What do you use to heat your aquarium?

[HelloSonya]

I'm very close to purchasing a new, gorgeous juvenile BP. The last thing on my list before picking the little guy up is perfecting the temperatures in the aquarium.

I previously used this tank for a milksnake which required lower temperatures, for which a large heating pad on the underside of half of the tank would suffice. However, for my BP I'm going to need to raise the temperature on the warm side about 10 to 12 degrees.

I layered the netting of the lid with duct tape and and tin foil as the tutorial showed, but those temps. are just not reaching what they need to be! (I live in Seattle, and our winter this year is chilly.)

What is one more step I can take to heat this puppy up? (Purchase/homemade/whatever)

Thanks!

[tigerlily]

What type of substrate are you using?

Do you need to increase your warm side temps, cool side temps or both?

[TheAudOne]

we had no problem with a UTH when we had our 55 gallon, 30 gallon and 30 gallon feeder tank.

[HelloSonya]

What type of substrate are you using?

Do you need to increase your warm side temps, cool side temps or both?

I'm using aspen.

I really need to increase the temps. of the entire tank, but primarily the warm side. But I'm thinking that increasing one side will regulate a higher temperature throughout both areas, anyways.

[HelloSonya]

The thermometer on the warm side says about 75 degrees...

We have really cruddy, cheap Petco thermometers and humidity readers (with a flimsy needle). I know, I know. Don't scold me -_- I will invest in digital readers tomorrow afternoon and give an update!

[bigballs]

what size is your aquarium?


maybe you can add a heat lamp with a lower wattage bulb with the heat tape
or
add a heat lamp and remove the heat tape
or maybe get stronger heat tape if this one is not upping it to the proper temps

just some ideas

give us more info

[tigerlily]

You may need to thin the aspen, as it traps the heat. When I used it, I had to fluff it periodically. It does look lovely, but requires a bit more maintenance.

As for measuring temps.... don't stress about temps until you can accurately measure them. I'd REALLY recommend getting that digital thermometer asap.

[TheAudOne]

Just go to Wal-Mart and get an Accu-Rite, it's about 12 bucks....and reads temp. and humidity.
With our 55, after we foiled half and then Gorrila Taped the whole thing except for a round spot for our CHE (cheramic heat element) , it was tall to we had trouble getting the heat right with just the UTH (under tank heater)

[HelloSonya]

I will trying thinning out the aspen a bit. I was used to having it thick for a burrowing milksnake.

I believe my tank is a 20 gallon. It's about 30" long and about 12.5" in height and width.



What does a ceramic heat element look like/function like?

[snakemum]

I use a UTH on the warm side and a 50W red bulb on the cool side to keep the ambient temp up....otherwise the ambient temp drops below 75 degrees.....my thermostat is connected to the UTH and I have a rheostat connected to the red light so that I can adjust the ambient temp depending on the temp of the room. It seems to be working very well. I have covered 2/3 of the screen with foil and left an opening near the light for ventilation.....I'm concerned about the ventilation in the tank, if you cover the entire screen except for the opening where the light goes.....anyone else wonder about this???Or is it just meworrying for nothing??