# Bearded dragon ventilation?



## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Ok as I'm sure some of you have seen I'm in the final process of creating my perfect home for my male bearded dragon. It's a 6ft viv and can be seen in my other thread. 

Anyway, I've been contemplating fixing two computer fans on vents on the opposite sides of the viv so hot end and cool end. One sucking cool air in at the hot end and another blowing it out at the cool end. My questions to you guys are:

Firstly, is it worth it? The aim is to keep humidity down to a minimum but I don't have a water bowl in the viv so is it necessary?

Secondly if it would be a worthwhile idea, I have the parts by the way (two 12v pc fans) so won't cost me anything. Is how I suggested I set it up the best way?

And finally would it have a heavy impact on temps? I of course don't want to jeopardise my ambient temps for no reason. If people do have experience of this and there were issues with temps how would I work around this?

Be great if anyone could help me out here. 

Tom.


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Putting them on timers or having some form of cool control would be pretty essential, otherwise it'd have a huge effect on temperatures, even low power fans shift a lot of air and you'd be having to heat a lot more. Maybe just one on the cool side pushing in would be better, as it'd have less of an effect. Personally I wouldn't worry too much, it's a nice gadget but not entirely necessary, bearing in mind a 6x2x2 viv has 24 cubic feet of air, it's very unlikely to become stagnant and with the amunt of heating a beardie requires there is going to be a good convection current anyway.

The only reason to put one in is if you have very poor ventilation, and since you said the viv came from volly, i doubt thats the case :2thumb:

Dave


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Wicked. Cheers mate. Scrap this thread!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought this thread was buried but I've been thinking more about it. I plan on having a few grasses and airplants in the viv mainly in the cool end. The airplants will survive better with a good airflow and will also require a misting every few days, plus the grasses will be in small amounts of ever so slightly moist soil. They are a brown grass from NZ which require high temps and little moisture. 

Anyway, so I'm thinking the fans or fan would be a good idea as there may be a little moisture in the air with the plants and I obviously want to keep humidity down to a minimum and want a good flow of air. I hear what your saying about a natural convection current but how strong is this?! 

Would you recommend a singular fan down the cool end and other than using a timer how else could I control it? If a timer seems the best route then what do you reckon about intervals and durations? Maybe 5 mins at 10am, again at 2pm and finally at 5pm? My lights come on at 7am-7pm.


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> I thought this thread was buried but I've been thinking more about it. I plan on having a few grasses and airplants in the viv mainly in the cool end. The airplants will survive better with a good airflow and will also require a misting every few days, plus the grasses will be in small amounts of ever so slightly moist soil. They are a brown grass from NZ which require high temps and little moisture.
> 
> Anyway, so I'm thinking the fans or fan would be a good idea as there may be a little moisture in the air with the plants and I obviously want to keep humidity down to a minimum and want a good flow of air. I hear what your saying about a natural convection current but how strong is this?!
> 
> Would you recommend a singular fan down the cool end and other than using a timer how else could I control it? If a timer seems the best route then what do you reckon about intervals and durations? Maybe 5 mins at 10am, again at 2pm and finally at 5pm? My lights come on at 7am-7pm.


In terms of the strength of a convection current, i'm really not sure. I know that my cham viv will go from 85% to 45% in the space of 4 hours after a 4 minute spraying with three mistking nozzles, and that isn't anywhere near the temp of a beardie viv. On the other hand his viv is geard up for really good airflow, and is vertical. I think its really suprising how much the air moves just by being heated.

On the other hand, a single fan pulling air out wouldn't cause any great problems, the way I would look at is probably to get a rheostat or potentiometer, and connect that between your power source and you fan. This should allow you to have the fan turning at a variable rate, simply turn the knob to increase or decrease the speed. Find a speed you're happy with and leave it at that 

Dave


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

my_shed said:


> In terms of the strength of a convection current, i'm really not sure. I know that my cham viv will go from 85% to 45% in the space of 4 hours after a 4 minute spraying with three mistking nozzles, and that isn't anywhere near the temp of a beardie viv. On the other hand his viv is geard up for really good airflow, and is vertical. I think its really suprising how much the air moves just by being heated.
> 
> On the other hand, a single fan pulling air out wouldn't cause any great problems, the way I would look at is probably to get a rheostat or potentiometer, and connect that between your power source and you fan. This should allow you to have the fan turning at a variable rate, simply turn the knob to increase or decrease the speed. Find a speed you're happy with and leave it at that
> 
> Dave


Awesome, cheers mate. So leave it at the rate constantly if the heat isn't affected or have it on a timer too?

Edit: I kind of answered my own question there! It's another trial and error process really. Also where would I get one of these rheostats/potentiometer's?!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> Awesome, cheers mate. So leave it at the rate constantly if the heat isn't affected or have it on a timer too?
> 
> Edit: I kind of answered my own question there! It's another trial and error process really. Also where would I get one of these rheostats/potentiometer's?!


Youd need it on a timer to shut it off during the night. Maplins may be the place to go, if you tell me the wattage of your fan i'll have a dig round on their site for something suitable

Dave


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

This is what i'd do

Simple Linear Fan Controller

Dave

More info

http://www.ehow.com/how_6604169_wire-potentiometer-fan.html


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Cheers again Dave, just what I was after!


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