The jfreels glass tank setup w/pics *DUW*

[jhamilton]

does foil work better then plexiglass to keep heat and humidity in?

oh and you can get foil tape at Home Depot or Lowes.....it will prob be in the same section as air ducts and other home ventilation supplys.

[jfreels]

I have never tried plexi. The foil works great for me and very cost effective. It's also easy to adjust if you need more/less ventilation.

@franken_stein, thanks for the comments

[jfreels]

As far as the foil tape goes...

I got mine at Home Depot. It was pricey ($8 I think), but I purchased 1 roll in February and I still have a LOT remaining. I use it on all my UTHs (7) and on top of my tank lids to hold the humidity (3) and now I use it to secure my temp-probes. I have gotten a lot out of that one roll. Well worth the $8 or whatever I paid.

[jhamilton]

thanks.

[volkert13b]

the white thing on the side of your thank is that the "rheostat" light dimmer. cause i have the same one i think if yours is a touch one how how do you keep yours to get your right temp? mine is all the way on dim and keeping 90-95

[jfreels]

Yeah, that's the dimmer. With the Accurite thermometer probe attached to the tank, I just start the rheostat at the bottom and gradually increase until I get the desired temp. I keep my reptile room at 80-82 F, so it's a little easier for me as opposed to someone who has warmer daytime and cooler nighttime.

If you're having trouble finding a good median, I'd suggest getting a thermostat to control the temp. You can get a cheap HydroFarm thermostat on Amazon.com for around 28$ shipped. There are many other thermostats to choose from if you have a larger budget.

[smd58]

for the black out you can also use black spray paint, tape off the frame, and glass. wipe with some alcohole. i use flat paint because it will show up as gloss from the inside.

[Kysenia]

Excellant post summed up what I just tried to explain to a patient wanting to get a ball python 2 weeks ago lol......wish i had it then.! godd work

[jfreels]

I would have done paint, but I was not prepared for this tank upgrade. After that snakes next shed, I'll be moving him to a tub and then placing my Brazilian Rainbow boa in that tank.

Thanks for the input guys!

[ae88weaver]

You say to
"Attach the probe from your Accurite, try to get it dead center of the mat. As you can see, I'm not using hot-glue to attach this probe. I will later, the next time it gets a deep clean."
If your not using glue this time, how are you attaching it? I'm trying to set up my cage right now, actually a couple cages while I'm waiting for a different size UTH to come in, and the my thermostat probe is massive! Your post is very helpful though, I just need a bit of clarification since this is my first time owning a BP. Thanks!


Also, how necessary is it to black out the sides? I know BP's are nocturnal, but I'm planning on keep Erikson in his own room with the shades down and lights off... It's a storage room so there will be no traffic or anything either...