# Heating a large viv



## phlegmatical (Feb 10, 2013)

I have decided i am selling up all my snakes except for my jampea retic due to not really having time for them now i have 2 kids and busy with work etc..

Anyway i am using the money made from selling all my equipment and snakes to have a 5ftx2ftx4ft (WxDxH) viv and cabinet made up and really spend some money and time on the thing!

all my lighting and decor etc is decided on but i cant make my mind up about the heating!

I am tempted by the 500w AHS as they look quite discrete and wont interfere with the look I'm going for but I'm wondering if it will be enough on its own or will i need another heat source at the top of the viv such as a ceramic?

I also don't want the AHS run on its own stat inside the viv as i like all my controls and temps etc in one place in the cabinet so is it possible to just whack the AHS on full and plug it into a pulse stat?

your thoughts would be appreciated 

Cheers :2thumb:


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

phlegmatical said:


> I have decided i am selling up all my snakes except for my jampea retic due to not really having time for them now i have 2 kids and busy with work etc..
> 
> Anyway i am using the money made from selling all my equipment and snakes to have a 5ftx2ftx4ft (WxDxH) viv and cabinet made up and really spend some money and time on the thing!
> 
> ...



the ahs has a built in pulse stat - I am am not sure what you are trying to gain by using another or how it would actually work. ahs don't really provide a basking spot - - I would consider a ahs for ambient and a cermamic focussed on a basking platform


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## st3o (Nov 14, 2008)

can you not shrink the height a little? Ambient temps will be a killer to maintain in something so high.

I use a 150 watt ceramic and it does each 8x4x2 viv for my tics. save yourself two thirds of your electric bill over a reptile heater. I don't rate reptile heaters too much watts and awkward mounting. nothing better than a ceramic for your snake to coil under after a big bunny.
. 

some nice 18mm ply to build your viv with will hold a lot of heat. Oh and get yourself another tic in the other two foot you saved above it. 300 watt on pulse for two big snakes isn't bad!!! 
.


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## davebehave (Aug 10, 2006)

4 foot high is great for your Jamp. He will more than likely use all of that space and I plan to have mine in something similar.

At the moment for heating in my 7 by 3 by 2h I am using 2 habitat panels above a shelf set at 33c. And a 120watt tube heater in the cool end holding the ambient Temps.

I will use a simular setup when I go higher.

To add your animal will display so much better with that space!


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## phlegmatical (Feb 10, 2013)

im not overly fussed about electricity bills etc im not downsizing due to cost.

my jamp is currently in a 4x2x2 and uses every inch of space including height so i know he will use the extra room! so i might be best going for a tubular at bottom for ambient and then ceramic at the top with a log for him to get close if he wants?

I really like the look of those ahs heaters but i dont want to put one in if they are no good on their own!


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## davebehave (Aug 10, 2006)

Personally I would use 2 ceramics to give a larger basking area. I use two heat panels for this reason and the larger female coils under this area perfectly.

The tubes are there to support the radiators and keep ambient in range


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

this is my 4x2.3x6 day time run on 2x50watt halogen bulb and night time is a 4tf tumbler heater : victory:


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## phlegmatical (Feb 10, 2013)

Looks good. What's in there? 

I'm going for a tubular then. Full length along bottom? 

Don't want to use halogens as I like to use leds and use non light emitting heat sources.

Would 2 of the 75w rep rads side by side be enough high level for a hot spot supported by the tubular?


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

phlegmatical said:


> Looks good. What's in there?
> 
> I'm going for a tubular then. Full length along bottom?
> 
> ...


have my green tree monitor 

yep will be good just run it on a stat 

and not 100% on 75w rads


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## davebehave (Aug 10, 2006)

The radiators are great. Low profile. With a shelf or thick branch will provide a decent basking area


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## phlegmatical (Feb 10, 2013)

Do you use a guard with the radiators? I looked at them a while back for a different viv. They could be good with a tubular as they can both be hidden away better than ugly ceramics and cages


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