Trouble controlling humidity

[wesbrown]

Hi,

Title says all. My humidity is staying around the 90s. I can't get the temp past 73 degrees. Currently using a plastic lid and using a 8w zoomed uth. 10 gallon tank. Playsand

Suggestions lowering humidity and raising the temp please?

[Moonlightdreams]

Hi! 90% humidity isn't bad for the crabs at all. It might promote faster mold growth, but won't harm the crabbies. 80% is the recommended minimum. As for heating, the light on my tank, along with a heat pad, is enough to get it up to about 79° F. I've heard some people insulate their tanks, but I'm not sure how you would go about that, sorry.

[LadyJinglyJones]

Hiya!

Heating can be a pain, especially in winter! Be glad your humidity is high instead of low in a ten gal - I had a heck of a time with low humidity in my first tank.

Heat pads often aren't efficient enough without insulation (which you can make pretty easily - but there's a catch: zoo med heaters shouldn't be insulated over... They aren't made to be hotter than they are, and become a fire hazard if covered over).

This means you can only insulate the tank around the heater. I'd recommend either using a product called reflectix or a combo of cardboard, styrofoam (or bubble wrap works okay) and aluminum foil.

I take three pieces of cardboard & cut them to the size of the tank walls (on the two sides & back), tape (I use duct tape usually) down the styrofoam (packing popcorn can be glued in rows, too) or a couple layers of bubble wrap, then cover with a sandwitch layer of cardboard (or not if im lazy) and then foil (shiny side out to reflect heat), & tape it all along the edges. Then tape it to the tank.

For yours you have to make a back panel with a hole where the ZooMed sits. You can measure from the edges & mark where to make the cut out on the cardboard. I wouldn't leave any extra space around the heater bare, though.

Insulation will likely bring the tank up a couple of degrees. Apply the insulation, and maybe a towe or blancet on top of the tank, and see how close to 80° that gets yout - results will vary.

A lamp (during the day) or ceramic heater over the tank could get the temp up a bit more too (and dry the air in the tank a little, in all likelihood). Here's a link to info about lights as heaters:
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92543

What I would recommend you do in the long run is save up for an Ultratherm heat pad. These can be insulated over safely, and so can be made to heat better. When buying a heater always get one that fits the largest portion of the glass above the sub that is possible (Ultratherms come in long sizes). An inch or so of overlap with the sub is acceptable.

[wesbrown]

Thank you all. What size ultratherm would you recommend for 10 gallon?

[GreatVegetable]

Hi,

Title says all. My humidity is staying around the 90s. I can't get the temp past 73 degrees. Currently using a plastic lid and using a 8w zoomed uth. 10 gallon tank. Playsand

Suggestions lowering humidity and raising the temp please?

It's easy for substrate of just sand to become overly saturated, if you want to reduce humidity without sacrificing heat you could use a coco fiber/sand substrate mix at a 5:1 ratio, 5 parts sand 1 part coco fiber.
Just be sure not too wet your substrate too much, just enough so it's shapeable and not dripping water.

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[LadyJinglyJones]

There's a 6" x 17" Ultratherm, available through the online retailer the Bean Farm. If your ten gallon is 20" long, this is likely the closest size to what you need. Check out Reptile Basics too, though I don't think they have a size that's closer at present.

[piratetoothgir]

Hi, I have a 6x17 Ultratherm, and I just purchased a 47x11 for my 55 gallon. It’s a very good price for what you’re going to receive in the future!


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