# mertens walk in enclosure help



## nikole (Apr 21, 2014)

Hey guys, 
We are nearing the completion of our walk in enclosure for my two mertens! Yay!!! But, I am indecisive about a few things...
firstly, water heating.. we have two ponds with water features. The little pond can be heated with an aquarium heater I believe. But the big one is about 1600 x 1000 with a 1000 x 1000 wall water feature thing. (Sorry dont know proper name ☺). We have 1 basking and night heat light on the edges and the room will always be kept warm. My problem is whether the water will stay warmish and an aquarium heater will be enough, or am I going to have to go bigger and get an instantaneous gas type unit? Has anyone had any experience with larger bodies of water????
Also, best type of monitor hides?!? Ie, built down in the dirt more, or raised? Dirt or solid floor etc
Any suggestions or advice will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks so much! 
Have also included some photos to give an idea and MY (probably not 100%) dimensions.


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## pinefamily (Apr 21, 2014)

Nice water feature. Home made or bought?
Regarding the heating, some sort of aquarium heating should be fine. Think of some of the large aquariums you see in businesses, or on TV. I don't imagine they would use something else to heat them, just aquarium heating on a bigger scale.


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## turtle (Apr 21, 2014)

Yes there are all sorts of heaters for all sizes of aquariums. Best to use a large one as a small one will be on all the time.
Cheers, Dan


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## wokka (Apr 21, 2014)

The heater required will depend upon the ambient temperature of the enclosure, particularly since you are recycling the water over the surface of the waterfall. The water, air and rock will be ballpark the same temperature, so you are looking to heat a large mass. When I bred tropical fish in an enclosed room i just heated the room, and the temperature tranferred to the water as it was mixed with the air through the filtration system, which is similar to a waterfall.
Heating an enclosure such as yours will be relatively expensive depending upon the climate where you are located. I notice the enclosure appears to have little insulation, particularly the doors which could be double glazed.


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## nikole (Apr 21, 2014)

Thanks for the replies. Did see aquarium heaters went up to 1000watt! So one could easily work then. The whole enclosure is insulated with woolen r5 and the 'window' is 12mm glass. The sliding doors is my lounge room (midde of house) so hopefully wont lose too much there. All is built under my pergola and closed in by my garage and the neighbours brick wall, so hoping for not much loss! Fingers crossed. Also, outdoor blinds for the window is next. With my actual heating, I have followed a breeders advice and am offering basking areas with the solar glo bulbs and leaving the ambient to do as it wants..? Will have 3 heat night lights also. My two tend to sleep in the water more than anything, so thought that mattered most. I am always happy for other opinions or options tho.

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Oh! I forgot to add, all my ponds and rocks in this enclosure will be brought. Made all my snakes background and ledges and turned out great, but dont think they would with stand the monitors


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## Blocka89 (Apr 21, 2014)

Might be worth a look at these there's some guys using these to heat some big tanks like 2800l+ but their not cheap.The titanium heating elements from Schego are the optimum supplement to the Nema temperature controller. Their power range is 300 or 600 watts. They are manufactured from high-quality titanium tube, therefore indestructible and sea water-proof. Multiple heaters can be controlled from one Nema. 


Titanium is one of the best conductors when it comes to efficiency and reliability being almost indistructable.


Additional Schego 600 Watt heaters can be added to a total of 1800 Watts.


These units are also used in the Oyster industry where precision is required when heating.


View attachment 308890


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## JAS101 (Apr 21, 2014)

how deep will the pond be ? my crocs pond is 1500 x1200x [ 450 deep] it holds 650 litres of water , I have a Jager Eheim 300 Watt Aquarium heater . this brand of water heater is good for upto 1000 litres of water .


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## nikole (Apr 21, 2014)

The schego sound awesome. Link didnt work but did a quick google and will do some more proper research.  thanks. 
Your croc pond would be bigger. As my pond is roughly the same dimensions, but a lot of shallower water. What temp does the eheim get it upto? And is it on constantly?


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## Blocka89 (Apr 21, 2014)

I've got a 300w eheim in my 1000l tank and will probably have to add another one in winter to keep up last year I had a 1000w Titan sand filled heater but it died from a fault they had might be worth a look if they've fixed the fault it was also in a cage so fish couldn't break it they only retail for about $110 but the schego are about $550 but their meant to be good


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## AUSHERP (Apr 22, 2014)

I use a 300w heater in my 1000litre aquarium as well. It maintains 26 degrees year round.


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## eipper (Apr 22, 2014)

If your the enclosure ambient is in the mid twenties the water (being in the enclosure) will reach the ambient temperature. There are however ways of heating water other than using a submerged element. Eg a timer set to daylight hours, and thermostat connected to a circulation pump that circulates the pond water through a black pipe array on a roof, an inline heater between the filtration outlet and the pond re entry.

cheers


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## nikole (Apr 23, 2014)

I was looking at the 1000w but thought the running cost would be outrageous? The cage around it aounds good. They are ferocious when chasing fish. The blac pipe idea wouldnt work well for me, as the enclosure is on the wrong side of house. Never kept fish, so all this is new to me. So greatly appreciated


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## nikole (Jul 12, 2014)

Just incase anyone else is having the same worries I had.. my mertens have been in their enclosure for a few months now, and we could not be happier with how it worked out!  we ended up using a hydro inline 300 watt heater for the little pond and a shogun 500watt heater in the large pond. The water is always ether 27 or 28. Thanks alot for the help. 

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View attachment 311313


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## pinefamily (Jul 12, 2014)

That's great you got it sorted. However the attachment didn't work.


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## JAS101 (Jul 12, 2014)

my crocs pond water sits at about 29 , it gets interesting trying to measure the water temp with him in the water trying to eat me lol . some pics of the completed enclosure would be great ..


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## nikole (Jul 12, 2014)

JAS i do not envy ur job!  lol. Il try pics again sorry.


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## geckodan (Jul 12, 2014)

Generally if you work on 1 watt per litre water you will get your most efficient heating.


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## nikole (Jul 12, 2014)

Hopefully, ive attached a photos! Couldnt help add one of my mamas boy Mojo.


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## pinefamily (Jul 12, 2014)

That is an awesome set up. Well done!


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## Cypher69 (Jul 12, 2014)

Considering the size of the window...maybe look into a solar powered heater?


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## JAS101 (Jul 12, 2014)

nikole said:


> Hopefully, ive attached a photos! Couldnt help add one of my mamas boy Mojo.


now that's a nice enclosure , well done .


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## rockethead (Jul 12, 2014)

I wish I had the the room to do a fantastic room like this.
the wow factor I would like to see this on the block or the other tv shows


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## montysrainbow (Jul 12, 2014)

Most amazing enclosure ever!!! Freaking awsome  well done


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## CrazyNut (Jul 12, 2014)

Wow what an awesome enclosure! Sorry can't help with your question but that is a fantastic enclosure!


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## nikole (Jul 12, 2014)

Aw! Thanks guys!  perks of having a partner that can build.  although im now on a 'no more animals' ban..... lol


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## DeadlyDanny80 (Jul 13, 2014)

Great set up... Very nice... Thanks for sharing


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## JAS101 (Jul 14, 2014)

nikole said:


> Aw! Thanks guys!  perks of having a partner that can build.  although im now on a 'no more animals' ban..... lol


 pppffft don't seek permission , seek forgiveness after the animal is brought ..


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## nikole (Jul 14, 2014)

Ha, thats how I got most of my animals  but there comes a point (like now) that forgiveness does not come easily. I have the 2 monitors, 2 snakes, 2 french mastiffs and 2 young humans... -_- altho.. he has never said anything bout crocs?! Ha ha


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## pinefamily (Jul 14, 2014)

Geckos don't take up much room.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk


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## montysrainbow (Jul 14, 2014)

JAS101 said:


> pppffft don't seek permission , seek forgiveness after the animal is brought ..


Lol i read this comment earlier and decided to use it on hubby lol it worked! paid a deposit for a 7mth old albino darwin today!!!!!  i said you know i dont feel we should have to ask for one anothers permission i feel that we should ask for one anothers forgivness once we have got what we want ha ha  he laughed and said ohhhh just get the flamin thing  he likes dirt bikes and arcade machines i like snakes lol were even!


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## Dinobot (Jul 14, 2014)

Wow what an absolutely stunning setup! Am I the only one who wants a video walkthrough?


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## nikole (Jul 15, 2014)

[email protected] montysrainbow! Good work!

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Dinobot said:


> Wow what an absolutely stunning setup! Am I the only one who wants a video walkthrough?


Thanks! Would have no idea how too do that!?


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