Hi Guys & Girls

First of let me say hello to everyone as this is my 1st post, been reading through the forums for a day or two and gathered some really good information and advice.

I do however have a few questions regarding heating for a 24” Long x 23” High x 15” Wide Wooden Vivarium (AquaPac Hobbyist)

I’m hoping that someone would be able to offer me some of there expertise or point me in the right direction, I apologise if this has been asked before (I just want to make sure I get the right setup 1st time)

Q1:

I have decided to use a Ceramic Heat Emitter to heat my vivarium but I am unsure on what to use to attach it to the roof of my vivarium (Obviously because it is made of wood im not sure how hot they get, would it be a fire risk) , secondly Im thinking along the lines of a 40W or 60W for the size.

Q2:

Regarding the thermostat as I need to drop the temp inside the vivarium on a night time I was looking at the Habistat range either a Pulse Proportional with Day/Night Facility OR a Dimming Stat with Day/Night Facility which if I’ve understood this correctly can both be used with a timer for the night drop, Im unsure as to which thermostat would be the best suited.

http://www.eurorep.net/habistat/pulse.htm
Or
http://www.eurorep.net/habistat/dimming.htm

Q3:

What type of timer would be ok to use with the stat ? would a 7 day digital one be fine also how does that work do I plug my ceramic into the trailing socket of the stat (Sorry I’m easily confused LoL)


I think that’s about it for now until I start to set it up HeHe, thanks in advance for any help or replies.

Many Thanks

UKSidewinder

1. If the ceramic is connected to a thermostat, it will not get hot enough to be a fire risk. If it was that hot, it would cook the snake too... Try40. If it doesn't get hot enough, upgrade.

2. Pulse proportianal. Dimmers are for use with light bulbs.

3. From what I onderstand, there is a seperate power lead that plugs into the timer. When the timer turns on, the power input overrides the 'normal' one, and the thermostat switches to the night setting.

__________________
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0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Tri-Colour Hognose
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FOR SALE: Snow and Amel Corn hatchlings (£20 each), Adult male Snow(£80), Adult male Normal(£50). SWAPS WANTED

just seconding what said above as its spot on.
any anologue timer is ok, u can get them for under a fiver, i got a couple spares the other day from wilkonsins for £1.50 each last week.

The stats with day night work as deescribed in the above pos.

__________________
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Science in the home
Late nights all alone with her a test tube
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine
Calls her on the phone
"Can I take you out to the pictures Jo-o-o-oan?"
But as she's getting ready to go
A knock comes on the door

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
came down upon her head
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
made sure that she was dead

Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again
Teacher gets annoyed
Wishing to avoid and unpleasant scene-e-e-ene
She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away
So he waits behind
Writing fifty times "I must not be so-o-o-o
But when she turns her back on the boy
He creeps up from behind

Not sure what your keeping in the viv so what tempertures you need but if your using a ceramic it could make it quite hot in there (obviously this can be solved by the stat)... If I were you I'd look around for a 60w ceramic.. That would be plenty, you do get um on ebay.

Also to hold the ceramic you need a porcelin holder (not plastic)..... :wink:

oh and everything above is spot on!

__________________

I use these fittings for my ceramics:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...12m6&source=15

Smaller and cheaper than the hanging type - they screw directly into the viv ceiling. If the viv you've got is made of melamine/contiboard (which I think it is) then it'll be fine with the heat from low wattage ceramics - I use up to 100w in mine and they're perfectly ok.
Don't forget to use heat resistant mains cable - normal mains cable will melt!

You can use dimming stats with ceramics but they more expensive than pulse stats and don't do the job any better.

What are you going to keep in the viv? You may not need a day/night stat - many species are fine with just room temp at night.

As you're in Cambridge, have you heard of this shop:

http://www.camzoo.co.uk/

Good place for stats, frozen food and other bits and pieces - they're on the A10 near Littleport.

Many Thanks for all the replies much appreciated going to go for one of these fittings as suggested.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...12m6&source=15

Am I right in thinking that I attatch it to the roof of my vivarium by using the 2 black wings and some screws (After drilling a hole for the mains cable).

Also the heat resistant cable I've looked on Maplins Web Site but I am unsure of which cable to go for (Size & Cores).

LoL you may have guessed that DIY and Electrics is not my strong point

Regards

UKSidewinder

Just to add

You can use a dimmer or pulse stat. I think the dimmers are better as you can use them with anything including lights.

You can only use pulse with non light emitting devices.

So a dimmer has more uses should you edcide to chop and change.

__________________
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I agree about the dimming stat - they're more versatile if you think you may need to use it with a normal bulb in future.

Got a bit confused about the "black wings"! I assume you mean the bits with holes in that stick out at one end of the socket - yes, just a couple of screws through those and into the viv ceiling.

Heat resistant cable is the same stuff that immersion heaters are wired up with - you should be able to get it (cheaper than maplin i should think)from electrical trade wholesalers - the places electricians get their stuff - if you tell them what you need it for and the power of the bulb they'll give you the right size.
Should be less than £1 a metre - use at least 75cm per ceramic to be on the safe side.

I have had great results using the pearlco conical ceramic heaters. I just bought some off e-bay. I use a guard round the bulb that has a plate that mounts to the viv roof and the the bulb holder mounts onto that. They are made by a company in Kingston Upon Hull called 'Viv Safe'. The best thermostats available in this country are MicroClimate model DL1ME. They have a magic eye that sees the light and turns to a day or night setting. They also have a built in processor so on a morning temps are raised gradually and lowered gradually on a night. Hope this helps.