# Heating a tall tank options



## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

I'll be starting my new build pretty soon in a 60x45x90cm LxWxH Exo Terra. It will have a full glass top with LED lighting and internal duct work for air circulation. Im wanting to make sure I have more temperature control on this tank than in my 45x45x60cm Exo which is heated just by room temperature.

It will include quite a tall false floor which I could heat with an aquarium heater, which would probably mean the ground area would be warmer than the top of the tank? I know heat rises but don't know how the temperatures would fluctuate. 

Has anyone thought of running a small ceramic heater on a pulse thermostat inside the duct work for larger tanks?


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## mongo77 (Apr 28, 2008)

How about using one of those heat mats commonly used for reptiles that sticks to the bottom of the tank. Stick one on the back wall of the tank with a temp probe inside. This should give a nice wide heat source and a lot of plants grow well with warm roots.


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## SaFFyR (Jun 23, 2014)

I will be using LED as well in my 80x60x80 (cm) viv so I'm gonna use a small ceramic heater of 25W (maybe 40W) on a thermostat. I spoke with someone who has the same setup with a ceramic heater and it works very well, no problems with humidity at all if you just keep misting and fogging on a regular basis.


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

mongo77 said:


> How about using one of those heat mats commonly used for reptiles that sticks to the bottom of the tank. Stick one on the back wall of the tank with a temp probe inside. This should give a nice wide heat source and a lot of plants grow well with warm roots.


I read somewhere quite a few people don't like to use heat mats under the vivarium if they're using a false floor holding some water incase it cracks the glass. Don't know if it's true or not but it's always stuck in my head so never went down that route.

There will be a Great Stuff background in this build. I thought because of the size of this tank most heat mats wouldn't give me much control of heating the tank completely, just concentrating on certain areas.


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

SaFFyR said:


> I will be using LED as well in my 80x60x80 (cm) viv so I'm gonna use a small ceramic heater of 25W (maybe 40W) on a thermostat. I spoke with someone who has the same setup with a ceramic heater and it works very well, no problems with humidity at all if you just keep misting and fogging on a regular basis.


Where do they have it mounted? And where will you be mounting it?

I want this to be a show vivarium so I don't want it to be seen in or on top of the vivarium, that's why I wondered if it could be hidden in the duct work.


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## Darrell S (Jan 9, 2011)

Hi.
Just sharing my trials and failures. the heat mat for me would get very hot and by the time the thermometer would shut it down it would take awhile for the temp to come down. (lots of damp hot soil) the temp kept doing a roller coaster rise and fall of over 25 to 30 degrees and finally cracked the glass. on the next attempt I bought the adjustable power controller for a hog heat mat, and then the thermostat . the matt would only get as warm as I set it and the thermostat would shut it down. so now the mat runs at about 80 deg. with just a few volts and the temps stay almost constant. Here is the link to the ones I bought. Heat Mat Control - Power Control F911 | QC Supply
sorry It was such a long post.


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

harleytt said:


> Hi.
> Just sharing my trials and failures. the heat mat for me would get very hot and by the time the thermometer would shut it down it would take awhile for the temp to come down. (lots of damp hot soil) the temp kept doing a roller coaster rise and fall of over 25 to 30 degrees and finally cracked the glass. on the next attempt I bought the adjustable power controller for a hog heat mat, and then the thermostat . the matt would only get as warm as I set it and the thermostat would shut it down. so now the mat runs at about 80 deg. with just a few volts and the temps stay almost constant. Here is the link to the ones I bought. Heat Mat Control - Power Control F911 | QC Supply
> sorry It was such a long post.


Thanks for the info  

Im on the other side of the pond so would have to find an equivalent to do it this way


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## yerbamate (Nov 3, 2013)

Reptile mats are cool, but I have found that you never know when they are gonna give out. I have a pvc duct system in my 55 gal tall viv, too. there is a 10 degree differential from top to bottom, so when hot air comes down the tube and hits the water that leaks into the bottom piece of PVC, it seems to pick up moisture which gets blown up into the tank via fan. When I eventually put the frogs in, I assume that they are gonna choose where their own comfort zone will be. As an aside, it's kinda' cool 'cause I can place hot and cool loving orchids in different parts of the viv. Post a pic!


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## SaFFyR (Jun 23, 2014)

papa_mcknight said:


> Where do they have it mounted? And where will you be mounting it?
> 
> I want this to be a show vivarium so I don't want it to be seen in or on top of the vivarium, that's why I wondered if it could be hidden in the duct work.


The light is installed in the lighthood above the +- 5 cm wide mesh. Exo terra sells these extra short ceramic lights so you don't have to build a lighthood that's too high. You can use computer fans to blow hot air from the lighthood created by the ceramic heat light into the viv through the mesh.

I'm afraid that a cramic heat light inside the duct work will maybe get too hot for the duct work material/computer fan?


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

SaFFyR said:


> The light is installed in the lighthood above the +- 5 cm wide mesh. Exo terra sells these extra short ceramic lights so you don't have to build a lighthood that's too high. You can use computer fans to blow hot air from the lighthood created by the ceramic heat light into the viv through the mesh.
> 
> I'm afraid that a cramic heat light inside the duct work will maybe get too hot for the duct work material/computer fan?


Ah right, I wont be using the original Exo Terra mesh top, will be a glass top and in built air circulation like Grimm's Peninsula. I was thinking if the duct drew air from the bottom of the viv and the fan was mounted half way up the tank, if it would be possible to run a small ceramic heater inside the duct at the top, running 24-26ºC max on a pulse thermostat. Was wondering if anyone thought this may work if there was enough space in the ducting.


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

yerbamate said:


> Reptile mats are cool, but I have found that you never know when they are gonna give out. I have a pvc duct system in my 55 gal tall viv, too. there is a 10 degree differential from top to bottom, so when hot air comes down the tube and hits the water that leaks into the bottom piece of PVC, it seems to pick up moisture which gets blown up into the tank via fan. When I eventually put the frogs in, I assume that they are gonna choose where their own comfort zone will be. As an aside, it's kinda' cool 'cause I can place hot and cool loving orchids in different parts of the viv. Post a pic!


Thanks for the heads up man  

I want the top section of the tank hotter than the floor without resorting to using a heat lamp from above as it will be a full glass top with 2 LED canopies.


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