| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 27/03/2012 : 22:28:38
Good evening everyone,
I am having a double wooden vivarium made and I was wondering as heat rises will I have a problem with getting the correct temps in the top viv, if so is there anything I can use to insulate the top viv , thanks any advice will be greatly received .
KingKenny. |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 29/03/2012 : 18:51:15
Thanks to all of you for your help and advice. I will be getting the viv made with a gap between levels. My local reptile shop has told me the hatchling Royals are arriving next week, they have said they will be for sale in about 4-5 weeks as they like to sell with a feeding record, I will post some pics when I'm all sorted.
Thanks again
KingKenny.
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| Lotabob |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 23:46:07
I use ceramics too and once everything is up to temperature the stat reduces the heat from the bulb to practically nothing to maintain the temperature. I did extensive testing on heat transfer from ceramics, it was very important my vivariums were not effected in any way shape or form by a heat source not controlled by a stat in that vivarium.
I don't really follow your explanation of your 'cycle', to me it looks like ceramics through the day and lights at night though I'm sure that's not how you do it.
I would say if you are having a custom viv made or building one yourself the extra piece of wood required to put in an air gap to minimise heat transfer (so whats going on in each viv is individually controlled by the stat in that viv) is well worth the cash. Even when stacking bought in vivariums a small baton of wood to just lift one viv off the other slightly is going to help you maintain the correct heat gradient. |
| n/a |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 23:04:18
The OP did not state what heat source he was using and going from my experience through using a ceramic heat source the amount of heat they produce.
I have a 3 stack set up and I have it set up as follows
My bottom viv uses a heat mat and night light source on a 12 hr timer which has my corn in it.
The middle viv uses a ceramic heat source on 12hr cycle along with a night light heat source also on a 12 hr cycle this houses my carpet python.
The top viv has no daytime heat source as the heat is provided from the ceramic heat source but it had a 12hr night source this houses the royal.
All my vivs hold there heat well and I've had no problems but did have problems initially in getting the balance right but once I overcame that every thing seems in check and working as it should be.
Since I have had like this I've notice that I see a lot more of the snakes now.
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| Lotabob |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 20:25:35
quote:
Originally posted by toggsy
Without stating the obvious just make sure the hot ends are the same side on both vivs
And by that I think you mean dont put a hot end of one viv next to the cold end of another. It actually wouldn't make a lot of difference.
I built my own custom viv and put areas in for dispersing the heat in the form of shelves.
The heat bulbs are fitting underneath the shelf area on the bottom vivs, the middle one is a corn viv so the heat loss out of it is of no concern to the big Boa viv at the top. |
| n/a |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 19:32:31
Without stating the obvious just make sure the hot ends are the same side on both vivs |
| n/a |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 18:33:08
No problem, glad to help 
Depends on your manufacturer as to whether to get two separate vivs - imo they would certainly be easier to install and dismantle should you want to move them, but the builder would be able to advise on pros and cons better than I can.
Or you could get a build with air gap incorporated and hidden? Although I have no trouble at all maintaining temps in my two vivs stacked without an air gap (the stat takes care of that) an air gap's not a bad thing to have - BUT, it can be a temptation to a lively snake - ooo, what's in here then??? And before you know it snakey's zoomed into the gap lol.
Plus it can look ugly - this is what I did with my stack in the end -
But with a custom built stack the builder would be able to mask the gap much more professionally. |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 18:05:52
Nice , I like your set up . The gap that my vivs need to fit in is not a standard size it's just under 3 foot so I was getting the two vivs made in one unit do you think I might be better off having two seperate vivs made so I can create the gap with battens ?
Thanks for all your help so far |
| n/a |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 17:50:49
This is what I did with my viv stack - I tried covering the top gap with gaffer tape (looked ugly; I now have thin slats of wood between tiers) but you can see that between the bottom and middle layer I have thin strips of battening - half an inch thickness I reckon.
Hope this helps. |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 17:15:41
Ok , so as its a custom build would it be worth getting a gap built in so instead of having the top of the bottom Enclosure as the floor in the top enclosure, have a top small gap then bottom of the top ( if that makes any sense ha ha I've nearly confused myself ) if so how big would the gap need to be? |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 13:00:42
Not really, it would need an air gap to disperse the heat. |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 00:27:23
Would it be worth insulating the floor of the top viv with polystyrene or something ? |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 28/03/2012 : 00:07:10
I have a custom viv and the heat loss out the top of a corn vivarium once its running upto temperature is very very small. It really wont have an effect on the royal vivarium above as it will be running hotter anyway. You would need the corn on the bottom as the heat loss from the royal viv would cook the poor thing the other way round, I learnt this when I first stacked some vivariums and found my corn climbing the walls to get out of a hot vivarium. |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 27/03/2012 : 23:45:43
No I'm just going to use statted bulbs in the vivs, I currently have my corn on a mat and stat but I'm goIng to use them on my hatchling royal until its big enough to go in the vivs. Thanks.
KingKenny |
| n/a |
Posted - 27/03/2012 : 23:26:05
Sorry, do you mean you're running a mat and bulb in each viv? You don't need to. Just the right watt infra red or ceramic heatbulb, separately statted, or just a mat and stat for the corn and the bulb and stat for the royal, is fine.(I used to think I needed a mat and bulb with my first setup as the shop told me I should have this, but it isn't necessary.)
Hard to say with that corn ...I have a few of these critters, and my older corns can be very restless at this time of year, but it ain't the heat, it's the urge ...corn mating season lol!  |
| KingKenny |
Posted - 27/03/2012 : 23:11:57
Yes il be using guarded heat bulbs, was thinking of leaving the corn on a mat and putting that in the bottom viv, but I'm getting a hatchling royal so I'm going to use the mat and stat until its big enough. I'll set the viv up with guarded bulbs on a twin dimming stat. My friend has his corn set up with a bulb and it's far more active , do u think it's because of the higher ambient temp? . |
| n/a |
Posted - 27/03/2012 : 22:37:13
Hi, I'm assuming you'll be using guarded heat bulbs? There shouldn't be a problem - as long as they're separately statted, the stat in the lower viv will work harder, and the upper viv will benefit from some heat from below and the stat for that bulb will control the heat to the proper temp. It's basically the same with mats - but mats are not a good idea for any royal older than hatchling stage.
It does help if an air space (just use lengths of battening or even polystyrene between levels) can be managed between the vivs - I have this with my double three viv stack,but, having said that, I have two vivs stacked together without a space, and temps are fine. As long as you have thermostats, the temps will be controlled. |
