AP t8 cage?

[dakski]

I mean if my room temp is not the ideal temp for ball python, like 70 during winter, I think I would need extra heat elements.
I wouldn't even consider pvc cage if my room temp stays perfect without my space heater which can get costly during winter haha.

My reptile room gets down to 66-67F in winter at the worst, and averages about 69-70F.

In the summer, it gets up to 77F (it's a finished basement).

In the summer, my RHP and Flexwatt run much less, and I might get away with just the latter. However, in the winter, they both run.

To be clear, I also have 6X2X1' tanks. I have large flex watt and a RHP on the left side and smaller flex watt on the right side. I am comfortably able to maintain temps for all my reptiles.

In a 4X2X1' tank, you might get away with just Flexwatt and RHP on the hot side, but frankly, I would have a small flex watt installed for the cool side as well.

The flex watt is cheap - the thermostats are expensive! As I said, do not skimp on the latter.

You might not need to run the flex watt at all on the cool side, but better safe than sorry, especially for a minimal cost.

I have one 6X2X1' that is split in two with a divider. So it's two 3X2X1' tanks. I keep two of leopard geckos on one side (who get along) and one on the other side (who likes to be alone). I have identical RHP's and flex watt heat for them. Since it's only 3X2X1 the RHP and Flexwatt together on the warm side of each tank work fine and keep the cool zone 80-82.

Not sure exactly what you would need. I have no experience with AP, but imagine they would be helpful in advising you. Again, in my opinion, go overkill on heating elements, and run them less, or not at all in summer, etc.

Also, unclear about your thermostat options, maybe someone else can chime in on that. However, one of my 6X2X1' tanks if for Figment, my corn snake. He does not like it too hot. I run all three heating elements off one thermostat. I have all Boaphile tanks and have their double/redundant thermostats. They can run 1500 watts each, I believe. So, no problem running a large flex watt, a medium flex watt, and an RHP of the same one.

I keep the warm side about 84-86F and the cool side stays about 78F with ambient between 76-80F depending on where in the middle of the tank I measure.

I think it would be cheaper to get a thermostat that can run three devices for heat than buying another thermostat for the cool side. Then put the probe(s) on the hot side and run all heating elements off it.

Again, you would have to discuss with AP and/or someone else who has more experience. Not 100% sure how to do that with the setup you are getting and what thermostat to buy.

I went with Boaphile because Jeff helped me figure all this out and actually advised me against getting more thermostats than I needed. I thought I would need many more. He pointed out that many of my reptiles need similar care temp wise and the tanks are identical, so one thermostat per temp zone, not per tank side. He knows his setups inside and out. NOTE: My tanks are stacked - if your tanks were spread out in a room, you might not want to do this. Since I have all the same temps stacked next to each other, there is almost zero, or no measurable difference, between say my BP tank and my BCI tank (one on top of the other - so same room temp and same heating elements etc). You are talking about one tank, but we all say that, and most end up with more! AP's and Boaphiles are stackable, and I wouldn't be surprised if you take advantage of that at some point .

It sounds like AP is similar to Boaphile/Jeff Ronne at customer service and knowing their products. However, make sure you get all your questions answered. I spent a lot of time working with Jeff to make sure all my needs were met. Big reason I choose to do business with him.

I too am not great with all the electronics (okay using them, but limited experience so figuring out what I need is difficult - especially with 5 different species).