- Joined
- Dec 12, 2005
- Messages
- 749
Hey all
I've just got my first T so I haven't yet worked out the best way to do things, and I'm having trouble heating my tank up. For reference this is the setup I've got at the moment - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/fupmonkey/CIMG0048.jpg
I'm using a Habistat mini mat 4"x6", mounted on the side of my plastic T tank (on the far left in that pic). The problem is the mat gets warm but the tank doesn't. I've got a thermometer inside the tank and it hasn't yet shown anything above 70F. My T has been pretty inactive since I got it and I think it's cos it's cold, so I'm trying to work out how to make my heatmat more effective.
I noticed it felt a lot warmer on the back of the mat than on the inside of the tank, so I improvised an insulating pad by covering some cardboard with tinfoil, and taped it over the back of the mat. I think it's worked at blocking some of the lost heat, and the side of the tank does feel warmer now, but still not as warm as the insulating pad does!
The tank has air gaps along the top of both long sides, and also over the entire area of the lid, so I've taped up all the air gaps on the heatmat-side of the lid in the hope it will keep some heat in. I didn't want to tape up any more in case it hurt the air circulation.
Other than that I don't really know what to do. My house isn't warm, so if the heatmat doesn't work I'm gonna have real problems keeping my T warm. Anyone got any ideas?
I've just got my first T so I haven't yet worked out the best way to do things, and I'm having trouble heating my tank up. For reference this is the setup I've got at the moment - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/fupmonkey/CIMG0048.jpg
I'm using a Habistat mini mat 4"x6", mounted on the side of my plastic T tank (on the far left in that pic). The problem is the mat gets warm but the tank doesn't. I've got a thermometer inside the tank and it hasn't yet shown anything above 70F. My T has been pretty inactive since I got it and I think it's cos it's cold, so I'm trying to work out how to make my heatmat more effective.
I noticed it felt a lot warmer on the back of the mat than on the inside of the tank, so I improvised an insulating pad by covering some cardboard with tinfoil, and taped it over the back of the mat. I think it's worked at blocking some of the lost heat, and the side of the tank does feel warmer now, but still not as warm as the insulating pad does!
The tank has air gaps along the top of both long sides, and also over the entire area of the lid, so I've taped up all the air gaps on the heatmat-side of the lid in the hope it will keep some heat in. I didn't want to tape up any more in case it hurt the air circulation.
Other than that I don't really know what to do. My house isn't warm, so if the heatmat doesn't work I'm gonna have real problems keeping my T warm. Anyone got any ideas?