# heating viv stacks



## river (Oct 12, 2007)

i have a double stack viv which im preparing for my royals, the problem im having is the ceramic bulb in the bottom viv is heating the the floor of the top viv and sending the temp sky high and the floor feeling very hot so we tried turning the top temp down but this left the cool end to cool, so we have had to put a heat mat in the bottom viv so we can get the tempratures right which we have now done, but i would prefere to use ceramics, has anyone else had this problem with stack systems and can anyone suggest anything else to stop the heat from coming through the floor we have tried tin foil above the ceramic but it didnt help 
be very greatful for any suggestions given
thanks :smile:


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

are they one unit or two vivs on top of each other?
if its too vivs you could try putting a spacer between the too vivs
I had the same problem with my BD's, the bottom viv was causing the top ones light to turn off so I put a 1.5 inch thick spacer between them to let the heat escape out the top of the bottom viv.

Another thing that helped was to raise the thermostat sensor off of the floor and put it on a log or something.


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## river (Oct 12, 2007)

thanks for reply
they are fitted together, we did put the prob over a log and the air temp was fine, but when out of curiosity we put the prob on the wooden floor directly above the ceramic it read 110, i know this would be to hot to lay on if it where on a heat mat but would it be the same if a snake were to lay on wooden base at this temp iykwim (im thinking not)


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## shaun n phil (Sep 30, 2007)

yeah im thinking of getting a 4 stack for my corns, each viv 3ftx18-20dx18h so what would be the best way to heat it? mat n stat for each level or ceramics

cheers


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## river (Oct 12, 2007)

i have found it very difficult to heat my double stack with ceramics as the bottom one heats the top floor as explained above, and if i turned the bottom one down it was not warm enough, and if i turned the top one down the cool end didnt get warm enough (the floor was hot enough but not the air temp) so it was just a battle, so in the end we have taken the bottom ceramic out and put in a heat mat in which seems fine but i would really like to use ceramics in both. i would also like to know how others heat there stacks coz im confused

i guess you need to have one built with something in between to stop the heat transfering though the floors


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## snickers (Aug 15, 2007)

You could try putting in a false floor depending on how the viv is made. first cover the floor above in tinfoil, then a layer of polystyrene, then a contiboard floor. The problem is that it would have to be properly sealed or liquid would get down. Easier if it 2 vivs. You just put foil/polystyrene between them
Also you could put a vent high up in the bottom viv, but I doubt it would be sufficient.


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## river (Oct 12, 2007)

could be worth a try, thanks  . i didnt even think about this being a problem whem i bought the stack system


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