard people say to "cover the tank partially with..." a wet towel, plastic wrap, foil tape, your mother in laws granny panties.... All decent, but ugly solutions.

Here is a better one! go to your local plastic shop and ask them to cut out a piece of PVC/X for you to the same size as your tank. Then have them cut out a circle that is 2" larger in diameter than your heat lamp (which will leave approx 1 " spacing all around). As well, have them cut (3) 1" holes on the other end. Place this plastic on top of your LOCKED grill lid.

The heat will warm the air on the 1 side of the tank, which will cause cooler/fresher air to be sucked in through the holes on the other end. This will help to keep the tank full of fresh air, while still keeping it sealed off enough to maintain heat and humidity. If you find that you're still having humidity issues then go to the store and buy a reptifogger. Fill is with distilled water and put it on a timer. Run the hose into 1 of the 3 holes. Set the timer to turn on as often as you need to in order to keep your humidity. Maybe once a day for 10 minutes, maybe once hour for 2 minutes.

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/x...psf6cab2a5.jpg

Brilliant! And that granny panty comment cracked me up. Thank you!!

good thinking

Beauty Ricky!

I have just recently suggested something similar to a friend who needed to retain humidity. They didn't need a heat lamp, so I just told them to go to home depot and grab a sheet of 1/4" Lexan and to drill some holes along one end for ventilation.

Have you done this or is it an idea? I'd be worried about the plastic getting bumped and contacting the housing of the heat bulb and melting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike41793

Have you done this or is it an idea? I'd be worried about the plastic getting bumped and contacting the housing of the heat bulb and melting.

---

It is something I did ages ago when I used tanks. Your concerns are valid; this isn't an idiot proof solution. It's safer than a towel though, as PVC/X is much more heat resistant than cotton ;)

This sounds like a good idea. I might have to try it for Ellas tank.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CrystalRose

This sounds like a good idea. I might have to try it for Ellas tank.

---

I think Ella will enjoy it :)

I think she will too. I don't want to switch to tubs right now since I only have the one. Plus I'm up half the night and I like seeing her when she comes out to cruise around a few times before she goes back to her hide. :)

My photobucket got messed up - here is the drawing again:

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/x...pse95d6a4a.jpg

Sticky worthy, I say! :gj:

You can also get rid of the screen lid & goop on a set of aluminum U bar thingies (same section with the steel rods that you make snake hooks from) of an appropriate size (1/4" if you're using 0.093 Lexon/Plexiglas/etc) and length of your tank. Pick up some Lexon/glass (2 pieces) that are the same width and half the length +1/2" of your tank (I installed handles on mine too) plus a display case lock. Easy to assemble and looks professional. Sliding glass doors. Yay lol ...I can get pics of a 20gal that I did (I blacked it out with chalkboard spray paint as well.) Sorry to hijack your thread!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Anya

Sticky worthy, I say! :gj:

---

Thanks :colbert2:

Made this for my 6' tank out of plexi

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...06051292_o.jpg

I vote that this gets stickied so I don't forget about it like the rest of my bookmarks.

I have been doing this with thick plexiglass for years. It even provides for a solid surface to use Radiant Heat Panels (which are awesome, does not dry out the cage nearly as bad as a heat lamp) and you can get creative and cut hinged access panels into the top for convenience if you use thick enough plexi. This works so well that my tanks rival my my actual reptile enclosures for effectiveness and appearance.

I've been having humidity issues in my 20 gal tank, so used this concept to make a similar top using foil tape - covered cardboard. I use a dual dome lamp with dimmers, which allows better control of ambient temperatures throughout the enclosure. Because the large hole isn't at the far end of the hot side, I made the air holes a little bigger...The humidity levels are now nominal at both ends of the tank. Comments/critiques welcome.

http://tinyurl.com/q8j2ld9

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scalrtn

I've been having humidity issues in my 20 gal tank, so used this concept to make a similar top using foil tape - covered cardboard. I use a dual dome lamp with dimmers, which allows better control of ambient temperatures throughout the enclosure. Because the large hole isn't at the far end of the hot side, I made the air holes a little bigger...The humidity levels are now nominal at both ends of the tank. Comments/critiques welcome.

http://tinyurl.com/q8j2ld9

---

Looks like a fantastic alternative!

I need to do this. I have a 20 gal tank and what I'm assuming is a 50 gal tank.

Who else uses this method? I've been recommending it over and over for a while now, and most people who use it seem to get good results. Do you? Do you have good results? Post your pics of your tank lids so others can see and learn!

I've been using this basic approach (with heat-foil-wrapped piece of cardboard with cut-outs) in combination with a humid hide for excellent results....... here is a photo of my top (posted earlier, but link broke)...

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/n...psx8wryvhr.jpg

I don't know if this just a one season thing due to El Niño with rain 4-5 days a week since March, or what, but I am running into TOO MUCH humidity with my glass tanks.

A one piece system wouldn't work. Now, cut in half so it could be adjusted as needed would be perfect. This is what I do with the foil covered cardboard.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...b23a45bd8e.jpg

Slide one over the other for more air when Humidity is too high.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...a6a05cfc7c.jpg

:confusd: I have a 40 gal breeder tank with a 100 watt CHE on one side and a 100 watt red bulb on the other, but it is a nightmare keeping the humidity right, as I knew that it would be after reading the forum. The 100 watt CHE isn't strong enough to maintain ambient temps in the whole cage by itself, so is there a way to do so with this Plexiglas cover and repti-fogger combo? :confusd:

Here's today's example:

The top is covered with cardboard wrapped in foil with cutouts for the lamps.
-today the house temp is 67*F
-The hot spot directly under the CHE (on a thermostat) 91.5*F
-The warm side hide 84.0*F
-Moist hide 85.0*F
-The middle hide is 78.0*F
-The hide under the red lamp is 80.5*F
-The humidity is 70-80% when resting on the substrate, but is measuring around 40% an inch and a half off the substrate. This is 30 min after misting the tank.

I am using a digital hygrometer, but it seems to measure completely different humidity depending on where it's placed (ie very high when resting on the substrate to nearly non-existent when raised off the substrate). Therefore I really have a hard time determining what the ambient humidity is. The cypress mulch is damp to the touch after misting, but the reader will go from 99% while misting to 42% within 2 to 3 hours whether or not all the substrate has dried. I'm mainly worried that his tank is too damp. I will also be picking up a different hygrometer just in case mine is bad. He has a moist hide but has never used it. I never dampen the substrate in his hides, so there are 3 areas that he can go that will always be dry, plus all his climbing branches which are dry too.

I am assuming that a repti-fogger would accomplish the same thing, but on a timed basis and the substrate would still be damp to the touch after it kicked on, but I worry about scale rot.

This is something i am doing right now. I am using exo-terra glass tanks and the screen top is has two support bars in it, one in either direction.. So we went to the home depot and had 3 pieces of plexiglass cut, one for each of three sections. Over the fourth section i hung my heat lamp, as my house is cold in the winter, but, the lamp is hung on a bracket that is attached to the back of the tank so it is 4-6 inches over the screen. I also use deep dome lamp fixtures. My reptifogger also fogs through that open section. It works great. The lamp bracket i found at Petco.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by blue roses

This is something i am doing right now. I am using exo-terra glass tanks and the screen top is has two support bars in it, one in either direction.. So we went to the home depot and had 3 pieces of plexiglass cut, one for each of three sections. Over the fourth section i hung my heat lamp, as my house is cold in the winter, but, the lamp is hung on a bracket that is attached to the back of the tank so it is 4-6 inches over the screen. I also use deep dome lamp fixtures. My reptifogger also fogs through that open section. It works great. The lamp bracket i found at Petco.

---

Would it be too much to ask for a picture? I've seen the exo-terra tanks, I think. . . but I have a Zilla screen lid tank and it would help to see what your set up is

I will try to get a pic, but to describe it is easy, the tank is 36x18x18 high. It has double glass, swing out doors in front. Across the lower front there is a panel with 8 holes in the doors to allow for air flow, so there is still air exchange from top to bottom. The screen top is very sturdy heavy gage wire, which is supported by 2 cross bars. The bars are plastic, but strong. One of my cats love to sit on it and there is no give at all. I mounted the lamp bracket off center so the heat bulb is suspended over the open section about 4-6 inches over the screen. The fogger hose is also fogging through that section. The idea is as the seasons change and the humidity changes i can remove or add the plastic section covers in the top. I live on long island and the winters are very dry, but the summers can be 75 or 80 % humidity and the fogger is not even used in july or august. The lamp bracket is self stick and the arm is held on using velcro, so it can be removed if you ever need to dismantle the tank to move. Hope this helps. If you need more info just let me know. Because there are front closing doors, there is enough air flow that you can cover the front lower air holes also which helps, but i find unnessecery.

40breeder. Zee lid. Aka my tank extension/replacement for screen top to remedy humidity.

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...psmqtumktr.jpg

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...pslonfjmyw.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kris Mclaughlin

40breeder. Zee lid. Aka my tank extension/replacement for screen top to remedy humidity.

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...psmqtumktr.jpg

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...pslonfjmyw.jpg

---

Can you describe a bit what we're seeing?

I was searching at Home Depot for plastic or other material to cover the enclosure and found Reflectix
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/refl...ck-2x10/902355
Put duct tape flap around the edge to give it good contact with the cage.

Works pretty well and looks clean and shiny.

http://i68.tinypic.com/2sbocg1.jpg