gotta love christmas! - Page 2

bampi · 01-03-14, 07:38 PM

so, finished up the modifications today. here are pictures of the updated tank. I really pissed her off adding more substrate. Thought she was hiding under basking log. Picked up the hide, and there she was. Covered her back up, and she ran out puffed up, opened her mouth and started looking ferocious. I'm very sad that she hates me so much. But oh well. Here are the photos!

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bampi · 01-03-14, 07:44 PM

oh ****...that made a ton of difference in how the lighting effects the aquarium too. Cold side was just 100F. Turned off the ceramic heater. Will turn it on at night. And leave the infrared light off this evening to see how low the temperature drops. Just having the hard top almost knocks you on your *** when you open it. VERY humid inside.

bampi · 01-06-14, 02:34 PM

so a few days have past since the encloser modifications. The only interactions I have are during water changes. And that is just a brief reach in grab for bowl and out. I'm still putting food in on a dish, and letting her to to it as she wants. I think in a few weeks time i'm going to start trying to tong feed and see if she takes to that. Until then, just letting her acclimate to the encloser and see what happens. Thanks again for all the help!

murrindindi · 01-06-14, 03:12 PM

Hi again, it`s much better now! The easiest way to seal the gap between the two top halves is to put a piece of 2 x 1/2 inch beading on one half so when it`s together it`s sealed (one part slides over the other slightly).
You also need to cover the back and sides to offer more privacy, that will also effect the temps so keep an eye on those.
Is that a mistake when you say the cool side was only 100f?
Edit: Where`s the basking spot?

bampi · 01-06-14, 05:36 PM

the basking side is around 140-150 at the moment. I'm sure if I did side covers that would be even higher. But yes, I have a ceramic bulb on the cool side that I turned off because I was reading in the link that I was given earlier that cool side should be under 100F. If I recall right was supposed to be down at 85. I could be mistaken. If so I will turn that back on to keep that side warm. I've stopped basking at night, and temps drift down to about 80F. Other than that I'm letting the sav get comfortable. See her out and about while i'm not home; but once I walk through the door she burrows down.

murrindindi · 01-06-14, 05:51 PM

Are the temps you give ambient, if yes, they`re MUCH too high!?
EDIT: Which link were you given?
Edit 2: O.k, I see the problem, Wayne makes no mention that the basking temps he recommends refer only to the SURFACE temp of the basking object, NOT the ambient (air) temp. At those levels you are literally going to cook the animal alive.

You basically need to know two temps; the coolest ambient (air) @ approx 24c (75f), then the SURFACE temp at the basking site/object @ between approx 50 to 60c (120 to 140f). Please let me know you understand exactly what I`m saying, your monitor`s life depends on it (seriously)....

murrindindi · 01-06-14, 06:30 PM

Wayne states the following: [QUOTE]; "As a general rule of thumb, basking spots should be a minimum of 130 - 150 degrees Fahrenheit".
That should state clearly those are just SURFACE temps!

bampi · 01-07-14, 09:39 AM

Yes, thats what I was measuring. Bought a pyrometer. Which is great for surface temps, not so good at getting ambient temps. For ambient temps I bought a cheapo little round gage that I just place around various parts to get an approximate ambient condition. And thats what I was talking Basking surface is 140-150, and ambient air on the unlighted/unheated side is kept around 85F The ambient air temp around basking is 100F but thats just due to the amount of heat being generated by the lights. I could probably go to smaller wattage bulbs and use a better surface for the basking spot. So use a brick that will retain heat a little better than say a log will. If you think that the 100F ambient is too high around the basking is too high.

bampi · 01-07-14, 09:43 AM

also I bought some foam i'm going to throw around the three sides of the aquarium today. So I may try just one light and see how well the basking surface temp is retained, because this will raise the ambient without effecting the basking too much.

murrindindi · 01-07-14, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bampi

Yes, thats what I was measuring. Bought a pyrometer. Which is great for surface temps, not so good at getting ambient temps. For ambient temps I bought a cheapo little round gage that I just place around various parts to get an approximate ambient condition. And thats what I was talking Basking surface is 140-150, and ambient air on the unlighted/unheated side is kept around 85F The ambient air temp around basking is 100F but thats just due to the amount of heat being generated by the lights. I could probably go to smaller wattage bulbs and use a better surface for the basking spot. So use a brick that will retain heat a little better than say a log will. If you think that the 100F ambient is too high around the basking is too high.

That`s a relief, you had me worried, it wouldn`t have been the first time a person didn`t know the difference between ambient and surface temps!

It`s not a great concern when it comes to the ambient immediately around the basking spot (within reason).
If 85f is the coolest ambient it`s a little too warm, they need to cool right down at times, which is why 24c (75f) or a touch higher is recommended. Unfortunately with the analogue dials you really have no idea what the air temps are because they can be very inaccurate (15%+).