BP temperature question

I'm so confused, if your not suppose to use a heat lamp for heat then how are you suppose to keep the tank warm? Right now I'm using a 75 watt bulb on 20 gallon long tank. My hot side is saying 96 degrees with the heat lamp. I haven't bought my first BP yet, just testing things out. Now 1 is that too hot and am I suppose to use a heat lamp at all? Also when I cut the heat lamp off I notice the humidity goes from 47% to 75% in the tank. OVERALL IM CONFUSED WITH THIS TEMPERATURE THING, PLEASE HELLLLLLP [emoji31]

Using a heat lamp is OK, most people just dont, because using a UTH (under tank heater) is much better for heat and to maintain humidity. 96 is also too hot, it should be around ~90 for the hot side. And the humidity goes up when you turn the bulb off because lamps burn up the moisture, causing humidity to be low, that is why people dont use them

My opinion, and most likely most people's opinions on this site, will be to purchase an UTH and a thermostat to control that heater.

Make sure you read this care sheet, also: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

With a 20 long I think you may want to change to a 50 Watt heat bulb. Also how are you measuring you temp on the cold and hot side?

I do have a reptitherm uth by zoo med at the bottom. Now how exactly do I control the uth with a thermostat? I have a digital thermometer that has a probe that I move from hot to the cold side to check Temps and it was a end that checks humidity percentage. I'm a super rookie so I'm glad I'm testing this before getting a BP because I know I'm definitely not ready yet.

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

I do have a reptitherm uth by zoo med at the bottom. Now how exactly do I control the uth with a thermostat? I have a digital thermometer that has a probe that I move from hot to the cold side to check Temps and it was a end that checks humidity percentage. I'm a super rookie so I'm glad I'm testing this before getting a BP because I know I'm definitely not ready yet.

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you should get a thermostat like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...ile+thermostat

you should also think about getting a temperature gun to help take temps

Excuse my ignorance but it will regulate the mat itself???? How?? So as far as the lamp, do I need it or just need a smaller wattage bulb like a 40 or so????

Hey if you have not already checkout this thread on setting up a 20 gal long for BP use.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=201740
How to Setup a Glass Tank (20 long) With Pictures!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

Excuse my ignorance but it will regulate the mat itself???? How?? So as far as the lamp, do I need it or just need a smaller wattage bulb like a 40 or so????

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yes, the mat will plug into the t-stat that plugs in to the wall, then you set you temp, and probe you will put under the mat will keep the heat from going to high. And as long as the room the tank is in is relatively warm, a lamp is usually not necessary with a heat mat

Oooooo ok well the room that its in normally is about 72 degrees, so is that adequate enough? Or would it need a little heat? Ok thanks @firemaniv

Now can I still stick the probe in there even though I've already sticked the uth under the tank? Will it restick?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

Oooooo ok well the room that its in normally is about 72 degrees, so is that adequate enough? Or would it need a little heat? Ok thanks @firemaniv

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it all depends, you will need gauges to check ambient temps in the cage to determine that yourself

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

Now can I still stick the probe in there even though I've already sticked the uth under the tank? Will it restick?

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the UTH can be removed and re-stuck, but it must be done carefully: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...o-Remove-a-UTH!

Now does the thermostat have to be between the heat mat and tank or under the substrate inside the tank over the heat mat????

Quote:

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

Now does the thermostat have to be between the heat mat and tank or under the substrate inside the tank over the heat mat????

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it should be in between the heat mat and the tank because if it was inside the tank, water and urnates, etc would skew the temp reading too much

Either/or but its a lot easier to stick it under the tank on the UTH since if your snake decides to explore, he/she can uproot the probe and then if you are using a thermostat, it will give false reading and it could overheat the UTH. Also as someone said on a thread I made earlier, if your snake spills their water dish on it, you could be in for an overheat as well as a burned snake. I taped my probe on the backside of the UTH between the UTH and the table, not between the UTH and the glass although I think the general method is between glass floor and UTH. Also for temps, I would invest in a temp gun. Much more accurate and easier to find any irregular hot spots or cold spots. Just don't buy dial gauges as those can be off by a lot.

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Originally Posted by Eazyyyb

it should be in between the heat mat and the tank because if it was inside the tank, water and urnates, etc would skew the temp reading too much

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O ok, I understand 100% there. Now maintaining that 90 degree hot side, is that solely based on the uth? the advice I got from the lady at the pet store was that needed a heat lamp to maintain the correct temperature in the tank.

Heat lamps are used to heat the ambient air in the tank since UTHs don't heat the air. So basically you are using the heat lamp/ceramic heat emitter to heat the air on the cool side to around 80-82 degrees and the UTH is used on the hot side for the belly heat as well as some of the warm ambient air will "bleed" over to that side as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

I do have a reptitherm uth by zoo med at the bottom. Now how exactly do I control the uth with a thermostat? I have a digital thermometer that has a probe that I move from hot to the cold side to check Temps and it was a end that checks humidity percentage. I'm a super rookie so I'm glad I'm testing this before getting a BP because I know I'm definitely not ready yet.

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It would probably be a good idea to get a temp gun to check the temperatures. They are pretty reasonably priced and are a quick and accurate way to check the temperatures.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

Oooooo ok well the room that its in normally is about 72 degrees, so is that adequate enough? Or would it need a little heat? Ok thanks @firemaniv

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I like to keep the room 80-82 and then heat the warm side up to 89-90.

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Originally Posted by Jay Mechtly

I like to keep the room 80-82 and then heat the warm side up to 89-90.

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Now when u say the warm side is from 89-90 you mean the uth, right???

In a glass tank I stick the probe to the back side of the mat because of u stick it between the mat and the glass it leaves a big gap and lose heat transfer. I placed my red heat bulb in the middle of the top and used tin foil on the rest of the screen to maintain heat and humidity so my whole tank temp is between 79-82 maybe warmer under the center of the light and I keep my uth at 90-92

Quote:

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Originally Posted by breadpython14

Now does the thermostat have to be between the heat mat and tank or under the substrate inside the tank over the heat mat????

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Here's a view from under the tank.

http://i61.tinypic.com/10h6938.jpg



Tape cost $3.69:
http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/in...=aluminum+tape

Benetech GM300 IR temp gun, $16 and free shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/Cooligg-Non-Co...YDC9RAE0C0XE7V

Accurate when held within 6" which is fine for enclosures.

Thanks so much for the info. I finally get it now. I thought I had to heat the hot side up with the lamp to 90 degrees.

So confusing I know, it's beyond me how my first ball thrived for 6 months while I was figuring this out but she did.


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I know that drove you crazy. I'm so glad I'm doing this before I get him. My wife makes fun of me since I've joined this BP forum lol but I told her that this is so freakin hopeful. Folks on here knows everything about bp. So glad I stumbled across it. I will be bringing my first BP home on Dec 13th after I got the the northern Virginia reptile expo. CAN'T WAIT!