ZooMed ReptiTemp 500R Owners - couple questions

[Biff Malibu]

I'm running a 100w ceramic heat emitter, in a 40-gal rectangular tank, for a 6 month old Sulcata.

Question 1) Where do you put the probe in your tank?

Question 2) Where do you adjust your dial to? (If you're in the so-cal area) for reference, it is 75 degrees in my room right now, hard to get an exact measurement on his basking spot under the CHE, due to the equipment I have.

Unfortunately you can't plug in the stat to say "103 degrees", it only has a blue to red dial (which obviously works in relation to where you put the probe).

I currently have it in the red/orange area, with my probe on top of the substrate, a little bit to the side from the heat emitter.

Its pretty tough to figure out where to put the probe, and where to put the dial, to get the right heat settings for the thing.

 

[EKLC]

I like putting the probe near the substrate on the cool side of the tank, but not far from the heating element. Basically keeping the minimum temperature of the tank above a threshold. To set it, you're going to have to keep the thermometer by the probe and determine what dial settings correspond to what temperatures.

 

[Biff Malibu]

Are you in socal? What's your threshold temp?

I'm also picking up a temp gun to get better readings.

 

[Tortus]

I use the hydrofarm digital thermostat which you can get for the same price as the zoo med one. It's advertised for seedling heat mats but a lot of people use them for reptile enclosures too (the probe works with any heat source, turning it on and off at the right temp). You can set the exact temp you want and it seems accurate according to my infrared gun.

I've had bad experiences with zoo med products lately.

 

[Biff Malibu]

Product seems to be working fine, just looking for probe position / overall night time temp for a sulcata 6 month baby.

 

[EKLC]

I would cover your enclosure to keep heat in, and set the thermostat to come on at 79 degrees

 

[Tom]

I like the probe on the cool side, near the substrate, and set to 80.

 

[Biff Malibu]

Questions answered. Thanks everyone! Now its just a matter of calibration.