• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Choosing a Heat Mat

Hypancistrus

Hypancistrus

New member
I am looking at two- the ExoTerra Heat Wave and the T-Rex Cobra. I tend to like the Cobra because it doesn't attach permanently to the tank bottom, so if I want to change tanks in the future, no worry about buying another mat.

I'd like to hear personal experiences from both brands, or if you have a better suggestion, I'd welcome that too.

Here are links:
T-Rex Cobra
ExoTerra Heat Wave

If you have additional brands to suggest, please feel free.

My last question is how do I know how many watts of heat I need? The viv will be a standard 20 long.
 
According to the website, the T-Rex Cobra remains at 100F. You would need to have that controlled via Thermostat or Reostat, as 100F is far too hot for corns. Just something else to consider. :)

Of those two firms I've only had experience with Exo-Terra. I know they are a very good make. But I can't make comparisons without having tried both.
 
You would need some sort of regulating device on the Exo-Terra as well. I have those on most of my tanks, and unregulated they get to well over 100'. I've never had any experience with the Cobra, so I can't advise you on those.
 
Can you explain what a regulating device is? Do you mean a thermostat like what is on houses and aquarium heaters?

Where do I get one?
 
What it means is something to regulate the output of the heat mat so that it doesn't get too hot. Some people use reptile thermostats, but I just use a plug in lamp dimmer that I got at Wal-mart. It costs about $9.00, and works like a charm.
 
JasonGranger said:
They had a ZooMed rheostat on that website www.drsfostersmith.com for $15.
Click to expand...

I woudn't bother with that one. I got one once and had take it off my corn's viv. Even on the very lowest setting, the temps were still getting into the 90s. That's too hot for corns.
 
I'm a lurker on this conversation. :) I have a Reptitherm, too--ZooMed. I haven't used it yet because I don't have a snake yet. But people say that they get too hot.

Maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist, but it seems to me like they should be able to make a heater that will only heat to the temperature you want. A/Cs and heaters have thermostats and switch off when the temperature's reached. It seems like that should be possible here--set it to 80 or so and not have to worry.
 
BeckyG said:
I woudn't bother with that one. I got one once and had take it off my corn's viv. Even on the very lowest setting, the temps were still getting into the 90s. That's too hot for corns.
Click to expand...

I see... I won't be recommending that anymore.
 
Hey guys i realize they are a litle more expensive than most but these work fairly well and all you have to do is plug your heat mat and light into it......it will handle up to 1,00 watts and you can run several vivis on one unit....it also has a probe to measure temps....it is direct line voltage so basically it works just like the thermostat in your house and it has a dial for temps which is accurate to within a or two degrees plus or minus.......if your serious about supplying heat and don't want to spend a fortune on a heat controller...these are what i used to use befor moving up to pulse proportinal them units

http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=819

MCHouse
www.Nightbreedreptiles.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top