Setting up new tank, temp issues

[hazzaram]

Decided to start a new thread just for this issue, since it was getting lost in my other post!

Long story short, I am getting my first BP in 10 days and need to get my temps right.

Specs:

20 gallon tank with mesh locking lid
Thermometer/humidity gauge (digital)
Temp gun ordered and coming
Very thin layer of eco-earth and repti bark for humidity (less than 1 inch)
Zoomed UTH for 20-30 gallon tanks (attached to thermostat) (ordered a ultratherm, just waiting on it)
CHE with wire holder, 150watts (turned all the way up on dimmer)

I have the probe from the thermostat on the bottom of the tank, with the heat pad on top of it (probe is centred). Reading 89-91.

Temp reading on other side of glass, on top of heat mat and beneath thin layer of sub is 88-90.

Ambient temp right now is stuck at 73 and that is where my problem lies.

I have all sides of the tank except the front covered in tinfoil and the top is covered in tinfoil as well, leaving space for just the CHE. Half the tank is covered by a small blanket (not close enough to CHE to be a fire hazard!)

I'm not really sure what else I can do to bring the ambient temp up.

Will post pics!

[hazzaram]

[Albert Clark]

Welcome to the bp community! All your work looks good and it sounds like you did your homework! Couple of things , IMO, change that housing for you che to a closed housing and that will center and aim more of the heat into your setup. Purchase a "versa top " for a 20 gallon tank. Just make the appropriate air holes into the plastic cover to the v.t. That will also boost your humidity percentage. Stay in peace and not pieces.

[bhgant]

I was in the same boat just last week. My ball python is in our basement so ambient temperature was what I was battling (68 degrees +/-). By the time I got the temps up where I needed them on both sides, my humidity had gone down to 20-25%. The CHEs work great for ambient temps. But... they KILL your humidity. But I was bound and determined to make my "pretty tank" work! After several days, I FINALLY got the tank dialed in with a wet towel on top covering 85% of the screen, CHE towards the middle, with a UTH on the hot side. Both CHE and UTH on separate thermostats. Hot side basking spot at 90, cool side at 81, humidity around 50%. The towel helped keep the heat in and keep the humidity up. But it was less than ideal since I would have to make sure the towel was wet every day. What was I going to do if I wasn't at home?

After realizing this was not going to work for my situation, I unplugged everything. I went to Target and spent $10 on a SteriLite 16 qt locking tub. After 20 minutes, my temps were right where they needed to be and my humidity was spot on. And unfortunately my 20 "pretty" gallon tank now sits out in the garage.

So my current setup includes a VE-300 thermostat set at 90F for my UTH on the hot side. I have another VE-300 set at 80 degrees running the CHE that is mounted about 8 inches above the tub. This keeps the ambient temps about 80-82 on the cool side and the humidity is not effected. This was the only way I could figure out how to keep my ball python's enclosure where it needed to be in a cool environment.

Everyone said "get a tub, get a tub." I finally did and will never go back. While it doesn't look as good, my ball python is happy, secure and feeding. I will never fight with a screened in tank again.

The silver lining to this is that now I have a ready-to-go 20 gallon tank that needs a new "pet!" It just won't be a ball python.

Hope this helps and good luck!

[Sauzo]

Everything looks good except like Albert said, ditch the wire cage CHE housing and get a regular dome fixture with a ceramic fixture. You are losing a lot of heat out that hole as well as humidity I would imagine. Using Eco Earth, you should not have a humidity issue if you change that fixture. I use aspen in a 30 gallon(36x18x12) with pretty much the same top as you got except my top is 1 piece cardboard with a hole cut out on 1 side about an inch bigger than the dome. With that set up, I get 50-60% humidity, 86F ambient hot side, 81F ambient cool side and the CHE warms the corner of the warm side hide box to give her a toasty hide for after meals.

[hazzaram]

So, I can't use my regular heat lamp fixture? I need to get one for a CHE with a closed hood that supports those kinds of bulbs? I'll do some searching now and see what I can find.

[hazzaram]

I'm actually considering switching to a tub, just so my kitties will leave it be. They can't seem to leave a tank alone, even if there's nothing in it! lol.

If I do decide to switch to a tub, what's the best size for a juvi? The breeder I'm going to mostly has 1 year olds. And, can I use my ultratherm on it if it's regulated with a thermostat?