# Condensation Conundrum!



## NovaXeros (Apr 2, 2011)

Hi, first post! Go easy on me :3

So basically, I got my first corn snake a month or so ago and had him in a starter tank all this time. First snake ever, but not first reptile, been keeping Beardies for a long while. <3

Anyway, got a new glass viv for him the other day. It was a 30 inch length glass fish tank that someone had converted to a viv and had housed a corn snake of their own in for years until sadly they had to get let go of it, but I digress.

I'm facing a problem with it atm. I have no pics of the tank uploaded atm, so bare with me whilst I give you a very basic diagram of the tank.

[_________]
========
| |
| |
|_________|
`````

Okay. [____] is a wooden lid, housing a non heat emitting light fitting, and a standard bulb on the left side for added heat. I don't use it however, for fear of it damaging the glass sliders under the lid, which are ====

Heat mat under the left side of the tank covers just over a third of the tank.

Water bowl is on the cold side of the tank. Temps are 30' on the warm side, and 20' on the cool.

So why am I getting condensation on the cool side of the tank? It's only a light misting over the glass windows, but it tends to gather, run down, and make the substrate underneath really moist. I'm growing concerned that the condensation/moisture will start to have a negative effect on the snake, but at the very least it's annoying that I can't see through half of my tank.

Any suggestions that could fix my problem? Never seen this issue with any of my beardies or their vivs, so this one really has me boggled.

Sorry for the essay, but thanks in advance!

Glen.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

sounds like you might need more ventilation in there.


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## NovaXeros (Apr 2, 2011)

Thanks for the reply Meko 

I've read in one or two other places that ventilation may help, but I'm faced with two issues when it comes to this.

Firstly, would it be a vent issue if the problem only manifests over the cold side of the tank? There's never any condensation on the warm side.

And secondly, how would I work more ventilation into a glass tank with glass sliding doors without running the risk of my baby squirming his way through the tops? Frankly I'd love to outright replace the glass sliders with nothing but wire mesh, but I've no idea where to get said mesh from with small enough gaps between to not allow him to wrangle his way through and out.

Btw, couldn't help but notice you're in Preston. Me too! Know any good reptile stores in Preston? Closest reptile specific store I've found is in bloody cleveleys, and that's a trek and a half. There's a pet shop pretty much next door to me that sells frozen mice, but for other more specialised equipment, he's a bit hopeless.

Cheers,

Glen.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

whereabouts in Preston are you mate? if it only sells frozen food i'm guessing you're in Walton Le Dale / Bamber Bridge area and on about the one at the bottom of Hennel Lane?

There's one that has a small reptile area around Watling Road... MacMillans or something? not been in for a while but they had a reptile room upstairs.
There's also a decent one on the corner of Inkerman Street and blackpool Road North West Pets

you can get aquarium to viv lids i've seen them in Viper and Vine in Prestwich and Mark at the Reptile Room in Cleavelys might be able to get them as well... i'll see if i can find what i mean.
or you could make a heavy wooden lid with vents in it that goes over the top of the aquarium and is too heavy for the snake to lift.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

These are the lids mate Reptile Viv lid,Vivarium Lid/Hood,Clearseal,18 x 12" -B on eBay (end time 02-May-11 11:48:44 BST)


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## NovaXeros (Apr 2, 2011)

You're absolutely bang on fella'. Walton-le-dale. I live just a few doors down from the pet shop you're talking about on Hennel Lane.

Thanks for the link to that lid. I will certainly check to see if they have one in a suitable size for my tank, but I know those lids sit on the edge of the tank and hang over it, IE,

,------------,
|..........|

Ignoring the dots, the ,----------, is the lid, and the |.......| is the tank walls. Problem is, the wooden lid I have that houses the light fittings and switches sits on the walls of the tank already, and on the inside of the tank, just below the surface, the previous owner has created a 'ledge' that 2 glass sliding doors and their runners simply sit on. The doors and runners are completely removable, they just rest on this ledge.

If I can source some mesh that can withstand heat from the bulbs on the wooden lid, I would happily make a fitting section of mesh that can sit on the ledge where the runners sit, underneath the lid. That way, I know I've got the ability to pass heat down into the tank from the heat bulb I don't use, as well as get heat up from the mat (I'm aware that glass aquarium tanks often don't do so well with heat), whilst also knowing I've got air flow up through the tank. The wooden lid -is- ventilated. The problem appears to be passing air from the bulk of the tank past those glass sliders. Once it's passed, there are big vent holes on the wooden lid that if necessary, could even house a 12cm fan or two for better air flow.

I'd definitely be happy to make a suitable mesh lid. Afterall, I enjoy getting a little hands on with projects. Much to the OH's dismay.

Cheers,

Glen.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

i'm just round the corner from there myself; on the Holland House estate.

Stupid question, but have you tried the DIY shop next door to the pet shop to see if they've got any mesh? 
you could try Halford (car bumper mesh) or building supplies rather than chicken coop mesh as that's smaller.


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## NovaXeros (Apr 2, 2011)

Tried a couple of DIY stores in Blackburn (I work over here unfortunately) during the day to no avail, but haven't had chance to check that diy store next door to Andy's. I've not had the new viv/tank for that long so it's only really occurred to me today to start getting it sorted. This was never a problem in his smaller tank. Don't want it harming him at all, especially considering how much I love his setup. Looks brilliant.

Didn't think about trying Halford's though.

Whatever it is I buy really ought to be wide enough holed to pass air through, but small enough holed not not allow a 6/7 month old corn to squirm his way through and vanish behind one of my cupboards. Also, it really needs to be temperature tolerant. The bulb in there atm is a low powered one that really doesn't get hot to cause concern, but the one I want to use for heating his tank a bit more really does get impressively hot. I've heard a few people mention curtain fabric, like netting, but would that really do well only an inch or so from a bulb? 

Holland House estate? Is that not the redrow estate just off the roundabout after cinnamon hill? Or am I completely wrong? If it is, I could probably throw a stone and hit your house from mine.

Btw, if a stone does hit your house, it wasn't me.

Glen.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

yep that's the one, although i'm right at the back so you'd need a good arm... lol

The car mesh stuff is this.. UNIVERSAL CAR RACE MESH GRILLE 4 BUMPERS & GRILL KITS on eBay (end time 16-Apr-11 11:08:17 BST) and 4mm mesh will keep most things out. Just depends what width you need but they might be able to cut to size.


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## NovaXeros (Apr 2, 2011)

Okay sorry for the slow reply, been at work, then went shopping. Joy.

Anyway. Got home and started checking out the tank ready to measure up for replacing the glass sliders for a 'rabbit-hutch' style wooden door with mesh that would sit under the lid. Found this would be a no go as there wasn't enough space to make it, but also found something interesting.

In my over zealous taping up and covering of any holes that my baby might escape from, I covered up some rather strangely suspicious holes that had been made through the glass ledges that the sliding door runners sit on. I put them down to bad design at first, or failed attempts at streamlining the ledge. Untaped them as a test, and voila, the condensation has gone! It seems that the previous owner had faced the same issue as me at some point, and I covered up their fix without thinking about it.

Tested the hole size too against my snake, knowing theirs was an adult and therefore bigger than mine; he's -just- too big to get his head through. I'm sure if he had the time he could wrangle his way through the hole, but considering there's no way he can reach up to it (not long enough yet), and there are little blocks on the other side of the hole that block entrance but not airflow, I think it's pretty safe to say that this little escape artist won't be pulling a houdini anytime soon!

Here's to hoping!

Thanks for your help Meko. If you're ever in Andy's pet store and you happen to see a chap buying frozen mice with a baby sunglow corn snake attached to his arm, give me a nod, and I'll definitely return it.

Regards,

Glen.

P.S. Thanks for making me feel very welcome on my first post here. Can already see this place becoming a very regular haunt. Cheers!


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

no worries mate, and if you ever see a silver MR2 with a black roof and black spoiler, give me a flash (lights... i mean flash your lights!!.... i don't mean pull your pants down) because that'll be me...


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