# Heat cable and expanding foam questions



## jimskio (Nov 28, 2009)

Hello all! I am going to be re-doing my crestie tanks, they are both exo terra, one is 90x45x60, the other is 45x45x60 and I am trying to plan it all properly before I re-do them unlike last time!

This is what I had when I last re-did it:








Needless to say, two cresties later and the thing is falling apart at the seams.

My main question is regarding heat cable, because I live in a house that gets quite cold over the winter I am wanting to provide enough heat to keep them warm enough should the temperatures drop too low. Currently I have heat mats under the tanks, but they seem kinda inefficient so I was wondering if I used heat cable, and put it around the sides and top of the tank, then put expanding foam over this, would it melt the foam or create an unreasonable risk of fire? 

Next question is about moss, if I bought Lucky Reptile Dry Vivarium Moss would I be able to attach this to the background and would it be likely to grow? I would like to make quite a mossy set-up this time if I can to hold on to the humidity.

Last one, bromeliads, I have some random bromeliad, I think it's a fireball one from dartfrog and it has 3 off shoots coming off it, can I just pull these off? and how could I attach them to branches or the background of a tank if there are no roots to wrap round things?

Thanks in advance, Just wanna make sure I make a tank that will last this time!


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

jimskio said:


> Hello all! I am going to be re-doing my crestie tanks, they are both exo terra, one is 90x45x60, the other is 45x45x60 and I am trying to plan it all properly before I re-do them unlike last time!
> 
> This is what I had when I last re-did it:
> image
> ...


 best way to do it is to put a heatmat on the side of the tank think the foam will stop the heat getting in to the tank


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

If you use fireguard expanding foam it should be ok to put the heat cable in, they're designed to be buried without overheating. As long as they're close to the surface it shouldn't block the heat too much too.

I think the moss is dead moss so probably won't grow. I just collect sheets of moss from the woods and use them, seem to survive quite well when the environment is ok.

As for the broms, once they're about a third to a half the size of the mother plant they're ready to grow as an independant plant, i just pull mine outwards and downwards carefully and they come loose easily. I tend to drill a hole through a branch, then a bigger hole three quarters of the way from the other sidr annd push the bottom into the small hole, just enough so they stay there. The bigger hole is to ensure adequate drainage

Dave


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## jimskio (Nov 28, 2009)

Thanks for the advice! I think I will rethink my heating options, not a lot of point using heat cable if the heat won't get through the foam


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