How do i get low on heat dial lower?

Hi, I have two 10 gallon tanks with one bp in each one. (one tank pictured) I named my new bps "Dripp" & "Dropp" due to their patterns & are maybe 4 months old each.

So i have a rheostat dial set on LOW to the smallest heating pad possible & the temps are still to high.

Hot side to hot & cold side to cold...any suggestions besides going to a tub and or lamps.

Anything i can do?

How come the lowest setting on the dial is still 104 degrees with a small heating pad?

p.s. picture was taken after i unplugged heating pad thats why the temps "look" good in the picture. But it was 104 on hot side after being on for a short amount of time. 2nd photo is from my 40 gal, all other pics are actual from this dilema. Thank you.
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I bought pads of every size & rheostats for each side. i just really wish i could actually use them. Is it something simple like i am using paper towels as substrate?

I like to use flexwatt tape with a helix t.stat. U can use laser temp gun to measure exactly how hot the pads are getting, maybe the reostat isnt working.:rage:

No, the rheostat works fine. The problem is that you're using it in an unstable room.

Rheostats only work if your room temps don't fluctuate more than a degree or two. Ever.
To get your temps even and have them stay that way, you need to get a thermostat. Even just a ZooMed ReptiTemp for $21, but you need a t-stat.

Is that heating pad in the middle of the tank or do you not have the whole tank shown? D:

Basically what Argentra said is what you get. :[

I have one small heating pad on each side hooked up to their own rheostat.

But due to this i am currently using heating pad on one side. The left side as the hot side.

Ack! I missed that...thanks blackcrystal. It DOES look like the pad is set long way in the center. But if you say it's on one side then ok. :)

Eventually, the thing you'll want to get to is to have a pad covering 1/3 the bottom on each side (ie 1/3 warm, 1/3 neutral center, and 1/3 cool) hooked up to it's own t-stat or a Herpstat II which can control two separate temps. Like I said, even the ZooMed stats are a ton better than rheostats until you can save up for the better ones like Johnson or Herpstat.

A 'sad' fact of pet keeping is that the initial costs for setting everything up properly can be really high, especially when dealing with heating for reptiles. But it pays off to get the right stuff right away since it will work properly for a long time, leaving you to enjoy your pet with only day to day care to worry about. :)

Okay I will get a couple of those tomorrow & Thanks everyone, those suggestions really pointed me in the right direction.

So what should i do with all these rheostat dial things now, i have like 6-10 of them.

Should I still run the 2 heating pads on each side after i get the t-stat?

Having the same problem with my 40 gal, so i think this will fix a string of problems.

Although they are eating very well, must be all the temperature changes in the weather lately by me, doh!

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Originally Posted by Argentra

even the ZooMed stats are a ton better than rheostats until you can save up for the better ones like Johnson or Herpstat.

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Good point Argentra, where would u suggest finding these "Johnson or Herpstat, they look slick

Looks like your UTH is an RH-5, rated for 30-40 gl tanks. I use one(1) RH-4 on the warm side, with a 10 gl tank. I still have to keep the rheostat (Leviton) turned way down for optimum temps.

Also, those bumpers on your UTH should be installed on the tank base. You need some airflow between your tank and stand. I tossed the bumpers and used plastic leg caps for washers/dryers. It allows for about a 3/8” clearance.

And as others have suggested, I am moving on to a good thermostat, as well.

:D

Edit - Just noted your RH-5 is on a 40 gl. :D

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Originally Posted by Abby_The_Python

Good point Argentra, where would u suggest finding these "Johnson or Herpstat, they look slick

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Johnsons and Rancos are both on/off thermostats, so they turn off once they reach a certain degree, and turn back on when they drop to a certain degree (I have a 1 degree variable on my Rancos). They work like your thermostat in your home does that cuts your heat on and off and your air on and off. When your home cools to a certain degree, your air cuts off, when it warms to a certain degree, it turns back on.

Herpstat and Helix are proportional thermostats - so they always stay on, but regulate the amount of power to keep the temps right where you set them, only varying by a fraction of a degree. I'm sure I just did a horrible job explaining proportional thermostats, so hopefully someone will come behind me and do a better job explaining them.

Edit - from the link below explaining the Helix:

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This proportional controller mimics nature by continuously adjusting the amount of power delivered to the heater, as opposed to simply turning ON and OFF as done by other manufacturers.

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You can purchase Johnsons, Rancos and Helix thermostat at http://www.reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html - be sure on the Johnsons and Ranco to order the wired, not the raw unit.

You explained that perfectly, all responses to this were totally appreciated.

You all just made my bps lives a little happier

Dont forget to raise the tank/tub up off the UTH as well. The UTH should have at least one side not touching any surface. Raise things up with those sticky furniture pads they sell in hardware departments at places like Walmart. This will reduce the heat given a bit and will keep the surface more steady. If you just have it sandwiched between 2 solid surfaces then expect some hot spots.

I didn't catch what kind of rheostat you have, if it is zoomed, I know that mine would never go below 100 degrees. I find lamp dimmers I can adjust a few degrees at a time but the zoomed goes 10 degrees between settings, the lowest being 100.

edit- I just saw in the pic it is a zoomed, I use that same zoomed fine on a lamp now but I gave up on it with a UTH after 12 hours of not getting it under 100 degrees. As mentioned, a thermostat is your best bet:)

Sorry, I was out this afternoon. Thanks for answering the question so well, Robin! :D :gj:

But yes, make sure the tanks are raised up with little feet or you can use those chair leg felt pads as well. The air flow is necessary to avoid overheating.

Get the best thermostat you can right from the Go. I recently got my first Herpstat...and I have 5 ZooMed stats. :) Spend as much as you can for the good stuff first! :D

I`ll have to order them online, Petco & Petsmart have nothing on the shelf in my city.

In the meantime I went back to Aspen to hold them over until UPS arrives, and Yes buying the Best 1st is great advice!

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Originally Posted by Abby_The_Python

I`ll have to order them online, Petco & Petsmart have nothing on the shelf in my city.

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Petco and Petsmart do not sell the Ranco/Johnson's (on/off thermostats) or the Herpstat/Helix (proportional thermostats), so yes, they are something you need to order online.

I don't know the user name - but I did see that we have a member who's selling some Johnson's right now - you may want to cruise to the for sale section forum and check out their ad (probably 1/2 way down).

I can't speak for the user as a seller, since I've never purchased from them, but wanted to point them out as another potential source as well. :)

I had the same problem when I was using the zoomed rheostat (those things are terrible) I will be ordering another Ranco but till then I got a lamp dimmer from home depot for like $11 and it works wayyy better than the zoomed (it actually goes lower than 100 degrees)

Hmm, I have some of those white slide dimmers. I'll have to try them out if they really can go lower than the crap ZooMed rheostats. :)

The only way I ever got a rheostat to work for me was to observe how long it took to heat to where I wanted it and turn it off, then see how long it took to cool before I had to turn it back on. Then I used those times and set a timer for it. Worked surprisingly well until I could get my first ZooMed t-stat. :)

And yeah, no pet store...not even the reptile special stores, sell the GOOD thermostats. Petsmart ONLINE sells the ZooMed, but it's much cheaper to get that one at ReptileSupply.com.
I find this to be strange and unfair...since the thermostat is actually an extremely important piece of eq! I suppose that it would be hard to retail sell something that involves work (i.e. it must be wired by the buyer or the seller) that you can't just sell straight from a package. :confused: Oh well...

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Hmm, I have some of those white slide dimmers. I'll have to try them out if they really can go lower than the crap ZooMed rheostats. :)

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Any light dimmer is much better than the zoomed junk. I'd tried them with my first BP, but quickly discovered the zoomed allowed adjustment between 70% and 100% power, rather than 0-100% with a real dimmer.

I've completely switched over to herpstats since.