Drip Wall help

[DigitalPunk]

Hey Hillizabbe! Welcome to the forum (unless I have welcomed you before than lets pretend I didn't do it twice lol).

Drip walls in a Red.. I will leave the technical aspects of building the drip wall to others who have done it. I know the concept and think I could set one up, but I don't want to send you down the wrong path.

I have a couple questions for you that might help pin point why your humidity stays so low.

1. How are you heating the tank
2. What type of lights are you using?
3. You said you have 50% of the top covered. So that should be good


As far as the wait time between cleaning a tank and adding frogs... Tech if their are no fumes form Silicone or glue or Paint than you can add frogs whenever you like. The standard guideline/answer is 30 days. This gives your plants time to get good and established before frogs start testing how much trampling and weight they can take

[Hilizanne]

I am heating the tank with a UVA/UVB bulb only during the summer and during the winter an additional under the tank heater because the tank is too close to a window and gets too cold. The temperature is almost always 74-76 degrees.

I also have have the cork background siliconed in place...do you think I can add spray foam in addition to it or do I have to remove it? I really want more areas on the background for planting.

This is is a pic

Of the tank 1 year ago--I have the waterfall out of there now. The moss has died of course because of the low humidity.

[DigitalPunk]

UVB and UVA bulbs (among others) dry the air out rapidly.


If you ditched the UVA/UVB bulb and went with a LED light that puts off 6500k light your live plants will love it. LED lights do not put off any heat and will not dry the air out.

Instead of using a light bulb and heating mat to heat the tank look into use a Ceramic Heat Emitter. They produce not light and do not dry the air out as fast as other heat sources. Ceramic Heat Emitters use radiant heat which is Awesome for Vivariums.

You can buy them and domes for them on Amazon or at most pet stores. I have always found Amazon to have the best prices.


I have tried several methods to heat tanks and short of heating the room the tank is in the best option I have found is a CHE.

Paul

[Hilizanne]

UVB and UVA bulbs (among others) dry the air out rapidly.


If you ditched the UVA/UVB bulb and went with a LED light that puts off 6500k light your live plants will love it. LED lights do not put off any heat and will not dry the air out.

Instead of using a light bulb and heating mat to heat the tank look into use a Ceramic Heat Emitter. They produce not light and do not dry the air out as fast as other heat sources. Ceramic Heat Emitters use radiant heat which is Awesome for Vivariums.

You can buy them and domes for them on Amazon or at most pet stores. I have always found Amazon to have the best prices.


I have tried several methods to heat tanks and short of heating the room the tank is in the best option I have found is a CHE.

Paul

thank you, thank you!! This is the type of information I badly need and have not found in any of my 3 books!!!

I will work on that immediately. I am also a big fan of Amazon, except for tank ordering (I ordered 3, each arrived broken).

Does the ceramic heater not provide too much light? I will need it on at night.

Again, thank you.

[Hilizanne]

UVB and UVA bulbs (among others) dry the air out rapidly.


If you ditched the UVA/UVB bulb and went with a LED light that puts off 6500k light your live plants will love it. LED lights do not put off any heat and will not dry the air out.

Instead of using a light bulb and heating mat to heat the tank look into use a Ceramic Heat Emitter. They produce not light and do not dry the air out as fast as other heat sources. Ceramic Heat Emitters use radiant heat which is Awesome for Vivariums.

You can buy them and domes for them on Amazon or at most pet stores. I have always found Amazon to have the best prices.


I have tried several methods to heat tanks and short of heating the room the tank is in the best option I have found is a CHE.

Paul

i set up 2 smaller tanks with the LED lighting and they are staying at 75% humidity, I could not find 6500 K but I have 5000K. Temps are 69 degrees. just growing plants for now. I have to move my 2 tree frogs out of the big tank before I can change it around.

[LilyPad]

Are the reds currently at 69 degrees?? If so, you need to bump those temps ASAP or they're going to get sick!

[Hilizanne]

Are the reds currently at 69 degrees?? If so, you need to bump those temps ASAP or they're going to get sick!

No they are in the warm tank that keeps drying out--77 degrees, 65% humidity with frequent spraying. Only plants are in the new tanks right now, one of which will be their home after the plants are established and I get the heater. I am just happy to have humidity for the first time. One of the tanks is 18x18x24.

[DigitalPunk]

Why are you looking to apply foam to the tank?

[Hilizanne]

Why are you looking to apply foam to the tank?

I need depth on the wall--I plan on dart frogs ultimately that could hopefully utilize the space--so I need stair stepped levels so to speak. I am up for suggestions on better ways for this.

[LilyPad]

CHE's have zero light. That's another great benefit to them!

[Hilizanne]

Great! No light--I had no idea. I am excited. I know that heater is drying things out.

[LilyPad]

Make sure that you get a dome with a dimmer and a thermostat to use in conjunction with it. I bought all of mine on amazon. You end up putting a little extra money out there but it saves tons in the long run.