Dead thermostat?!?

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IanHulett
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Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:14 pm

Dead thermostat?!?

Post by IanHulett » Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:30 am

My thermostat is dead, the temperature in my crabitat is 61F. My crabs are freezing. I tried putting full batteries in the thermostat and it didn't work. What should I do? Thanks a bunch.

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IanHulett
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Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:14 pm

Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by IanHulett » Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:36 am

I took the top off of the crabitat and somehow managed to raise the temperature to 63F. But that means I'm giving up humidity for 2 extra degrees of warmth which isn't a good compromise.

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CallaLily
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by CallaLily » Mon Nov 10, 2014 12:16 pm

Can you disconnect the thermostat and just run your heat source, watching closely to keep an eye on temps? Or is it all in one?

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IanHulett
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by IanHulett » Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:07 pm

Actually I think it's all in one.

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megmaholm
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by megmaholm » Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:20 pm

Are you able to go out and buy a cheap heat lamp and heat bulb? Or can you put a bottle or 2 of hot water in the tank and wrap the tank with a blanket to trap the heat in? Maybe a space heater you can aim at the tank?
Crabbing since July 2014! 75 gallon with 12 Purple Pinchers.

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Cydonia1
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by Cydonia1 » Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:48 pm

Try microwaving (?) rice or wet towels and wrap those around the tank, then wrap other towels around those to insulate it. You could also try getting a small heat bulb and using that. I guessing the tank isn't this small, but when I was trying to move mine out of the kritter keeper I used a heating pad to keep the temp up. And Walgreens/cvs sells little heat packs for injuries, could those help?

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YYWW
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by YYWW » Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:53 pm

Even an electric heat blanket or pad can substitute.


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CallaLily
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by CallaLily » Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:15 pm

If you have a regular desk lamp, you can point it at the crabitat to bring temps up some. At least until you can run out and pick up a new heat source. All the other ideas are good ones too.

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ViiT
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Re: Dead thermostat?!?

Post by ViiT » Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:30 pm

For temporary heat, you can either use an electric blanket (as previously suggested) or create a makeshift one by heating up something that holds heat fairly well (rice, gravel, wet towels, etc.) and throwing that along with the tank under a heavy blanket to hold heat in. You would have to do this every few hours though.
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