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Thread: best way to heat up a tank?

  1. #1

    Default best way to heat up a tank?

    I have my baby ornate in a 12x12x18 and am having a hard time getting them temps up. Its at 71 now. I have heat cable in between the glass and styrafoam background.. im gonna see if i can get ahold of a normal reptile heat pad rather then the cable though. i also have a 40w bulb on him too.. any suggestions

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    100+ Post Member Truffs1178's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    Using a bulb to heat the air in the tank is my favorite way. Pacmans dig down under the substrate to keep cool so don't put a heat mat on the bottom of the enclosure.

  4. #3

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    I guess i need a high watage bulb? Ill have to pick up a new lamp too as im at the max on wattage im suppse to use on it lol
    Ill prob take out the heat cable too as it isnt helping out at all

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    Member Hellsrage's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    There are 2 ways I see a lot.

    1.) Using a night heat bulb or a ceramic heat emitter.
    2.) Using a heat pad mounted to the side of the tank.

    Both of the options are also controlled by either a dimmer or a rheostat.

  6. #5

    Default

    Ok so if i get the heat pad, where would i put the thermometer? On the side of the tank where the heat pad is or somewhere else

  7. #6
    Bedore
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    I recommend a ceramic heat emitter. I have a small zoo med UTH mounted on the side of the tank (as others have said do not mount one under the tank) for supplemental heat and I have a ceramic heat emitter mounted up top. I also have most of the top closed off with aluminum foil. I have left a section open under the CHE. I have my CHE hooked up to a thermostat as well, and it does a great job regulating the temps. Try a 60W CHE, that will probably do it. If not then a 100W certainly will, but you'd probably want to suspend the fixture with a rod to allow some airflow as things can get very hot. The fixture itself will also get hot, but so long as it's not close to anything flammable you will be fine. As for probe placement, I put mine about 2" above the substrate.

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    Member Hellsrage's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    Quote Originally Posted by XDragonFrogX View Post
    Ok so if i get the heat pad, where would i put the thermometer? On the side of the tank where the heat pad is or somewhere else
    What kind of thermometer are you using? Digital w/probe ect.

    You'll be measuring air temps so you don't want it close to a heat source. Ideally you'll have 2 digital thermometers setup monitoring temps, one on the warm side and another on the cool side, if you have a probe you'll want to attach it to something near the ground. If you affix it to the glass just make sure it's on a side that doesn't have the heat pad attached.

  9. #8

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    Digital with probe. Thats the only kind ill use lol
    Also since i have him in a exo terra with the background, can i put the heat pad on the glass behind the styrafoam background?(on the outside glass of course) or would be background block the heat?

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    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    Hello Amber! Well first thing is to ensure both the heat source and the temperature probe are not located behind the ET original foam background. Reason is that background is made of molded styrofoam; the same material used for disposable ice boxes. That, plus the factors that it takes out enclosure space and insects can use as a hide are reasons why I remove it from my enclosures.

    Note that you mention a baby ornate? That enclosure is huge for one and will stress it out until it's 3.5 to 4 in. SVL. A better home would be a plastic type enclosure (i.e. ExoTerra's Small or Medium Breeding Boxes) with a water dish, shredded coco substrate, and a silk plant. You can then place the whole thing inside the larger enclosure for temperature and humidity control.

    If using heat pads, have to locate them in one of the sides. Supplemental light heat in the form of either a red lamp or a ceramic heat emitter as described by others can be used on the top. Be careful the bulb does not exceed the fixture wattage and/or does not sit on top of the enclosure's plastic mid rib. The ZooMed top can handle dual 60W bulbs with independent switches and when used with a controller (either a manual rheostat or automatic thermostat) it gives you multiple options. If going with a ceramic heat emitter will need a dome type fixture and recommend get one of the small dimmer type ones made by Fluker's and others.

    To prevent heat loss, cover your whole screen area with aluminum foil; black electric tape works fine to secure edges. Then place the light fixtures on desired location and using a sharpie type marker draw around the perimeter. Finally cut following outline; but make hole a bit wider to allow slight ventilation.

    You might need to adjust settings a bit; but moving heat source from behind background and covering top should assist getting required 82-84F daytime temps. For probe location; try couple inches above substrate, in middle of either side or back (in front of background). It should be placed so it reads air temp. and not against a glass with heating pad or cables behind it. By the way; that glass will get hot and could shatter if cold water splashes on it. Good luck !
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  11. #10
    Andrew exotics
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    Hello and merry Christmas.You guys seem very smart about frogs and i was wondering if you guys can help me with my tomato frog.Im having trouble heating up the tank,hes in a 10 gallon and hes just a little baby and i have a heat pad under the tank.I think the heat pad is useless because theres a good 6-7 inches of Eco earth.Should i get a CHM or a 40 watt night bulb that i can run all day?thanks

  12. #11
    Moderator GrifTheGreat's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew exotics View Post
    Hello and merry Christmas.You guys seem very smart about frogs and i was wondering if you guys can help me with my tomato frog.Im having trouble heating up the tank,hes in a 10 gallon and hes just a little baby and i have a heat pad under the tank.I think the heat pad is useless because theres a good 6-7 inches of Eco earth.Should i get a CHM or a 40 watt night bulb that i can run all day?thanks
    There is a section for Chubby frogs, but will answer your question. First a heat pad should never go under a tank of a burrowing frog. They go on the side. Next you have way to much substrate in the tank for a baby or even an adult. You only need enough so the frog can cover itself. Tomato frogs like temps in the mid and high 70°s.

    Go ahead and answer these questions http://www.frogforum.net/pacman-frog...enclosure.html and repost your answers in a new thread in the Chubby frog section of the forum since this is thread hijacking.


  13. #12

    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    So I picked up a heat pad. I got the small one(zoomed) and it isnt heating the warm side up like I was hoping.. I had a 75 watt night bulb and it worked but I didnt realize the lamp i had couldnt handle that high of wattage so i cant use the bulb until i get a new heat lamp lol... one questions.. will this high of wattage melt the top of my exo terra?
    And if I wanted to stay with just the heat pad, will a med or large work? because the small isnt heating up enough. I have it on a dimmer but had to push it all the way to max heating and it still isnt heating up enough to warm the tank up to 82. its still at 72..... My little guy hasnt eaten for me in 3 days so i need to get his tank warmed up fast

    I wish i would of weighed him when I first got him. It looks to me hes gained weight. Ate pacman food the first and 2nd night I had him but has refused it since. Im gonna pick up earth worms and crickets today to see if he will eat those. And def gonna get these temps right! I feel so bad for him
    Also, havnt seen any poop either so im really hoping it isnt impaction as he was on moss before i got him

    First day I got him



    and today


  14. #13
    100+ Post Member Louis Charles Bruckner's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    He still has a little bit of tail left so that might be a reason he isn't eating much.
    They absorb their tails and until it is all gone they might not eat too much.

    If you have the same type as I do the top is metal screen, I wouldn't worry too much about melting it.

    if it is not metal then you might have a problem..

    The Zoo med mini doesn't put out much heat it was made to be safe to apply on plastic critter keepers.
    so it won't get too hot.

    I have a zoo med medium on my EXO terra 20X20X18 L X W X H
    and with the 75W ceramic heat emitter in a mini deep dome fixture it keeps it right at the 80F when my house is at 66F
    I also have plexi glass covering the area where the CFL hood lamp is and a few smaller pieces overlapping on the front part
    where the ceramic heater is so I can have as much of the top covered as possible with out the heat emitter melting the plexi.

    I am sure that when you get your enclosure and temps and humidity sorted your frog will be fine.
    New owners tend to panic a bit, I know I did.
    Just keep offering food and when he is ready, he will eat.

    BTW the little one looks good. Love the colors.



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  16. #14

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    The screen is metal but the black part is plastic. Im about to pick up a heat lamp

  17. #15
    100+ Post Member Louis Charles Bruckner's Avatar
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    Default Re: best way to heat up a tank?

    Should be fine.



  18. #16

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    Ok thanks everyone for the help! I just wanna make sure im doing everything right i just adore these frogs

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