rack heating question

[hannesreptiles]

So i really want to build my own rack system to start my collection but i have one problem.. Heating the tubs i have read and heard about a lot of different things. I want to keep them in the basement turning it into a little reptile room but in the summer it gets down to like 60-65 down there but in the winter we have a fireplace going all day and night and at the lowest it gets to 78. I just want some tips and advice on the different type of heating systems i should use for that. Thanks in advanced. Oh yeah plan on having a long conversation about this so keep checking back if you had a comment.

[PitOnTheProwl]

How big is the basement?
Build a couple false walls to make their own room with a small space heater.

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

Like pit said just create a smaller enclosed area and keep that heated. I have seen rooms in basements set up with shipping blankets backed with plastic hanging from the ceiling to create a sectioned off area. You wont believe the amount of heat this will retain. Also a fully enclosed rack will help greatly. I typically keep my home at 70 degrees year round. With my fully enclosed rack I am able to get ambient to about 80 degress +\- 2degrees. Good luck!!

[LittleTreeGuy]

I built a fully enlosed (except for the front) rack out of pvc. Ambient room temperatures are around 67 degrees in the area of my house where the rack is. my rack is for 15qt tubs, and I was heating with 4" heat tape under the back of the tub. I ended up putting another strip of heat tape under the front end of the tub and setting that to 80 degrees, My ambient temps were still in the mid 70's, which is okay, but I added an oil radiant heater near my rack and now have ambients around 80-81.