RHP placement

Brently · 05-21-13, 06:50 PM

I am getting ready to build a life enclosure for my bcc. I plan on making it about 6-8 feet long around 2 wide and around 3 tall. I am considering using a RHP and I am curious as to the best placement. Is it ideal to mount on the wall or ceiling? Plus about what size should I get. On the opposite side of the tank I plan on having a recessed filtered pool. Any thoughts are appreciated. I am just going to build on the fly. Hoping to complete in the next month or two. Thanks guys I will add a tentative and probably crappy picture of my plan later.

Brently · 05-21-13, 11:16 PM

Here is my child like tentative design. Please use your imagination. And yes I know it's not very descriptive.

possum · 05-22-13, 12:04 AM

I don't use RHP's, but in talking to many others who swear by them, they all seem to put them on the ceiling. Depending on your ambient house or room temperatures, as well as the size of the cage and the material it's made of (insulation/ R-value if you will?) you may also need a UTH...best to experiment with temperatures before the snake moves in. You might check with some professional cage-building dealers (pretend to be shopping for a cage of similar size & ask what size RHP they use in it? but I'm pretty sure their answer will depend on your home temperatures too...) That's great you are thinking big & life-accommodating. I assume you are using materials impervious to water and that can be easily disinfected?

Terranaut · 05-22-13, 02:50 AM

Ok. Here we go. 6or 8ft long will make a difference for many aspects of your cage. First off I see you want to do this right so bare with me.Use one heat source. Ceiling mount the rhp for sure. Put the RHP 1/3 of the total length to one side on center. So a 6' viv would see the rhp mounted 2' in from one side to the center of the rhp. The light can go in the middle like you have. Unless your pool is removable do not bother getting that fancy. The issues it will cause will out weigh the "coolness" of it. IMHO it is best to wall or ceiling mount all plants so they can stay when you change the substrate. Again IMHO you can place the heat probe almost anywhere if you confirm your temps with a temperature gun. I would mount it in the middle of the viv about 3" off the bottom on the back wall but again this is just what I would do. Also I assume the dark black lines are branches for climbing? If so I would set my temps so the branch under the RHP is about 5d degrees above the normal recommended hot side temps. It becomes a basking perch. This is great for the overall health of the snake. Just ensure your cool side stays low enough and confirm all with a temp gun. It's almost 5 am here and my brain is tired(night shift). If I left anything out just ask..... after I sleep

Brently · 05-22-13, 07:19 PM

I appologize for the small font, I just took a picture of a print off. To clarify the box labeled light is actually going to be an exo terra dimmer and the two lines on either side will be the bulbs. I will put the RHP on the ceiling now. The thick lines that are angled will either be large branches or large vines that I hope to attach using quick release pins so they can be removed for cleaning. I had planned on making the water basin permanent with a plugable drain in the bottom for cleaning but now I may make it a removable tub. The hide is actually a large hollow log that I have and that I will hollow out more to accomodate her size. The line on the left that has pad written on it I intended to be a heat pad but I may change to heat cable under the substrate and maybe move it closer to the tub. I plan on using a spyder robotics herpstat II for the stat. Any more tips or suggestions on that clarification?

smy_749 · 05-24-13, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brently

I appologize for the small font, I just took a picture of a print off. To clarify the box labeled light is actually going to be an exo terra dimmer and the two lines on either side will be the bulbs. I will put the RHP on the ceiling now. The thick lines that are angled will either be large branches or large vines that I hope to attach using quick release pins so they can be removed for cleaning. I had planned on making the water basin permanent with a plugable drain in the bottom for cleaning but now I may make it a removable tub. The hide is actually a large hollow log that I have and that I will hollow out more to accomodate her size. The line on the left that has pad written on it I intended to be a heat pad but I may change to heat cable under the substrate and maybe move it closer to the tub. I plan on using a spyder robotics herpstat II for the stat. Any more tips or suggestions on that clarification?

What do you need the dimmer for if your going to have the herpstat? Is it just for lighting effects? Or using both in conjunction so you don't have lights flickering on and off ? About the water pan, you will absolutely want to make it removable for cleaning purposes. Also radiant heat panel, heatpad, and bulbs seems like too many heat sources, I don't think you need all 3

Brently · 05-25-13, 08:08 AM

The dimmer is only for light effects. They will be fluorescent tubes not heating elements. I am pretty sure I will be going with removable water pan at this point. I am only going to have 2 heat sources.

jarich · 05-25-13, 08:14 AM

I could be wrong, but I think the only way to dim fluorescent tubes is with a quite expensive dimmer ballast. Tubes are essentially on or off as they dont work on an wire element like incandescents. Maybe you already know this and have one though.

rocknhorse76 · 05-25-13, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

I could be wrong, but I think the only way to dim fluorescent tubes is with a quite expensive dimmer ballast. Tubes are essentially on or off as they dont work on an wire element like incandescents. Maybe you already know this and have one though.

Yes, that's absolutely correct. You need a dimmable ballast for fluorescent tubes, or use dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs in a normal light fixture. Electrician for 17 years fyi.

smy_749 · 05-25-13, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocknhorse76

Yes, that's absolutely correct. You need a dimmable ballast for fluorescent tubes, or use dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs in a normal light fixture. Electrician for 17 years fyi.

You should put the electrician thing in your signature ...seriously. Alot of people on here have wiring questions and what not, people need to start advertising there expertise on here with things like carpentry, plumbing, other hobbies and whatever else is possibly useful to herpers.

Thats an easy fix to the OP, just don't se fluorescent lighting. Is their anyway to have it start out in the morning as dim light, reach full strength, and dim out before it turns off to have a sunrise/sunset effect or no?

Brently · 05-26-13, 08:01 AM

Exo Terra : Light Cycle Unit / Electronic Dimming Terrarium Lamp Controller

This is a link for exo terra light cycle. It is advertised to start off dim and take 30 mins to come to full power and the reverse for the end of the day. That is why I want to use fluorescent tubes.

jarich · 06-05-13, 07:22 AM

Huh, look at that. I thought they were still really expensive. Glad to see they have come down in price now. Thats pretty cool, thanks for the link.