time to redo emps tank....

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Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Oct 14, 2010
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224
well once again my emps scorp tank has gotten too dry [that dang heatpad dries it out faster than i can moisten it :mad: ] anyway time to redo the tank. my current setup is like a hill on one side with a half log buried in it..they have made a cool tunnel under the sub, but it collapsed because it dried out..i'm thinking of either moving the heatpad to the side of the tank, or removing it altogether...[my white's tree frog and scorps are the only one's who have heatpads and everyone else does fine] what do you guys think? also, any ideas on some cool, looking setups? something that looks cool when the tank is seen from the side..[my rooms a mini invert zoo :D]
 

H. laoticus

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
1,017
Hey, I have a few questions to ask you: Where exactly is the heat pad placed right now? Have you tried pouring water on the substrate and letting it soak thoroughly or are you misting? What's your room temperature? As for cool setups, I personally like setups with live plants installed. Put in a pothos plant and it will look instantly cool ;)
 

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Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Oct 14, 2010
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224
the heat pad is on the bottom on one side [the scorps are burrowed in the hill on the other side, the way it's set up, i don't know why i even have the heatpad lol] i mostly mist, but sometimes just dump water [carefully so i don't flood their tunnel] my house is usually 65 degrees in winter so i use a space heater to heat my room keeps it around 75-80 [aahhhhhhh :p ] but i need to get another one it broke :wall:..i love having plants in my rainforest enclosures [always need a splash of green in the brown coco fiber :) ] but idk about live ones i usually use the plastic ones...don't they need sunlight or some special lighting? [plus my scorps would just dig it up anyway {D]
 

BAM1082

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
257
Im going to be re-doing mine soon aswell.

I would first say u should consider whats been coined a "False Bottom Setup".
Basically a few inches of stone at the bottom with your deep layer of coco on top. Incorporating a straw or tube that goes right to the bottom lets you pour water directly to the bottom, which gets wicked up.

I tend to pre-dig burrows.

I think on the next substrate change, im going to incorporate cork thats bent into a "C" Shape.
Im going to have it almost the entire front length of the tank, to create a predug tunnel.

Find if I don't put some sort of a pre-made tunnel that I never see them.
Even then sometimes they do there own thing in spite of all your work.... they're quite rude at times :p
 

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Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Oct 14, 2010
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224
yeah i don't make 'burrows' but i sorta bury the caves to they can burrow horizontally. may try something different this time...and thanks for the 'false bottom idea! sounds good! i'm gonna try it :clap:

ps nice enclosures singsimple!
 

Spikeyness

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
11
the heat pad is on the bottom on one side
That's probably causing some of your problems. Generally it's advised to put the heat bad on the side of the tank, maybe the back. Having it on the bottom, especially if you don't have a false bottom, will just speed up the drying out and generally doesn't fit what a scorpion knows...heat from above, moisture from below. S'my two cents on that particular point...
 

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Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
224
That's probably causing some of your problems. Generally it's advised to put the heat bad on the side of the tank, maybe the back. Having it on the bottom, especially if you don't have a false bottom, will just speed up the drying out and generally doesn't fit what a scorpion knows...heat from above, moisture from below. S'my two cents on that particular point...
yeah i've heard that. and i agree when i put the heat pad on, i was thinking that since heat rises, i'd put it under them...not such a good idea i guess...but on the sde it would be all but useless...it wouldn't really affect the overall temp in the tank...not that it does now though :\
 

Spikeyness

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
11
You'd be surprised, a lot of advice I'd been given was to have it on the side. It also gives them a chance to be near the heat or in cooler parts of the tank. Obviously it's up to you how you do it, whichever works best for you.
 
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