# False floor in viv... any ideas?



## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

Hi all, please bear with me as this could be a little tricky to explain 

I'm about to upgrade my leo to a larger viv but have a problem when it comes to the heatmat placement...

My current vivarium has a false floor down one end (see image below for basic diagram) with the heatmat underneath, the idea behind this was that the heatmat could be used inside the viv (not much point having it outside as heat wouldn't penetrate melamine enough) but still have room for airflow around it. 

With my new vivarium I was planning on using vinyl floor tiles instead of the cork tiles i currently use, this wouldn't be a problem if I used a raised section like in the current viv but I was hoping to have the whole floor at the same height from one end to the other. I could just raise the whole floor slightly and use a thin sheet of wood or rigid card to support the vinyl tiles but I was also hoping to build some fake rock features into the viv... the problem with this is that if I ever need to get to the heatmat for any reason (to replace or otherwise) I won't be able to remove the false floor as it'll have fake rock permenantly fixed above it. Now I know there's some very inventive people in these forums so any ideas?

Thanks in advance -Adam


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## mooshu (Mar 24, 2010)

I you place the false floor in the viv but have under the cooler side of the floor filled with anything (poly?) then have a heat cable under the other side, The heat cables only need a little hold so pulling one out wouldn't be a problem but putting one back in could be. Unless you just have a slit in the melamine to slot the mat in and out but you will loose a lot of heat if you dont block the slit up when the mats in use!? 

The only other thing I can think of is that you have some sort of hinge to open the floor and keep any fake rock above that separate from the rest so you can pull it out! Hope I have helped and not just confused things :lol2: :lol2:


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

No no you've helped! I thought of having a slit in the side to slot the heatmat in but dismissed it for the same reason you mentioned. I didn't think of heat cable or a little trapdoor though, good ideas! Will think some more on this when I get home from work and post images with what I come up with in case anyone else has the same sort of problem.

Cheers matey -Ads


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## OrigamiB (Feb 19, 2008)

If you're thinking of a 'slit' idea to hide a heat mat take a look at these new vivariums that are out now: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/foru...634379-product-promo-new-snake-vivariums.html

If you're building your own viv it'd be quite easy to copy and really does seem like the best way to use a heat mat inside the viv


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

Yeah I saw that thread a couple of days ago, forgot all about it! I'm using a vivexotic viv which is currently in peices, but i'm sure I can sort something, just a thought, does anyone know if perspex would heat up like glass does?


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

swap the vinyl tiles for large ceramic ones, then have one that can be lifted to gain access to the heatmat area.


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

Good idea swift_wraith, how easy are they to cut to size though? Bearing in mind I don't have the tools for something like that, i'm used to working with wood not tiles.


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## Scottish_Reps (Mar 13, 2011)

Currently im using B&Q floor tiles in my vivexotic 

330mm x 330mm
8mm Thick
Non-slip

I did have trouble cutting due to a normal tile cutter wont cut it, So i ended up breaking the tile and sanding down the sharp edges.

Place the tiles into the viv and fill the gaps with children's play sand.


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

Cool, thanks Scottish_Reps. I've got the frame in place to hold the ceramic tiles up about 1" off the floor of the tank and i've cut all the tiles to size (thanks to the gf's brother who lent me his electric tile cutter). 

I've been testing the temperatures in the viv recently and i'm slightly concerned that the heatmat isn't penetrating the tiles enough! I'm using 8mm tiles which are floating just under an inch above the heatmat, i'm currently only using an 8"x8" heatmat to test as my 11"x17" hasn't turned up yet but i'm only reading 29 degrees celsius on the surface and that's when the red spotlight is on above them!m Without the spotlight the tile is only reaching about 25 degrees! I was thinking of putting a polystyrene tile under the mat to a) insulate the bottom of the viv and hopefully deflect more heat upwards and b) to raise the mat closer to the tile. Also i'm hoping the larger mat (when it arrives) will heat things up a bit more but i'm not sure if it works like that? 

In case i've not mentioned i'm going to be keeping a leo in this viv so need the temps around 32 degrees. Does anyone have anymore ideas that i've not thought of???

Thanks -Adam


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

you will struggle to heat the tile up if it's floating above the heat mat. Heat mats pretty much heat what they touch, so your heat mat is just heating the bottom of the viv.

If you're doing it like this just so you can have the fake rock in there and be able to get to the heat mat if needed, then there's an easier way.
Don't build the fake wall to fit 'in' the viv but build a fake inner skin for the viv out of 3mm ply wood that doesn't fill the entire viv. If your viv is 2ft high then just do the skin and wall 12 - 18 inches high, so you can remove that easily and give you access to heat mat.


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

No no it's not just for the fake rock, in fact i'm only doing the fake rock down the cool end now so that i can easily remove the tile covering the heatmat for maintenance/replacement. It's because the heatmats have the plastic 'bump' in them where the wire connects to the mat and so it's impossible to just lay tiles over the top, I wanted a flat surface so decided to build a false floor. I suppose i can use a sheet of polystyrene and cut a section into it for the heatmat to sit in then have it positioned touching the bottom of the tile? The cable to heatmat connector 'bump' will still get in the way slightly but the majority of the mat will be touching the underside of the tile?


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

ah got you... go for crazy paving.. tiles with sand covering the gaps, that way you can put sand over the mat lump.


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## Scottish_Reps (Mar 13, 2011)

You could also try ( As i done ) placing a small amount of sand in the bottom before placing the Heat Mat in, That way the " Bumppy Part " sits into it and the tiles can be placed flat. ( Also helps with the Temp as the sand its heating aswell as the Tiles)


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

Good idea, although the bumpy part sticks up not down, unless it doesn't matter which way up you put the heatmat? It's a 17"x11" Ultratherm heat mat.


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## Scottish_Reps (Mar 13, 2011)

Yeah i always face mines up but i make a little trench type into the sand so the heat mat can bend ever so slightly when the tiles are ontop.


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

I get ya, genius. Will have another go after work tonight and post my progress. Cheers guys.


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## ServantOMallard (Nov 18, 2010)

If that doesn't work you may want to reduce the gap between the mat and the bottom of the tile. I've got this sort of setup in my viv and it works like a dream :2thumb: keep us updated!


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## messymedia (Jul 26, 2009)

ServantOMallard said:


> If that doesn't work you may want to reduce the gap between the mat and the bottom of the tile. I've got this sort of setup in my viv and it works like a dream :2thumb: keep us updated!


Last night I placed a couple of polystyrene ceiling tiles underneath the mat bringing it up to touch the bottom of the tile... After being on for half an hour I was reading 36degrees (no stat as it's still in old tank helping to keep my leo toasty) which is a big improvement! The warm spot was only about 7inches square but as it's only an 8"x8" heatmat that's expected. 11"x17" heatmat should arrive in the next couple of days so hopefully a much larger area will heat up. Thanks all for your help, will make sure I post some pics as soon as everything is setup... i forgot how tedious fake rock can be to create, :lol2:


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## bluepoolshark (May 4, 2010)

I just used a cheap tile cutter to make a space in the tiles for the black bit of the heatmat, worked a treat, and heats up lovely as the heatmat is directly under the tiles. I checked but I don't really have a clear pic of how I cut it, if you check my photos you will see how flat the floor is


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

I just stick the tile or lino directly on top of the matt, never had a problem. 

Though i havnt rad all the thread in details as i got a tad confused. 

Jay


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