Covering Tank Sides

[MsPrada]

I'm going to get the new little guys tank sides covered hopefully today sometime. What are good materials to use to keep heat from being lost by the glass? Ive read some suggestions around here, but I was wondering whats worked best for you guys?

[unrezt]

I used this garden liner plastic stuff backed with layers of aluminum foil for a few months, it worked okay but it was extremely ugly. Then I got some black foam core board from walmart for $4 per 36"x24" sheet, it works great.

[Argentra]

The absolute best material is the blue house foam board insulation found at Lowes and Home Depot. VERY cheap, nice and thick, does the job better than any other insulation.
Other good materials include cork board, thinner project foam board, Refectix, and felt. It all depends on how cool your room gets and how much heat you need to keep in the tank. For example, if you keep your room at 80 all year, you'd only need a thin insulating material because the air outside is close to what it should be inside.
But, if your temps drop or stay cooler then you need thicker material. I live in Denver CO, so I use the house foam on my tanks and it works perfectly.

Hope that helped and didn't confuse.

[MsPrada]

Thanks guys! I keep the place at 80 during the summer, but we havent had a winter here yet...so I may go with this house foam board stuff just in case....How do you stick it to the tank? Hot glue or tape? And does it go on the inside or the outside?

[MsPrada]

Also, could you find me a picture or a link from Lowes with this blue house foam board? Just so I know what it looks like. I can't find it on the website but I dont know exactly what im looking for.

[frankykeno]

Here's a picture of what I think they are talking about.

http://www.homeconstructionimproveme...insulation.jpg

Here's some further information on it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4519628_blue...tion-size.html

I would put it on the outside of the tank and likely just tape it there so it could be removed if needed. Remember tape and snakes don't mix so make sure tape is never used unless it's outside the enclosure where the snake can never get at it.

[MsPrada]

Yeah, I couldnt imagine seeing tape stuck to one of my babies. I shudder to imagine how many scales it would rip off coming off. I used hot glue inside the tank and thats only for the probe of the therm.

Thank you guys!

[Argentra]

Yes, that is the board. And yes, you tape it to the outside of the tank back and sides. Usually over a background of some sort.

I place my background (scrapbooking paper usually), then place the board over that, using foil tape to attach it to the tank.

[MsPrada]

Thanks! I think I'm going to try the foam-core board first because I was thinking that I didnt want the blue board to insulate too much...I could always upgrade if I needed too. And thanks for the scrapbooking paper idea too ^-^

[Argentra]

NP. This is what it looks like with that paper as the background: