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andys
Snake Mite
21 Posts |
 Posted - 13/11/2010 : 15:59:03
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Just coming to the end of my first viv build project and wanted to share a couple of things, whilst trying to avoid things which have been covered many times already.
The main thing I wanted to talk about is the heating setup, but firstly a couple of tips others may find useful.
#1 Using a slide binder for sealing the overlap between the glass doors. These are the things you can pick up in any staionary place. Cut it shorter than the height of the glass so that it still allows easy insertion/removal of the glass. As you can see it leaves only enough space for a cable tie.
#2 Using plastic tubes to get cables into the viv. This means you can effectively seal the whole avoiding water ingress into the conti-board, without necessarily sealing the sensor wires into place.
So, on to heating. After reading on here and many other places there is a great deal of debate about what to do with the heat mat. Cover it or not, where to place the probe, etc.
So, I decided to completely hide the mat and an extra temp sensor under a vinly tile, but leaving an air gap. The mat is on the viv floor, a number of plastic spacers are used to provide the space, then the vinyl on top. This cavity is COMPLETELY sealed with sealant from the inside of the viv. The stat sensor is ON TOP of the vinyl with another temp sensor.
I was concerned about the ability for the heat to get into the viv, or the mat overheating, but it seems to work quite well, here are my observations :-
(1) Aiming for 29C on top of the vinyl, the heat mat maxes out at about 38C when the system is fired up, then calms down to about 33 or so depending on ambient temps. This high temp at the mat is no problem, as this area is totally sealed from the snake. Using a simple on/off stat in this situation does not work well because there is a delay between the heat mat coming on and the heat coming through the vinyl, pulsed stat is a MUST.
(2) Even a thin layer of substrate (1cm or so) produces a large temp difference. 29C at the vinyl surface results in as little as 23C on top of the substrate, with a hide on top 25C.
(3) Putting the hide directly on the vinyl (no substrate) produces a lower temp at the vinyl (26 to 27, due to less insulation i imagine), but presumeably the presence of a snake in the hide will return the temp at the vinyl to the 29C.
(4) When the desired temp is reached, the system is very stable, i rarely get a variance of 0.2C !
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sullysteve
Yearling
United Kingdom
507 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:13:13
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WOW, very OCD! lol but great lil tips and perfect set up. I wish i had the patiance!!
Good work pal!
Sul |
   
1.0 Corns Geoff (Ghost)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa - Heidi
1.1 Kings - Pete (Florida) + Mamba (Cali Stripe)
1.2 Ball Pythons (Pastel + Bumblebee + Normal)
Location : Warrington, Cheshire |
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andys
Snake Mite
21 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:15:24
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quote:
Originally posted by sullysteve
WOW, very OCD!
Guilty as charged  |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:15:53
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| very nice, but not sure about theory on the temps over the linovthough, i've got lino and substrate, and my temps are about 28. something or other, I also use a matstat for my mats where ive got lino in the vivs in this situation and works just fine maintaining the temps. |
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andys
Snake Mite
21 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:20:17
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quote:
Originally posted by gmac
very nice, but not sure about theory on the temps over the linovthough, i've got lino and substrate, and my temps are about 28. something or other, I also use a matstat for my mats where ive got lino in the vivs in this situation and works just fine maintaining the temps.
You are probably right, I didnt want to end up spending the next few days measuring every detail - just wanted to get a feel for it. It was just interesting to see how the slightest change in substrate depth, temp sensor position, etc can make quite a difference.
Important thing is that nothing is going to high, and i'm more than happy with a degree or two depending on how the hides are set up.
Out of interest, is that really 28 at the lino and 28 at the top of the substrate ? |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:20:29
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| You have the same thermometer/hygrometer set up as me, it really does the trick and means I know whats what and where. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:25:33
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quote:
Originally posted by andys
quote:
Originally posted by gmac
very nice, but not sure about theory on the temps over the linovthough, i've got lino and substrate, and my temps are about 28. something or other, I also use a matstat for my mats where ive got lino in the vivs in this situation and works just fine maintaining the temps.
You are probably right, I didnt want to end up spending the next few days measuring every detail - just wanted to get a feel for it. It was just interesting to see how the slightest change in substrate depth, temp sensor position, etc can make quite a difference.
Important thing is that nothing is going to high, and i'm more than happy with a degree or two depending on how the hides are set up.
Out of interest, is that really 28 at the lino and 28 at the top of the substrate ?
yes, but it is only a very small amount of substrate about 1cm max possibly not even that.
but in the end it makes no odds its what actually works for you and yours looks to be working fine, the only thing I did make sure is that the surface of the lino was correct temp as when they settle in the hide they would displace the substrate so that's what temp they would be getting.
edit, just checked temps on substrate and lino, very little difference not even half a degree.
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Edited by - gmac on 13/11/2010 16:28:13 |
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andys
Snake Mite
21 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:29:28
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| The "warm side" reading along with the stat are stuck to the lino with sealant, so I'm measuring and stat'ing according to the lino temperature. So even if he burrows down, thats the hottest he'll get. |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:30:48
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| nice one, and I do like the setup |
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andys
Snake Mite
21 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2010 : 16:31:59
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Thanks :)
You've set off my OCD a bit now though, will re-visit my top of substrate temp measurements... |
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drchino
Yearling
United Kingdom
660 Posts |
Posted - 14/11/2010 : 05:21:44
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| haha nice set up, am looking to build a viv when I get the space |
0.1.0 Izzy - Amber Motley Corn
0.2.0 White rats - Rose and Myra
0.0.1 Crested Gecko - Yoshi |
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Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן
United Kingdom
8173 Posts |
Posted - 14/11/2010 : 12:27:42
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quote:
Originally posted by andys
.........You've set off my OCD a bit now though...........
I think you'll find that in the correct alphabetical order it's CDO. 
Superb setup by the way, gutted I never thought of the little plastic tube idea for the cables. |
-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon
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viv build experiences
