Tub rack question plus reptibasics RHP question.

Question 1- I’m already planning out my second snake (I want a banana) and I think I like the simplicity of tubs. I have my display exo terra so now I’m looking at just going ahead with a rack so if I decide I want more I always have the option plus the shelves can be used for storage if not. I was looking at this one https://apcages.com/collections/ap-c...m-tub-juvenile My question is are ambient temps maintained by just heat tape? I keep my room about 68-70 year round bc I hate sleeping in a hot room so I would have no way to heat the tubs any other way and I’m definitely not heating my room to 80 degrees. I would never be able to sleep.

Question 2- I’m planning on purchasing a RHP from reptibasics and I emailed them to see what size they recommend but I figured I would ask y’all as well. The tank is an exo terra 36 x 18 x 18. I want my warm side about 84 and cool about 80 and room temp is about 68-70 so I’m gonna need it to raise the temp about 14-16 degrees. He recommended the 40 watt. If that’s not going to cut it though I’d rather just get the 80 so I don’t have to pay to send it back. It will be used with a thermostat.

Thanks in advance!


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Ambient temps in a rack depends on room temp. You can adjust the temp by putting holes in the tubs. Add holes until the temps are maintained where you want them.

A 40 watt RHP will get your warm side temps to low 80s but it will run continuously. My warm side sits at 83 down to 78 on the cool side. Humidity stays at 55-60. I also run a UTH at 90 under the RHP for belly heat.


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Originally Posted by Jbabycsx

Ambient temps in a rack depends on room temp. You can adjust the temp by putting holes in the tubs. Add holes until the temps are maintained where you want them.

A 40 watt RHP will get your warm side temps to low 80s but it will run continuously. My warm side sits at 83 down to 78 on the cool side. Humidity stays at 55-60. I also run a UTH at 90 under the RHP for belly heat.


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But will the UTH heat the ambient temps?


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These temps are with the top covered in foil.


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Originally Posted by Jcd5v

But will the UTH heat the ambient temps?


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In a rack? Yes they will raise the ambient temp. Mine uses 70 quart tubs and came with 3 inch heat tape. I replaced the 3 inch tape with 12 inch tape. It gives you a much greater gradient between the back of the tub and the front.


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Originally Posted by Jbabycsx

In a rack? Yes they will raise the ambient temp. Mine uses 70 quart tubs and came with 3 inch heat tape. I replaced the 3 inch tape with 12 inch tape. It gives you a much greater gradient between the back of the tub and the front.


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Ok thanks!


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In my short experience with a rack system, the heat tape does raise ambient, but not by 10 degrees. I ended up buying a space heater and hooked it up to my thermostat.. I ditched the rack and went with an AP enclosure with rhp when he was big enough for his forever home..

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Originally Posted by Jmarshall

In my short experience with a rack system, the heat tape does raise ambient, but not by 10 degrees. I ended up buying a space heater and hooked it up to my thermostat.. I ditched the rack and went with an AP enclosure with rhp when he was big enough for his forever home..

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That’s what I was afraid of. I guess it won’t work for me.


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I've experimented extensively with tubs and heat tape and never found a way to maintain acceptable temps for a BP in a 70 degree room. Unless you want to heat the entire room to 78 or so, you need to get a real enclosure.

If somebody has found a way to maintain decent ambient in a rack in a 70 degree room please tell me. I'd love to do it.

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Originally Posted by JRLongton

I've experimented extensively with tubs and heat tape and never found a way to maintain acceptable temps for a BP in a 70 degree room. Unless you want to heat the entire room to 78 or so, you need to get a real enclosure.

If somebody has found a way to maintain decent ambient in a rack in a 70 degree room please tell me. I'd love to do it.

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How tall were your tubs? If I got just the 6in tall ones, I wonder if that would work. Or maybe if I kept it on my closet because it’s warmer in there.


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This is the temp in my house right nowhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6980dd4996.jpg
This is the temp on the front side of my tubs(opposite end of the heat tape) https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e172b17bda.jpg


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From my own experience, As long as you keep their hot side at the correct temp. the enclosure will cause its own gradient. The snake will be able to get to whatever temp is comfortable for it. I personally keep hot side or the backend of my tubs right about 90 degs on the substrate. I've never had an issue with feeds or sheds. The only time i have ever had issues with temps is when i screwed up and didnt wire my heat tape correctly.

This is just my own experience. My living space is usually around 72 deg. Everyone has their own way of things.

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Originally Posted by Jbabycsx

This is the temp in my house right nowhttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...6980dd4996.jpg
This is the temp on the front side of my tubs(opposite end of the heat tape) https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...e172b17bda.jpg


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Nice.

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Originally Posted by Jbabycsx

This is the temp in my house right now
This is the temp on the front side of my tubs(opposite end of the heat tape)

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Good gods.....

I tried all size and styles of tub, oversized heat tape (12"), narrow heat tape (3"), different substrates, few holes, many holes, bottom heat, back heat, side heat, back and side, bottom and back.... all to no avail.

The cool side never gained much heat from the warm, maybe a few degrees but not enough. I always ended up with a warm side at 90 F and a cool at 73, at best 74F.

A rack system would be the greatest freaking thing! Can you please give details on your set up?

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Originally Posted by MCKINLEYW

From my own experience, As long as you keep their hot side at the correct temp. the enclosure will cause its own gradient. The snake will be able to get to whatever temp is comfortable for it. I personally keep hot side or the backend of my tubs right about 90 degs on the substrate. I've never had an issue with feeds or sheds. The only time i have ever had issues with temps is when i screwed up and didnt wire my heat tape correctly.

This is just my own experience. My living space is usually around 72 deg. Everyone has their own way of things.

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I think it being in a pvc rack will help as well with insulation.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by JRLongton

Good gods.....

I tried all size and styles of tub, oversized heat tape (12"), narrow heat tape (3"), different substrates, few holes, many holes, bottom heat, back heat, side heat, back and side, bottom and back.... all to no avail.

The cool side never gained much heat from the warm, maybe a few degrees but not enough. I always ended up with a warm side at 90 F and a cool at 73, at best 74F.

A rack system would be the greatest freaking thing! Can you please give details on your set up?

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I wonder if your ventilation or the front of the rack happened to be in the path of an A/C vent. Or just near or along a draft in the house.

I had a rack that ran 74 in a 72 degree room, but rotated 90 degrees and moved to the side about 4 feet and the cool end is solidly at 78. Turns out the A/C vent blew right along the front in the first position.

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No A/C in my house. I won't pay for it! I have a semi finished basement that never gets above 75.

I had similar concerns when deciding on what to get to house my up coming BP's. My house is typically kept at 68 in the winter and since that is the coldest it gets i used that as my base temp and came to the conclusion that a rack system would be difficult to maintain temps unless I modified or built my own that would allow me to have lids secured on the tubs to help trap heat. I decided to build two enclosures myself that will be more maintainable for my use case. My custom enclosures are 36X24X16 and I went with the 80W RHP for each I figure if its too much that means it will run at a lower power use and extend its life. Better to run at 60% then at 90%.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JRLongton

Good gods.....

I tried all size and styles of tub, oversized heat tape (12"), narrow heat tape (3"), different substrates, few holes, many holes, bottom heat, back heat, side heat, back and side, bottom and back.... all to no avail.

The cool side never gained much heat from the warm, maybe a few degrees but not enough. I always ended up with a warm side at 90 F and a cool at 73, at best 74F.

A rack system would be the greatest freaking thing! Can you please give details on your set up?

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I would assume that most of the problem comes from the amount of air escaping from the top of the tubs. My tubs fit really tight up against the top of the shelves. One of my tubs has seven holes in front and seven in back. This tub has a cool side of 73-75. The others have three holes on front and back and they stay at 79. When I say they fit tight, they still slide in and out easily but there is no daylight to be seen between the top of the tub and the shelf above it. My rack is PVC and has solid sides and back.


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So I ended up finding an AP CB70 rack for a steal locally so I figured I’d try it. Just with the flex watt heat tap on the back temps were pretty good last night warm side was 83 and cool 77 so not too bad. I’m going to add a UTH under the warm side for the basking temp and I think it should be ok. I think the fact that it’s made of pvc and the tubs fit so snuggly helps keep the temps up.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jcd5v

So I ended up finding an AP CB70 rack for a steal locally so I figured I’d try it. Just with the flex watt heat tap on the back temps were pretty good last night warm side was 83 and cool 77 so not too bad. I’m going to add a UTH under the warm side for the basking temp and I think it should be ok. I think the fact that it’s made of pvc and the tubs fit so snuggly helps keep the temps up.


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I would try to bring the hot side up to 88-90 deg. personally. Good luck with what ever you try to do.

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Originally Posted by MCKINLEYW

I would try to bring the hot side up to 88-90 deg. personally. Good luck with what ever you try to do.

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Yea that’s why I’m adding a UTH for that side. Ambient is good now I just need the basking spot.


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Also can you use a zoomed UTH with this setup (on a thermostat of course) or is flexwatt tape safer?


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Move the heat tape from the back wall under the tubs. Kills two birds with one stone. Raises ambient and provides a hotspot too.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jbabycsx

Move the heat tape from the back wall under the tubs. Kills two birds with one stone. Raises ambient and provides a hotspot too.


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Will pulling all the tape off of the flexwatt damage it at all?


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No it should be fine. I’ve removed tape from mine several times.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jbabycsx

No it should be fine. I’ve removed tape from mine several times.


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Ok thanks!


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