# Heating the Terrarium



## mmorris (May 17, 2016)

I have a planted 29 gallon terrarium with four auratus and app. three inches of substrate. I heat the house in the winter solely with a wood stove in the basement, and as I live in New England, it's pretty cool during the night and during the day when I am away. I bought a large Exo terra heat wave substrate heater and attached it to the underside of the tank. It warmed the terrarium by less than two degrees - very disappointing results. If I remove it and attach it to the back, will it heat more? I have a cork background. Can it be reattached? I need to be able to heat the terrarium by ten degrees. Has anyone put a small 25 watt aquarium heater in a jar and put it inside the terrarium? Thanks.
Martha


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## staarbit (Aug 15, 2016)

Hiya! I don't mean to hijack your post but I'm also interested in knowing the answer to this as I was just about to ask a similar question. Most of my vivs stay warm enough but I have a few in colder areas of the house that are dropping below 65 in winter and I want to make sure I can keep them warm enough. I thought the substrate heater might work, but if you're having problems with it my guess is that it wont be sufficient enough for me. Can I ask you how thick your substrate is? Because I'm guessing that makes a difference. Mine's probably about 3 inches in the tank I need to heat.


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## mmorris (May 17, 2016)

Hopefully someone will answer us both! Three inches of substrate.


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## Gekido (Feb 18, 2016)

Maybe a heat lamp? I have no clue my tanks are fine just tossing that out there though. A heat rock would not work and you said the stick on kind is not cutting it. 

If you have a mist system maybe heat that water with a aquarium heater just be careful to stay around 25 to 50 watts or it can melt your container. This one I may do myself if my new house is cooler, i'll find out soon. 

If you do this some companies make plastic housing heaters get one of them you dont want broken glass if the water level gets to low. I already have one from a old reef tank, but I can't remember the brand for sure I think it was marineland though. I will keep watching this It's good to have more info on our tanks even though I may not need this myself.

One last thought though when I use to keep fish as a kid, in the winter the snow would kill the power a lot. If that happened we would wrap blankets around the back of them to keep in the heat some. Maybe try to put something over the back it may look bad but it may help keep in the heat. It saved some of my fish thats for sure.


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## cwebster (Mar 5, 2016)

We don't have any fancy vivariums but use under tank and on the side heating pads and night bulb heat lamps to heat some of our many tanks. Also I put bubble wrap around and over the screen top of some frogs if it gets very cold. It is cheap easy insulation.


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## mmorris (May 17, 2016)

I wrapped the back, sides and half the top (the half without the strip light) with reflectix a couple days ago. It raised the temperature another degree. I bought a 10 watt Aqueon aquarium heater and put it in a jar. It heated the jar up to 90, so hopefully it will heat the terrarium up to 75 degrees. I'm putting it in the tank now. Unfortunately I don't think I can put the jar out of sight; air needs to circulate around it. I'll let you know what happens.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

I was thinking using heat tape or such. And a DIY temp controller from eBay. I built mine for less than $20.. set your temp put the sensor inside tank. Gets to hot it turns off. Gets to cold it turns on. Or get a dual controller. That's what I built. I used it for a chiller. You can run a fan and heater.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

I built mine exactly like this. Look on YouTube for DIY temp controller. There's lots of videos. https://youtu.be/-VLX2LhcC2U


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

The problem with many of these solutions is that they don't have feedback built-in. I would worry about overshooting the desired temperature and cooking my frogs. Maybe I am behind the times and these devices do come with some sort of adjustment and that they cut off when a desired temperature is reached.

Mark


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

Yes, you set whatever temp you want to come on and off. Say it set low 69 and his 78. When the temp drops to 68 it comes on. And when it reaches 78 it goes off.


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## Calebrh (Jun 7, 2016)

I somewhat recently moved from a warm climate to a cold one, and was having a big issue with heat at my new place. Adding heating pads on the side or underneth always has little effect. I did 3 things to fix my heat, or should I say cold problem.

First was to add heating tape on the floor of my tanks. It can be a pain to do after you have an established tank, but it works very well. Watch out to not put them too close to plants and burn them.

Second was to add ceramic heat emitter. I had to change from a lower wattage to higher, but it works.

Third was to add plants, decor, and more substrate to my tanks. Less air to heat and humidify makes things easier to control. 

Also at night I was covering my tanks with blankets temporarily, which helped a lot at night.

I too have a wood stove, and I have one tank somewhat near it. Keeps the tank very warm.

Again as previously stated, add one heating element at a time to be ensure you don't overheat your frogs.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

I'm going to experiment with this setup. I'm using a cobalt heater set to 92. I got a container from Walmart and using it. Pics kind of explain it best. And using my DIY thermostat to measure with and control heater. It's 4:15 and temp is 69. I'll check back tonight.


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## mmorris (May 17, 2016)

What's the wattage on the heater, Knap? DIY temp controller looks neat but DIY electricity is out of my ball park. The 10 watt heater in a jar, the substrate heater and the reflectex on the three sides collectively raised the temperature 8 degrees. The heater doesn't have temperature control. I bought a 25 watt heater that does in case 8 degrees isn't enough. I suspect it won't be. I put a ladies' nylon stocking over the top of the jar so the frogs couldn't get in. I like the idea of the controller with the heat lamp because the jar is intrusive. How many degrees will a heat lamp raise the temperature?


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## jimmy rustles (Mar 10, 2013)

I don't know what kinda lightning setup you use, but if you have led lighting but want more temperature, it might make sense to change to t5 tubes or hqi/hid lamps that bring light and temperature.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

I think it's a 100 watt but not sure. I'll have to check. The controller is super easy to wire also. There lots of YouTube videos on DIY thermostat. You get one off eBay around $10 -$15 shipped. And some even less than that. You can also do a humidity controller. And have it hooked up to a mister or humidifier. I did one of those but haven't finished it all yet. Still have a few details to sort out.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

Well, it creates a warm spot I guess. But tank temp in Bach is 64°. Maybe the plastic is to insulating. It's definitely warm to to touch. But it's not warming the tank. But the frogs can definitely get near it to warm up.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

Since it was 45 outside maybe this wasn't a bad temp after all. It's at °74 now. I'm still going to add some flex tape to the bottom. And change the heater and container.


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## Knap_123 (Sep 13, 2016)

Well, I went to reptile show and bought a ultratherm heating mat. Taped it to the bottom with duct work tape. And my temp was °68 high. Put my bottle back in and it's °78. For the winter I'm using the bottle.


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## bkochis (Sep 23, 2016)

Encyclia said:


> The problem with many of these solutions is that they don't have feedback built-in. I would worry about overshooting the desired temperature and cooking my frogs. Maybe I am behind the times and these devices do come with some sort of adjustment and that they cut off when a desired temperature is reached.
> 
> Mark


Not sure about frogs, as I do not have a heating problem in the apartment (yet). What I use for my Bearded Dragons and may work here is a Ceramic Heating Element and a garden heating mat thermostat. The probe for the thermostat goes about 2/3 of the way down into the tank. I measure the area with an infrared temp gun and set the thermostat accordingly. I want the bottom of the tank to stay at 65F, and wound up setting the thermostat to 68F. The temperature varies between 66 and 70. The thermostats (1000w capacity) can be gotten for around $18. 

I also use one with my Dubia colonies (3 colonies with 600 females) all the colonies heaters are plugged into a powerstrip and then into the thermostat. The 3 colonies maintain the +- 2 degree variance. 

Hope this helps with sone ideas.


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## casemodgod (Jun 10, 2015)

I use the Reptile Mats with the integrated heaters and temp monitors on them, set in a preset temp and let them manage themselves then.

I have 2 of them adhered to the back of my tank, that way they are heating up the background first and its only moderately increasing the temps inside, no real hot spots that way since the frogs aren't gonna sit on the background. 

It worked fine the previous winter with temps in Ohio reaching low double and single digits outside, my apt temp set at 70 and the ambient air being around that. 

When I needed more than that, I'd put a space heater into the room.


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## mppp (Feb 5, 2014)

I prefer to use a space heater set on low setting and not just any space heater, but one of the radiator looking oil ones as the temperature control is more stable and a very low setting heats the whole room so not only are my tanks/terrariums warmer, but the fruit fly cultures, tadpoles and froglets in room also benefit. Can anyone say run on sentence? See attached picture of Pelonis heater i paid around $40 at Walmart and I trust it not burning down the house or flipping off fuse switches in house as others have in the past.


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## VPardoel (Apr 2, 2010)

I've had the same problem.
Cold nights... cold room.. old house... was affraid that the tank was getting to cold when i was away.

I've installed 2 fans in tank that blows a minute or so every couple of hours.
The tank gets a little extra ventillation and also blows some of the heat from the lamps into the tank.
(open tank or ventillation strip like i have is needed ofcourse)

And since a couple of weeks i've added a small aquarium pump(just for the flow) and a heater to my mister
(just a bucket with water with a pump on it)
So instead of cold water being misted into the tank its slightly warmer.
The humidity rises and also keeps the tank a little bit warmer.

Might not be the best of all tips, but thats all i got


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

One thing I've used in the past with much success is an aquarium heating cable. A heat mat could actually crack the glass of your viv if you place it on the bottom of the tank and there is water in the false bottom. An aquarium heating cable was designed to be buried in the substrate of an aquarium. It's waterproof which you would need in a viv. It also helps raise the humidity a bit by encouraging water evaporation. I've used it in the false bottom section of vivs. I've used it with eggcrate and with LECA. It's probably a little less effective with LECA just because the heat has to make it through the LECA and substrate. 
Of course the simplest solution is to heat the room where the viv is located.


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## pygmycory (Dec 11, 2016)

I live in a basement suite in Canada where the temperature is in the '60s F most of the year. I use heat lamps and/or cheap aquarium incandescents to keep my crested gecko (which likes the same kind of temperatures as darts 68-80F) at sensible temperatures. I keep an eye on the temp. and switch out the bulbs as the seasons change. She has between 0-40w of incandescent on her tank at any one time. I also have some styrofoam on the outside of the back and 1 non-viewing side of the tank. I have used this method on her tank for over four years.

With darts requirement for higher humidity you will probably need to have a lot less ventilation than she has, since I find that heat lamps tend to dry things out.

Once I have dart frogs, I'm planning to put my dart frogs in half of a 18x24x18in exoterra with my crested gecko in the other half, separated by a plexiglass or glass piece cut to size and sealed with aquarium silicone. The heating and lighting of each tank should help keep the other warm.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

pygmycory said:


> I live in a basement suite in Canada where the temperature is in the '60s F most of the year. I use heat lamps and/or cheap aquarium incandescents to keep my crested gecko (which likes the same kind of temperatures as darts 68-80F) at sensible temperatures. I keep an eye on the temp. and switch out the bulbs as the seasons change. She has between 0-40w of incandescent on her tank at any one time. I also have some styrofoam on the outside of the back and 1 non-viewing side of the tank. I have used this method on her tank for over four years.
> 
> With darts requirement for higher humidity you will probably need to have a lot less ventilation than she has, since I find that heat lamps tend to dry things out.
> 
> Once I have dart frogs, I'm planning to put my dart frogs in half of a 18x24x18in exoterra with my crested gecko in the other half, separated by a plexiglass or glass piece cut to size and sealed with aquarium silicone. The heating and lighting of each tank should help keep the other warm.


So that means a 9" long x 24" tall x 18" wide space for darts? Kinda small don't ya think? Plus you already have the crested in there right? So you'd have to do a complete tear down, sanitize the entire tank and start over with new plants and tank decor. I appreciate your thoughts on how you hear your crested gecko viv.
Just some thoughts.....

P.S. I love when people that don't actually have dart frogs, give advice about how to keep dart frogs

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## pygmycory (Dec 11, 2016)

I'm not telling people how to keep darts. I'm just saying how I heat an animal that requires similar temperatures in a cold house, because I thought it might add an idea someone might want to adapt to their situation.

My crested gecko is not in this tank yet. She's in a 12x12x18 that I feel is a bit too small for her. The new much larger tank that I'd be dividing is 24 inches long, 18 inches tall, and 18 inches from back to front. Dividing that in half gives two 12x18x18 inch spaces.


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