Ambient Air Temperatures....

[MrLang]

A thread I started a while back:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...low-can-you-go

[JeRMz]

A thread I started a while back:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...low-can-you-go

Thank you!!

[RobNJ]

I keep my room heated at 80-82 day time and 75-77 night.

[JeRMz]

My cool side reads 73*, room temp is also 73*. Hot side reads 91*. Humidity is @ 51-52%, large water bowl in center of tank. 20 gal. Long. 3 sides covered in 1/8" black sponge neoprene for insulation. Screen top is covered with 1/8" acrylic sheet, covered and sealed down with reflective HVAC tape. I left approx. a 3" x 9" uncovered portion of the screen top, over the hot-side, for air flow and/or additional heat if necessary. UTH is an 11" x 10.5" Ultratherm and a Hydrofarm t-stat. Will be upgrading t-stat to a VE or comparable stat, later. Acurite in/out therm. w/humidity readout.

My question is, how do I achieve around 75-80* ambient AND surface temp of cool side? I've been reading and reading that some people put an additional uth under cool-side w/additional t-stat set @ 80*. Some like the idea, some don't.
I've also read and read about people who keep a small space heater nearby to keep the area around the enclosure a bit warmer. Again, some like the idea, some don't.
So many opinions vary. My snake is paid for, but his new home is holding up his plane ride.
I should also mention, the 20 Long has 1/2" deep Repti-bark, end-to-end. Thinking about adding a small mixture of Cypress mulch for extra humidity boosting power. And all I have in the enclosure, right now, is the large water bowl and Acurite. Maybe I should add the hides, decor, etc.?
Acrylic top holds the humidity like a champ! The temps, although low, keep constant.
I apologize for the long, hectic post. Been up many hours wracking my brain. Any/all help would be very much appreciated. Am I over thinking some things? Haha, you shoulda seen me when I set up my first soft coral reef tank!

[Noz]

To me it sounds like you're very clued up and panicking for little or no reason! Your hot side is perfect - so you are not in danger of it not being warm enough for your bp, you are simply giving him the chance to thermo-regulate. My advice would be:
1. put vents in both ends of your viv to allow for airflow, but get rid of the open bit over the hot side. Then the hot hair will bounce down more towards your cool side, rather than straight out the top.
2. Move the larger hide/ornaments etc to the cool side to allow more heat from the UTH to pass through
3. If that doesn't do it, hook up a very low watt ceramic heat lamp to the centre of the viv. Pictures will help!



________________________________
London, UK
1.0 bumblebee (Hachi-C)
0.1 normal (Kali)

[JeRMz]

To me it sounds like you're very clued up and panicking for little or no reason! Your hot side is perfect - so you are not in danger of it not being warm enough for your bp, you are simply giving him the chance to thermo-regulate. My advice would be:
1. put vents in both ends of your viv to allow for airflow, but get rid of the open bit over the hot side. Then the hot hair will bounce down more towards your cool side, rather than straight out the top.
2. Move the larger hide/ornaments etc to the cool side to allow more heat from the UTH to pass through
3. If that doesn't do it, hook up a very low watt ceramic heat lamp to the centre of the viv. Pictures will help!

Thanks for the response, Noz! Yeah, I'm still working on getting Photobucket going. I like your #1 idea. Is this how you have your set-up? Or are you a tub user?

________________________________
London, UK
1.0 bumblebee (Hachi-C)
0.1 normal (Kali)

[VooDooDoc]

To maintain ambient temps I use two infrared heat lamps on rheostats with a thermostat to kick them off it it gets too hot, I've had a rheostat fail and the lamp runs full blast. I've found if I keep the lamps turned down low so where they are constantly on, it doesn't zap humidity. But cranking them up high so the thermostat kicks them on and off dessimates the moisture.

[captainjack0000]

Anybody else want to vote?

[captainjack0000]

I posted this only because there had been a debate between myself and some other folks. I felt ambient air was as important, but they did not. Thanks for all who voted!