If you can get that warm side up another degree or 2 that would be good but 81f isn't bad so if you cant don't stress, it should be good enough. The reptisafe works almost instantly, I wait about ten minutes before it adding to the substrate and I don't think you even have to wait that long. I just like to be sure when it comes to water. I have 4 frogs all Horned frogs at the moment, I have a male Green Cranwelli and a female Albino Cranwelli and a male and female Ornate. My female Cranwelli is the biggest and she's just a little bigger then 4 3/4 inches and she is mean and grumpy. I will add another 2 to my collection if I can find the ones I want and then that's it, as I mentioned before they are 2 of the rarer kinds so I may be waiting awhile but I specifically want those and nothing else. And don't worry about the questions your not a pain at all, that's what the forum is here for.