Questions on temp and setup please help

[holly tayls]

in a nutshell here is my setup
20G long repti keeper (has integrated locking screen top)
have a thermostat w/ probe taped directly to the glass on the bottom directly over the UTH (for 10-20g tanks) which is THERMO1
substrate is 1.5"-2" of a mixture of reptibark and aspen.
Large hide/cave directly on the substrate over the UTH
this has a small probe hole in it and in that I have a secont thermometer THERMO2 reading the temp inside the hide
there is a smaller hide in the middle
smaller hide on the far end (cool side) and various logs, plants and 2 water dishes. one cool side and 1 warm side
Rheostat connected to the UTH

TEMPS on GLASS directly over UTH = 120-130 with no adjustments THERMO1
TEMPS in HIDE directly over UTH but atop substrate = 73-80 THERMO2

Humidity average = 48-55% depending on relative in room

Im concerned about the heat readings from THERMO1 is that an OK temp?
When I drop it w. rheostat the hide temp drops relative to the drop in temp from the UTH

PLEASE HELP dont want to have fried corn....

 

[Corny Noob]

Well, uh no that's not an OK temp, start adjusting your thermostat NOW it sounds like it's either been left completely unregulated or something malfunctioned with your UTH...

And wait I'm confused do you have a thermostat or a rheostat? Because you mentioned both.

Either way I would temporarily move the snake somewhere else secure as long as it is not currently digesting and you need to get to fiddling with that dial.

 

[Rich in KY]

Have you touched the glass over the UTH to see if the temp is actually that high? Or is that thermometer broken? That temp is extremely too high if it is correct, but I think something is messed up.

 

[tsst]

How long has it been running? I ask because at 120-130 degrees surface temp the ambient temp should be much higher unless the room temp is very low. Try switching the probes and see if you get same results. Sounds like a bad thermometer possibly.

 

[holly tayls]

The high temp is from the probe that is taped directly to the glass on the UTH
Touching the glass does not burn my skin as the hot water from my tap does at 130 F

The temp INSIDE the hide is currently at 72.8 F

 

[zwyatt]

The first thing I would do is use Thermo2 to measure the temp on the glass to confirm the 120-130 is correct. That seems pretty high with very little heat penetration up to the surface.

One relatively easy fix is to use a thinner layer of substrate underneath the hide, which should allow more heat to get through.

 

[holly tayls]

Well I just bought a Reptitemo 500R thermostat for the tank. My rheostat is shown in the pics of my setup below (will edit in about 20 min to add them) and although it works and I know that it does it is just not as comforting to me as the thermostat will be.

Thanks for the suggestions and I will swap out the thermometers and see what I get as soon as I get home this afternoon

any other sugs on my setup?

 

[holly tayls]

PICS Please suggest

Ok here are pics of my set up
any and all suggestions welcomed

 

[holly tayls]

the rest of the pics

 

[Corny Noob]

Well you said you bought the reptitemp, I admit I haven't looked at the time of the posts. Have you plugged that in? How is it working?
Have you trying taking the tempatures of other knowns (like human body heat etc) to make sure the thermometer is ok?

 

[Sanebedlam]

Although the temperature is your first priority I would also recomend getting ride of the tape asap. There are a number of threads talking about it including one recently where someone's poor little snake got stuck to the side of the tank by an adhesive.

 

[Flagg]

Temp on glass should be 85, 88 max. You could reduce the substrate over the heat mat to a minimal amount, just enough to cover it with a thin layer. let the system stabilize for quite a while and then check the substrate level temps.
Unless your room temp is very low, they should be within a comfortable range for the corn snake. The snake can always burrow down or move aside the substrate if it needs more heat.

 

[holly tayls]

QUOTE=Sanebedlam]Although the temperature is your first priority I would also recomend getting ride of the tape asap. There are a number of threads talking about it including one recently where someone's poor little snake got stuck to the side of the tank by an adhesive.[/QUOTE]

Have no idea what you are talking about with tape. I have no tape in the viv at all????

As for the other responses thanks I have it sorted out now thanks to all the suggestions and lightening fast responses. The Reptitherm (Zoo Med Thermostat 500R) that I bought will not be here for several days (bought online) for $18.00 (couldnt resist the 1/2 price savings AOT the store price)

When I got home I checked the rheostat and found out that it was turned off. the dimmer switch that I bought for it is the push on/off and not just the dial. you have to push it on and then you can dial it up or down.
There are 2 outlets on it ONE is live and the other controlled by the switch
the flourescent hood light is plugged into one and the UTH into the other contrilled by the switch. the wife wanted to move it to a new location out of view and unplugged everything and plugged them back in in reverse. D/T the fact that you cannot "dim" a flourescent light there was no indication until I tore it all apart and realized it.
Have dialed it down last night and now the "on glass" temp is at 86.2 while the temp inside the hide is at 78.2

Will still use the thermostat though when it arrives..


THANKS ALL

 

[Flagg]

Sounds perfect, glad you got it worked out.

Where did you find the thermostat for $18?

 

[Rich in KY]

Have no idea what you are talking about with tape. I have no tape in the viv at all????

I think he is referring to the tape you used to hold the probe to the bottom of the viv. There are different opinions about the safety of that on here.

I'm glad you got the temp problem figured out. And, if i didn't say so, I think your viv set-up looks great.