Tub heating ???

[snake2615]

what size heat tape would you use on a 41Qt tub for a rack with belly heat ?

[SnakeKB]

11" wide. I have that under my 41qt tub.

[snakesRkewl]

11" wide. I have that under my 41qt tub.

Yep, 11x12 inch tape under 40/41 qt tubs

[snake2615]

that's what i was thinking but wanted to get a 2nd opinion

[rj1204]

I use 3" (10w) flexwatt. I just followed the same design as Animal Plastic IRIS rack models. That is what was recommended by many breeders I talked to.

[snakesRkewl]

I use 3" (10w) flexwatt. I just followed the same design as Animal Plastic IRIS rack models. That is what was recommended by many breeders I talked to.

IMO 3 inch heat tape provides a large snake with too small of a hot spot to lay on.

I have 4 inch in my 28qt tub rack and it barely keeps up.
I use 3 inch heat tape under 6qt and 15qt tubs on shelves.

[SnakeKB]

I agree. A 41 qt tub is around 12+" wide and 30+" long. You really should have something that covers the width and is around 1/3 the length of the floor. So a piece thats 11x10 - 11x12 should be used. I have my rack setup to use 11" on all shelves and its deep enough to adjust the tubs wherever i need them on the tape. A little more money was spent on the tape but its great versatility.

[snake2615]

so i was thinking about this and ill give you an idea of what i want to do and see what you guys and girls think. I want to make a rack to house adult BPs and baby BPs so i figured to cut down on the frustration i would just use 41qt tubs for the adult male and females and shoebox tubs for the babies but i dont have the money to buy 2 thermostats and im not going to jip out on a good thermostat. now you guys said 11 inch heat tape for the 41qt tubs but thats far to big for the shoebox tubs so if i used 4inch heat tape and made 2 lines to make it 8 inch heat tape would that work on the 41qt tubs ? Then i could run every thing off of one thermostat so it would be 8 inch heat tape for the 41qt (2 lines of 4 inch HT) and 4 inch heat tape for the shoebox tubs what do you guys think ?

hope that makes since

[SnakeKB]

Heres the rack i made. Holds 12qt, 28qt, and 41qt tubs. Uses 11" on all the shelves. The heat tape is ran across the back of the shelves for the 12 and 28qt tubs. The depth of the shelves allows me to move the tubs over the heat tape and place where its neccessary. The 41qt tubs run long wase and has the heat tape ran on just the one end of the shelf for the tub. Using the 11" on all the shelves lets me use a single thermostat for the entire rack. For a rack this size, it cost me $136.