What temps. for top of substrate with Heat Ropes?

[mightymizz]

So, I have been using heat ropes to help raise humidity and to warm the substrate for the last couple of months. I have also been using a temp. gun to check how warm various spots are on the surface of the substrate.

What would be considered a "good" range for the surface level temps to be? What would be "too warm"?


Background on my setup. I am using Repti-Bark which is smaller fir pieces and it is at least 4 to 5 inches deep if not approaching 6. Heat ropes is at bottom of substrate and I do pour water towards bottom once a week or so. I have the heat rope on a timer and I also use spacing to try and help regulate surface temps, while helping to raise humidity.

I also use CHE on thermostat and all of my thermometers range from 82-86 degrees ambient temps. A small section of the enclosure has no heat rope underneath it and I hope this helps leave a cooler spot that the babies can retreat to.

If my humidity gauge from BigApple (the one with the probe) is correct, I usually maintain ~70-80% humidity.

Thanks! Any other thoughts are welcome also!

 

[Madkins007]

I would want the soil top temperatures in the 75-85 range or so, but I would not sweat it being a bit cooler at the edges or coolest areas. I would get nervous if it was routinely over 90 except for maybe a little bit of the hottest area.

Heat ropes are not miraculous- they mostly just take the chill off and help moderate the heat. The actual temps will depend a lot on the type of substrates you use, how deep they are, how wet they are, etc.

 

[mightymizz]

Sounds good. I have never had the issue of wondering if my substrate was too hot and with me being so new to using heat ropes, I am still trying to figure out the ideal on/off time using a timer.

Thanks again!

 

[dabayliss]

We have heat-ropes that are attached to an agricultural thermostat - the ropes are 3 inches below the surface; the probe for the thermostats are almost surface level. We set them to 72 for the larger torts and 75 for the babies. We also have remote temperature sensors that lay upon the surface that are monitored (and alarmed at 68/71).

We have found this works extremely well for garage temperatures down to mid-fifties PROVIDED no-one opens the garage door (heat ropes cannot rapidly counteract a dramatic change in temperature). We had two alarms last winter; one because a tort urinated on a sensor and one when the fuse tripped in the garage ...

CAVEAT: this is florida - so we don't NEED to humidify UNLESS it is cold (in the summer it is plenty humid enough)

 

[mightymizz]

Thanks appreciate the insight!