# Where to place Thermometer and Hygrometer?



## that Frog Guy

I just got the Fluker's Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer.

Where is the best place to put it in the Terrarium?


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## FHal11

Also curious where the best spot is...

I have mine placed about a third of the way up (18x18x24 Zoo Med tank) towards the back corner. I've measured it a few degrees warmer towards the top where the lights are, and a bit cooler in the shade and amongst leaf litter on the ground. But I feel that this spot gives a good approximation of the overall viv condition. For the record, at this measuring spot the temp peaks at about 74F, and the humidity is usually between 82-87%...

Anyone else?


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## goatdude

i have found the best place to put those are one near the top and one near the bottom. (you want different readings) also don't leave the Fluker's Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer in the tank permanently. they tend to burn out.


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## fishguyturnedfrog

You don't really need a thermometer as long as the temp in your house is mid to low 70's. If you're using LED or florescent lights, they won't really warm the viv up more than 3-4 degrees. If you want to look at temps, get an infrared temp gun. You can pick them up for $30-$40. With the gun you're able to take readings from all over the tank and see different micro climates instead of just ambient temp.

As for the the humidity, I've read that you should have it around 2/3rds of the way down the tank. If you have terrestrial frogs, you'll be checking more in the area that they're mostly hanging out.


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## Zoomie

I had them in all my tanks early on. Then I came home after work one day and I wet myself when one of them said 95 degrees F. I yanked the doors open waiting to feel a burst of heat. Grabbed a temp gun and all was fine.

They aren't very accurate and often cause unecessary strokes with froggers. 4 tanks in the same room and no two of them read the same temp or humidity in spite of being mounted in a uniform spot within each tank. 

Humidity can be eyeballed based on glass moisture. Grab a temp gun from Amazon so you can check from time to time until you are sure that temps are relatively stable in the tank.

If you want to run them initially just to see, you'll still need something more accurate to verify any unusual reading.


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## that Frog Guy

What is the Most Accurate Hygrometer then?


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## Dizzle21

that Frog Guy said:


> What is the Most Accurate Hygrometer then?


Your eyes


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## B-NICE

There is no purpose of having a hydrometer. Its best to just buy a temp gun. You can tell if your humidity is good by seeing some type of condensation on the glass. Just make sure your viv doesn't have a lot of ventilation. Vert tanks suck when it comes to humidity.


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## suztor

See I'm confused by all this talk of condensation. My hygro says 85% but there is only condensation in the morning when the temperature in the tank doesn't match the temp out of the tank. 

Although still rather n00bish, I think presence of condensation shouldn't be the only source measurement. Other factors affect when it happens.

~Sue

sent from my incredible...mind


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## FHal11

suztor said:


> See I'm confused by all this talk of condensation. My hygro says 85% but there is only condensation in the morning when the temperature in the tank doesn't match the temp out of the tank.


My thoughts too...

I suppose that if you have a hygrometer to measure at what humidity levels YOU start to get condensation, you can use that knowledge for future reference, but it seems useful to use measurements as well as tank observation when determining humidity. Truthfully, it's all just data, and it's up to you to interpret it properly.

In my (albeit brief) experience, and in the conditions in my house, I only get significant condensation if the humidity measures above 89-90%. Granted, I live in FL, where the indoor temperatures and humidity are probably higher than most in the country, (and least dissimilar to the viv) but with zero condensation on the glass, the tank stays plenty warm, humid and damp...


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## Ed

suztor said:


> See I'm confused by all this talk of condensation. My hygro says 85% but there is only condensation in the morning when the temperature in the tank doesn't match the temp out of the tank.
> 
> Although still rather n00bish, I think presence of condensation shouldn't be the only source measurement. Other factors affect when it happens.
> 
> ~Sue
> 
> sent from my incredible...mind


Condensation occurs when the temperature of the surface is cooler than the dew point of the water in the air inside the enclosure.. It doesn't really give you a real idea of what the actual humidity is in the tank. 

One of the pieces of voodoo husbandry that is consistently passed around this hobby is that the frogs require very high levels of humidity and cool temperatures (which in a number of species, directly opposite how they live..). For example D. tinctorious from the Sipaliwini Savanna can have humidity as low as 60% RH and temperatures well in excess of 75 F.... 

Ed


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## phaz3boy

I recommend not even using fluckers thermo/hygro meters because they completly burn out or stop working when it gets real humid. Just by a cheap thermo/hygro meter from petco. my humidity was real high one day like 91 the flickers thermo/hygro meter was all wet. And two.days later it stop working.


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## JJuchems

I don't recommend wasting your money on them. If you already have one, mount them to a plexiglass and place in the tank for 15 minutes or so, get your reading then remove them.


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## SOswanski

that Frog Guy said:


> What is the Most Accurate Hygrometer then?


There are some really high end data loggers that can give you excellent read-outs of your tanks' climate range.

Hobo Data Loggers are a great example of this, but many others state Flukers digi gauge used sparingly or the el cheapo themos and hygros seem to be adequate for most species ranges. 

Best and most accurate are different I suppose. So, accurate would have to go to the tools designed for scientific data collection, not pet shop application.


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## that Frog Guy

Are the Exo Terra Digital ones better than the Fluker's?

I got the Fluker's because someone online said that they were the best. Now I am hearing otherwise


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## SOswanski

I have tested flukers models against nicer scientific devised and they have been accurate to 1 degree/1%, but longevity is not there. That being said, I've had one for two years without doing more than battery changes . I just don't let it run every day, instead I take range readings as the ambient temp outside significantly fluctuates. The cheaper gauges get tou more in the ball park all the time. Like someone else said you can start looking at your tanks and know about where they should be upon sight. The gauges are a more accurate back up to what you to watch for.


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## Cameron Blaze

You say your meter got all wet and burnt out.... Did you have the whole gauge or the whole meter inside the terrarium? I was able to squeeze the lid of my terrarium closed with just the ends of the two sensors and wires inside tank with the rest of it outside the tank... and I don't see why the sensors by themselves wouldn't be able to withstand the moisture


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## Socratic Monologue

Hygrometer sensors cannot tolerate water on them at all, including condensation, without failing. Thermo sensors are each different, but many/most I've seen marketed for herps are submersible.


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## stinsonlarry1978

FHal11 said:


> Also curious where the best spot is...
> 
> I have mine placed about a third of the way up (18x18x24 Zoo Med tank) towards the back corner. I've measured it a few degrees warmer towards the top where the lights are, and a bit cooler in the shade and amongst leaf litter on the ground. But I feel that this spot gives a good approximation of the overall viv condition. For the record, at this measuring spot the temp peaks at about 74F, and the humidity is usually between 82-87%...


What what about the humidity level for a bearded dragon to grow then it supposed to be between 30 and 40 I'm trying to get the humidity level to go down so I'm not having much luck I'm not quite sure where to put the humidity gauge at dragon's tank


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## Socratic Monologue

stinsonlarry1978 said:


> What what about the humidity level for a bearded dragon to grow then it supposed to be between 30 and 40 I'm trying to get the humidity level to go down so I'm not having much luck I'm not quite sure where to put the humidity gauge at dragon's tank


You should post this on a bearded dragon or reptile forum. This is a dart frog forum -- entirely different animal group with entirely different husbandry practices.


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