Need help with temperatures

[nighttrain_1991]

I've also seen some people put flourescent lights in the t-8 for viewing and that will add heat for ambient as well--how much? No idea sorry.

[BPGuy]

In other words, if my hot spot is in the 88-92 range but my cool spot is, say in the 68-72 range, is that acceptable? Or, do I really need to heat both sides of the tank (as I'm doing now) to try to keep once side at 88-92 and the other at 80-84?


No. 68-72 is much too cold. 77-78 is about a cool as you could go. Sounds like you would want both uth and rhp and then you might only need to use the rhp in the winter. If you haven't already check out the thread that is stickied about hot to set up a t-8. It is very well written with pictures of the set up how and where to install the probe thermometers etc. Then you could try pming the author of that thread with specifics. The dimensions for the unit are approximately 4ft by two ft, so each side would be 2 X 2. Look at the dimentions of the hides, but I'm guessing they fit since it seems to be the hide of choice with people on here.

Also one other possibility for your current set up that I've heard mention here is to get a piece of plexiglass cut to fit the top of the screen, cut out a hole for your dome light and drill a few holes for air flow. Will do a very good job holding heat and moisture and I think give it a cleaner look. Also depending on what you are currently using you might switch to cypress mulch for your substrate.

I did see the T8 set-up thread. I don't think he used RHPs (I think he just used the UTH), but I'll double-check.

The large Reptile Basics hide is 13.25" x 9" so two of them would seem to fit in the 24" x 24" area, but if I'm doing my math right, there would be only 6" of open space between them if I put them on opposite ends. The 6" of open space sure doesn't seem like much.

I was considering the plexiglass idea as an option for the current set up. I think part of the problem is that the CHEs need to go in an open dome, not a standard close dome. This raises the CHE a good 4" inches or so off the top of the screen. Couple that with the 17" height of the Zilla Critter Cage, and I don't think much of the heat is getting to the bottom of the tank.

Any suggestion for what I should do with the ZooMed UTH for the time being? Specifically, do I need to put them on thermostats and lower the temperatures because my temp gun is getting 110 readings on the substrate even though when I place my hand on the substrate (ReptiBark) it doesn't feel that warm?

[nighttrain_1991]

If that's what the temp gun is reading I'd say that's pretty close to where you are at. They usually don't have more than a 5 degree variance. You can check it on boiling water to see if the reading is way off. To guarantee safety you should have it on a thermostat. You could simply increase the thickness of the substrate. I've seen some people on hear say they cut a piece of cardboard and secured that over the uth so that the snake can not burrow and get to the glass. Then just put your bedding over top of that. What does your temp gun say for the areadirectly under the che? As far as using your thermostat on the uth, I know they say you need to put it between the uth and the tank on the outside, but you could put the probe on the inside on the glass above the uth and put the substrate over that. You'll want to keep the layer thin. Check the surface temp with your gun and adjust the thermostat to get the temps you want.

[Inarikins]

Put your UTHs on lamp dimmers, for now. They need to be regulated. 100 degrees don't feel like much to your 90 degree hand, but it's more than enough to burn your snake. A properly regulated UTH shouldn't feel like much of anything when you touch it, simply because it's the same temperature as you. Increasing the thickness of the substrate doesn't work. If your snake burrows down to lay against the glass (which most will) they're going to be exposed to the full heat of the UTH. Cardboard works until your snake pees and gets it wet and throws off your temps.

[BPGuy]

Do you think I should just plug the UTHs into the ReptiTherm 500Rs and leave the CHEs unregulated for now? Actually, with one of the tanks, I could keep the CHE plugged into a ZooMed HygroTherm that I have (right now, one tank is using a ReptiTherm 500R to regulate the CHE and the other tank is using the HygroTherm to regulate the CHE; I actually have a second ReptiTherm 500R that isn't being used).

I'm now beginning to wonder whether I need a different thermal gun. This is what I'm using now: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-T...+decker+tld100. It is described as a "thermal leak detector," but it does give a readout as to the temperature.

Today, I found a local Walmart that carries the famous Acu-Rite thermometer/hygrometer that seems to be preferred by folks over here, and purchased two of them. I'll put the probes under the hides with the UTHs (between the substrate and the UTHs) and see what temperatures they register. In the meantime, I've heard back from Pro Products. Bob over there is recommending that, if I buy an Animal Plastics T8, I purchase two RHPs at a cost of $80 each. So, if I go the T8 route, I'm looking at $150 for the T8, $20 for the divider screen, $20 for a lock, $45 for S&H for the T8 and accessories, approximately $176 for the two RHPs (including S&H), and roughly $205 for a Herpstat with S&H (I'm assuming I won't need a Herpstat 4). So, to switch to a T8 system would cost a minimum of $616, and that doesn't include any lighting or Flexwatt (if the RHPs aren't sufficient). My guess is that I've already invested close to that amount (if not more) in my two 40 gallon tanks, the three UTHs, the four CHEs, the ReptiTherm 500Rs, the HygroTherm, and the four different domes I have. Geez, do I wish I had done it right the first time.

[brobertson]

I would definitely plug the UTHs into the thermostats, they can get way too hot. As far as the T8 I is expensive, but your BPs will do very well in it. I would go for the rhps, they should be the only heat elements you need.

[BPGuy]

Okay, this evening I went ahead and plugged both UTHs into the ReptiTherm 500Rs. One of the CHEs is plugged into a HygroTherm, which is set at 91 (I figured the side with the CHE would be my hot spot and the side with the UTH would be my cool spot). Unfortunately, I don't have any other thermostat or rheostat to use with the CHE on the second tank so for now it will just run 24/7 at full power. I also took the ReptiTherm 500 probes, as well as the probes from the Acurite thermometers and buried them underneath the substrate (about 1/2" of ReptiBark) so the probes are touching the glass that is right above the UTHs). First readings were as high as 114 or 115. However, with the UTHs now on the thermostats, readings are cooling down. I will set them at 92, but I'm not sure what that will do to the substrate temps. Am I better off setting the temps on the UTHs to something slightly higher (like 95) so that the substrate temp will be closer to 91?

BTW, in case I didn't mention it previously, I have one hide over the UTH and one hide under the CHE. I'll try to post some photos and temp readings tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone who is helping me out with this. I greatly appreciate it! Oh, and Benek, I appreciate the info about RHPs being sufficient if I get the T8s.

[BPGuy]

Here's a quick update on where things stand after setting things up per my last post.

As of 8:50 this evening:

Tank 1: The temperature outside the hide (just on top of the hide) that is directly underneath the CHE is 90. The temperature inside the hide that is directly underneath the CHE is 84. The temperature inside the hide that is over the UTH (opposite side of the tank from the CHE) is 92.1 (the probe is between the substrate and the glass). I don't have a temperature outside the hide over the CHE. However, I have a probe set to the wall of tank, a few inches about the substrate, centered in the tank, and it shows 84.2.

Tank 2: The temperature outside the hide that is direct underneath the CHE is 87. The temperature inside the hide that is directly underneath the CHE is 84. The temperature inside the hide that is over the UTH (opposite side of the tank from the CHE) is 92 (again, the probe is between the substrate and the glass). The temperature on top of the hide over the UTH is 81.

I'm getting my temperature readings from a series of thermometers in the tanks. Tank 1 has two Exto Terra digital thermometers plus an Acurite with a probe. Tank 2 has two Exto Terra digital thermometers, an Acurite with a probe, and the HygroTherm's probe.

What do you all think about these temperatures? Anything I need to change?

[KMG]

Sounds like you are getting very close to dialed in. I would raise the che a bit to lower the temp a tad. Try to keep the tank temps other than the hotspot close to 80. Your not for off but the reading of 87 that is not the hotspot is pretty warm. You want to make sure your snake has clear temperature gradients to travel between.

[BPGuy]

Sounds like you are getting very close to dialed in. I would raise the che a bit to lower the temp a tad. Try to keep the tank temps other than the hotspot close to 80. Your not for off but the reading of 87 that is not the hotspot is pretty warm. You want to make sure your snake has clear temperature gradients to travel between.

I don't have any lamp stands, and tank 2 is in place that makes it very difficult to use a lamp stand (hallway countertop with cabinets only a couple of inches above the tank--the heat lamp is at the very front of the tank because the cabinets do not come out that far from the wall).

What do you think about me changing out the 150 watt CHEs for 100 watt CHEs (I have two 100 watt CHEs that I'm not currently using)?