# Heat mats?!?!?!?



## Gruni (Feb 5, 2012)

This is doing my head in! I keep looking for a heat mat solution for my tank but the dimensions ad wattages are starting to frustrate me. 1: I don't know whether I need more than a 5w like a 7 or 8. And for my tank with innerdimensions of 290x600 the mats come in 140x150 or 280x280... which makes me wonder is the smaler one going to heat enough and is heating half of the substrate too much?

This an example of one of the ones I am looking at... Reptile Thermostat Thermometer + 14W Heat Mat Combo NEW | eBay

Oh and to clarify as I say in the other thread about the tank, I want to use some black basalt I have rather than a heat rock as it looks really nice and I am adding a 50w halogen down light ontop of the mesh lid to warm the rock as a basking area.

*HELP!*


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## AndrewHenderson (Feb 5, 2012)

use a heatcord heat cord for that small of an enclosure. search youtube for hunterreptilerooms and look at his DIY heat mat vid and try make one yourself, just get a 1m long cord and thread it through the coreflute. 

I recommend staying away from cheap heatmats, they fail and there are numerous threads on them failing. A 50w halogen in an enclouse that small probably won't give you much of a thermal gradient, you will find it will heat most of the enclosure.


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## Gruni (Feb 5, 2012)

I did find this one... maybe an answer at 150x280?

Reptile Heat Mat,7 Watt or Baby Bird,Snake15x28cm 7W | eBay


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## saximus (Feb 5, 2012)

AndrewHenderson said:


> use a heatcord heat cord for that small of an enclosure. search youtube for hunterreptilerooms and look at his DIY heat mat vid and try make one yourself, just get a 1m long cord and thread it through the coreflute.
> 
> I recommend staying away from cheap heatmats, they fail and there are numerous threads on them failing. A 50w halogen in an enclouse that small probably won't give you much of a thermal gradient, you will find it will heat most of the enclosure.



Agreed. You can also make heat cord whatever size and shape you need to fit the enclosure


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## Gruni (Feb 5, 2012)

All the heat cords I have found so far are 4m or longer. Can they be cut back? Do I just 'snake' it back and forth under the turf? Do they require a thermostat?

The other suggestion that was given to me on another forum was one of these under tank units... Zilla Reptile Heat Mat Medium 16w Terrarium Heater | eBay


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## maddog-1979 (Feb 5, 2012)

30cmx30cm tile from bunnings, 1 x 25w heat cord. 

View attachment 237089


View attachment 237088
mine dont use thermostats, sits on 33-34 degrees


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## JAS101 (Feb 5, 2012)

i use thermostat controled heat mats , i make them into a heat pad [ a tile on each side- with the thermostat probe between a tile and the heat mat ] then have a probe temp gauge on the out side of the tile to get the right temp . its an easy and cheap way of heating [ compard to ceramic heat emitters or globes]


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## chamm37 (Feb 5, 2012)

AndrewHenderson said:


> use a heatcord heat cord for that small of an enclosure. search youtube for hunterreptilerooms and look at his DIY heat mat vid and try make one yourself, just get a 1m long cord and thread it through the coreflute.
> 
> I recommend staying away from cheap heatmats, they fail and there are numerous threads on them failing. A 50w halogen in an enclouse that small probably won't give you much of a thermal gradient, you will find it will heat most of the enclosure.




Wouldnt the coreflute melt?


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## Gruni (Feb 5, 2012)

JAS101 said:


> i use thermostat controled heat mats , i make them into a heat pad [ a tile on each side- with the thermostat probe between a tile and the heat mat ] then have a probe temp gauge on the out side of the tile to get the right temp . its an easy and cheap way of heating [ compard to ceramic heat emitters or globes]



Any chance of a couple of clear pics Jas?

What sort of tile is that Maddog?


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## maddog-1979 (Feb 5, 2012)

just a slate tile, it has a hard plastic base that you can weave the heat cord around, they are made to interlock with each other, and it lets alot of airflow around the cord. just from the paving section at bunnings, about $5-6 from memory


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## notechistiger (Feb 5, 2012)

Heat cords are imo 100% better then heat mats. You don't run the risk of it melting your click clacks or injuring your snakes if the thermostat blows (and they can be run perfectly fine without a thermostat!).

What are you putting in the enclosure? I would be hesitant to use a light with small enclosures as they run the risk of overheating your animal.


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## JAS101 (Feb 5, 2012)

notechistiger said:


> Heat cords are imo 100% better then heat mats. You don't run the risk of it melting your click clacks or injuring your snakes if the thermostat blows (and they can be run perfectly fine without a thermostat!).
> 
> What are you putting in the enclosure? I would be hesitant to use a light with small enclosures as they run the risk of overheating your animal.


any heat source can cause a fire , heat cords arnt beyond this .
and if the right wattage of heat light is selected then there is very little chance of over heating the enclosure . its when pepole use a 100wt globe for a 2 ft enclosure , thats when things can go bad IF the thermostat fails .


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## notechistiger (Feb 5, 2012)

I realise any heat source can cause a fire. However, how many failed heat cords have you heard melting enclosures and injuring snakes, versus how many heat mats? xD I've been using heat cords for years without any thermostats and haven't had any issues with them. I wouldn't dream of using any mat at all without a thermostat. Indeed, the one mat I had running (left over from when I changed to heat cords) blew up the other day. I was lucky I checked on the snakes when I did, I think.

I agree with the lights. Although how many people actually get the correct wattage for their enclosure is a good question, rather just buying one and relying on the thermostat to keep it under control. I do have to wonder why there is a need to run a light and a heat mat for such a little enclosure, especially in the middle of Summer? One or the other, certainly, depending on what's being kept.


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## Gruni (Feb 5, 2012)

Firstly the whole point of this exercise is to get it up and runing and check the temps before he moves in, I am starting with a 50w globe with the option to downgrade to a 30w. I am still looking for an appropriate thermostat to monitor what is going on with both heating devices.



notechistiger said:


> Although how many people actually get the correct wattage for their enclosure is a good question...



Plenty when they can get the right advice to start with and pre test their equipment. Note also I am not running a plastic click-clack or such tank mine is a well ventilated glass enclosure.

The resident will be a yearling spotted.

Could someone post a pic or a link of a decent thermostat that isn't gold plated as far as price goes? Cna you get a thermostat that will run two devices or do you need two units... eg light + heat mat/cord?


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## saximus (Feb 6, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Could someone post a pic or a link of a decent thermostat that isn't gold plated as far as price goes? Cna you get a thermostat that will run two devices or do you need two units... eg light + heat mat/cord?



What price do you consider good? Herp Shop has some really good thermos for about $120 or you can get ones off eBay that are a fair bit cheaper but are very likely worse quality.
You can run more than one thing off one thermostat but they need to be virtually identical otherwise they won't be running at the same temperature. You also have to consider that if the one with the thermo probe fails for whatever reason, the one without it will probably run full ball and can cause death/injury to your animals


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## davobmx (Feb 6, 2012)

i have tried heat cords but had much better results with reptileone heat mats, i use a 17w at 1 end of my 600x400x400 beardie enclosure. know need for a thermo, if it is too warm for your liking you just put more substrate above that area of glass.
::Reptile One::


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## Gruni (Feb 6, 2012)

Ehere do you get the Reptile One gear from? I tried their site but it says find a distributer and I have none near me...


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## davobmx (Feb 7, 2012)

its almost all we have over here except for exoterra in w.a when it comes to lighting and heating. but petcity and city farmers are where i go.


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