Obviously tubs are cheaper. But If you are like me, and want a few display tanks too, this is what I recommend after trying MANY, MANY, MANY different things. Entire set up is less then $200. The humidity and temps will be perfect, all of the time, period.

Ingredients:
20 Gallon Long Critter tank $65
Under Tank Heater (UTH) one that covers almost half of the bottom $24
Dimmer switch $6
Two Digital Thermometers with probes $12 total
Flukers Digital Thermometer / Hydrometer combo $16
Zoo Med 500R Thermostat $20
Heat lamp $6
Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) Bulb $25 60 watt for 20 gallon tank, 100 watt for 30 gallon tank.
Foam Board $6 I prefer the one with foil on one side. I think it helps with insulation, and looks really good. You can paint black if you want, but my tanks stay pretty dark.
Water Bowl $7
2 identical Hides $10
Newspaper
Aluminum Foil
Duct Tape

Put 10 layers of aluminum foil on tank cover, leaving hole just big enough for CHE. Cover aluminum foil with duct tape, again leaving hole for CHE. The hole for the CHE needs to be off center, towards the cool side of tank.



Cut foam board to size for back and sides of tank. Use duct tape to join the 3 pieces.

Stick UTH under once side of the tank. Put foam board back and sides on tank (outside tank!). On the inside of Tank, in middle of heat matt tape down first thermometer probe. Plug UTH into dimmer switch. Play with dimmer switch until temp is at 95 degrees. Use another small piece of duct tape to neetly route wire to go up back of tank. *I have found that this stays at a constant temperature give or take 1 degree. If your home temperature varies too much for this to stay constant, then you may need another thermostat for the UTH.



Using a zip tie, attach probe of second thermometer to probe from thermostat. set the zip tied pair of probes up so the tips rest on the floor in the corner on the side opposite the UTH. Plug the CHE into the thermostat. Play with temp dial on thermostat until the temp ranges between 80 and 81 degrees.



Put news paper down. Attach Flukers to warm side hide. Put water bowl DIRECTLY under CHE.





Set temps the way you want them. This is what works for me. UTH thermometer at 95 degrees. Cool side thermometer fluctuates between 80 and 81 degrees. Flukers will ALWAYS show ambient air temp at 85degrees, and humidity will be 55% – 60%.
These temps set the cool side hide temp at 81 – 82 degrees and the warm side hide temp at 91 – 92 degrees. Ambient temperature 85 - 86 and humidity 55% - 60%.

The tank looks bright in the pictures, but is actually very dark. I have a 30 gallon long critter keeper for one of my larger Balls, and it is set up the same exact way. Humidity and tepms are always perfect. When they are in shed, all I do is put a damp rag over one of the hides. It brings the humidity to 75, and will keep it there for at least 3 days before you have to rewet it.

I tried every substrate imaginable. In my opinion NOTHING but newspaper in this set up keeps humidity perfect. I tried to avoid using newspaper because I wanted things to look natural. However, now that I finally use it, I love it. It actually looks good, and is incredibly easy to keep up with. It is the only thing that has given me correct humidity 100% of the time.

Obviously I would love to use a better thermostat, like a Helix, but with several tanks, it is not practicle for me. I have NEVER had a problem with the ZooMed 500r. and once it is set, I NEVER have to readjust it.

Please don't get me wrong, I don't know everything. This is just what I have learned, and it will save the newbees picking a tank over a tub from spending all the money I did on the wrong things! Tubs are CHEAPER! but this will work if you want a tank set up!

Mike