# ceramic heater inside or out



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

Hi all sorry if this has been done before am I wrong to think that a ceramic heater can be used through a hole in the top of a wooden vivarium. I have a 48" tall 40" wide 22" deep wooden vivarium and don't want to see the heater inside the vivarium. Can a reflector dome be used and fixed outside on top of the vivarium with just the guard shown inside. Or am I barking :crazy:


----------



## loxocemus (Sep 2, 2006)

thats perfectly possible, u just dont want the heater burning any surfaces, so make the hole as small as possible/match the dome perimeter, or cover any exposed upper surface with a piece of aluminum sheet.

remember though there will be some heat lost externally from the dome, so keep that in mind when picking the wattage. 

rgds
ed



mudskipper said:


> Hi all sorry if this has been done before am I wrong to think that a ceramic heater can be used through a hole in the top of a wooden vivarium. I have a 48" tall 40" wide 22" deep wooden vivarium and don't want to see the heater inside the vivarium. Can a reflector dome be used and fixed outside on top of the vivarium with just the guard shown inside. Or am I barking :crazy:


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

Thank you for your reply I have changed my mind about them being outside, I found the White python ultra slim ceramic holder/reflectors and quite like them.


----------



## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

it depends where your basking area is, if you try to heat the floor of the viv, 4ft away, then it wont work at all, a branch or shelf 3ft up, yeah that can work...

what species are you keeping in the enclosure?


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

They are basking heaters for Anole's and red eyed tree frogs. I didn't want the ugly looking dome and ceramic heater showing inside the vivarium, have recently found the white python ultra slim heat guard reflectors , they look quite good so will be fitting them.


----------



## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

for Anoles, why not use heat lamps, halogen floods are excellent efficiency in comparison to ceramics, and provide extra light, a definite plus for Diurnal species, alongside the UV they need...they also dont burn of humidity so much, and provide a tighter control over basking sites without overheating the rest of the enclosure


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

I had a problem in the past with the red heat bulbs, if I accidentally knocked the dome the bulb would blow. I have never used the type you are talking about what do you recommend


----------



## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

mudskipper said:


> I had a problem in the past with the red heat bulbs, if I accidentally knocked the dome the bulb would blow. I have never used the type you are talking about what do you recommend


yeah those bulbs are rubbish lol halogen floods will usually give you months of heat, even after an occasional knock

you dont need very high power halogens, 30-40W's will probably do fine (depending on how you setup basking areas), they come under a few names including Halogen Flood, Halogen Eco, Halogen Reflectors..etc...basically they look like normal spot lamps, with frosted glass on the front, and come with a standard E27 fitting, the same as a ceramic lamp

(make sure they have frosted glass on the front, helps avoid very hot-spots)

most supermarkets stock these type of halogens, ASDA do a box of 2 X 42W PAR80 for 3 quid, great value...the ones ive had over the last year have been great, giving me 5-6 months, 12hrs a day, I think only one of them lasted a bit less, maybe 3 months


----------



## jackiee (Jul 4, 2010)

just make sure you use a guard to protect your animal.


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

jackiee said:


> just make sure you use a guard to protect your animal.


Went with heat lamps in the finish, followed CloudForest's advice. Found some stainless mesh that keeps even the small flies in the vivarium and separats the two areas, nothing can get anywhere near the heat source or any of the electrics in the roof of the enclosure.


----------

