Rob-Rah Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Basic question, but I'm new to terraria... Can anyone suggest a decent way of ensuring a night minimum of 60-65F for lowland neps and other tropical things? I have a terarium in my house that the lights will heat during the day, but once they turn off it might need some more heat in the night - the house temperature might fall to 55F some nights. At the moment there is a base of hortag (expanded clay pellets) topped with some live shagnum, on which the pots sit. Do heat mats for things like scorpions and spiders cope with the possibility of being submerged sometimes? Any ideas? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool85k5 Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 A lot of heat mats go under the terrarium.Not much info,but hope it helps. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sheila Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Jerry is right heat mats go either under the tank, or on the back wall of the tank on the outside, they should never be submerged in water. I would think if a mat is warm enough to keep tropical insects alive then it should be enough to keep your plants warm. I keep tarantulas but don't use heat mats I use red or blue lights to warm the tanks and just leave them on overnight during the coldest weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Heatmats are not a very good form of heating. They don't heat the air, they use infra red radiation to heat objects directly. I have used them on many of my scorpions and find them totaly useless on anything other than the species that require such a shallow substrate that the scorpion is sitting directky on it. I have got a tank for my emperor scorpions that is heated by using a ceramic bulb. Basicaly, it is similar to a lightbulb but it emits no visible light. They get VERY hot! The problem is that the area on the oposite side of the tank is a min 22*c and directly under the bulb it is 40*c! You also have to be careful not to splash it with water because it will explode quite spectacularly from thermal shock!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-Rah Posted November 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Hmm. Sounds more complex than I hoped. Maybe I'll just have to jack up the central heating then! Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 I heat my tanks with a heating cable, a waterproof horticultural type, laid under an inch or so of sand. you can get various power outputs. link this to a thermostat (I use one designed for reptiles) and you can have any temp you like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ahrens Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 I have about an inch of water in the bottom of my tank, with an aquarium heater sitting on the bottom. The aquarium heater actually sits on two plastic milk bottle tops, with two vees cut in each one. You obviously don't want the heater in direct contact with the bottom of the tank. There are about thirty unsidedown, two inch flower pots on the bottom, and lastly, a sheet with half-inch plastic mesh placed on the top of the pots. The Neps and other plants sit on the mesh, without being in the water. This set-up gives me a heated (70 degrees) tank, with very high humidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 I do much the same as David. An inch or so of water and an aquarium heater is laid in it. My Nep pots stand on upturned seed trays, so they stand just above the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 Ben and David, what wattage of heater do you use as I am thinking of starting a lowland tank myself Thanks James :roll:/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 James, I'm sorry I don't recall what power the heater is, its just some old heater from a tropical fish tank I once had. My room is also one of the warmest in the house so for a lowland tank, the heater only has to maintain the heat (about 25-30C) and I would guess that quite a low powered one would do. Unlike say in a highland tank where it would need to rapidly warm the tank each morning. The power probably just affects how quickly the tank gets up to temperature in the first place. (Unless you live in a very cold house) If I can find my ammeter, I will test the heater and let you know its rating. btw, your spat x max and sanguinea in particular are looking great on your website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sheila Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Richard, Where did you get your ceramic bulb? My daughter has just bought a baby tortoise that needs heating and as she is keeping it in a tank in her bedroom, she needs a heat bulb with no light. Do these ceramic bulbs need a special holder and are they very expensive? any info you can give would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-Rah Posted November 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I use the waterbath system for a big Highland tank in my greenhouse. The aquarium I have got is a little small for the loss of a few inches from the base with a waterbath. I only want to grow miniature-type plants in it. A waterproof heating cable in sand sounds a good bet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travman Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Seems a daft question question but...... What temps we all keeping for lowland neps? -seems to me some people keep 90f (33c) others a low 70f(22c)??? Mine are at 78f(25c) and a degree or two lower at night . Should I be raising it a bit more ???? :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic brown Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I aim for a minimum of 20C in my terrarium at night, its usually higher. Its quite a few degrees warmer in the day when the lights come on. My terrarium is at the back of my conservatory, in shade most of the time, but gets natural light and a little sun in the late afternoons, so it can reach the high 30'sC on a hot day. The plants seem very happy though, even if the environment isn't as stable as most; they are growing and pitchering well. Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Ok thanks Ben the ratings I have seen go from 50watt to 300watt, the pitchers just keep getting better and better on the Spat' X Max' and the Sanguiena just keeps going and going Leon, have sent you an E-mail if you dont get it let me know James :D/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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