Che wattage?

[Thin Lizzy]

I have a 30" long x 12 x 12 tank, with a UTH on the hot side and I'm looking to bolster the temp a little with a CHE with a thermostat. Any suggestions on the Wattage? I'm achieving 87-88 right now so I don't need much. Would a 60W be sufficient or should I go with a 100W?

Also, my UTH is only a 8w 6x8, should I bump up to the next size up? [ReptiTherm 16w 8x12]

PS: Cold side temp 75.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

If you're adding a CHE, there should be no need to increase the size of your UTH. The CHE will heat the ground below it. A 60 watt is probably fine. Just make sure that you have all of your heating devices on a thermostat.

 

[ebross67]

Do you have a probe measuring ground level or are you measuring tank ambient temperature?

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Do you have a probe measuring ground level or are you measuring tank ambient temperature?

No probe yet, but I just ordered up a HydroFarm to control the CHE and UTH. I use a Laser Gun for Temp checks. I also went with a 100W CHE and 16W UTH. I have a thick slate substrate so I think the extra UTH power wil be exactly what I need to get my temps up. Both will be controlled by the HydroFarm. The CHE is on a adjustable stand so I can also do some fine tuning that way. I intend the have the CHE directly over the hot side.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

I am measuring the temp of the ground. Because of the size of the new UTH, I should be able to get my moist hide more on the hot side which was suggested to me earlier.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

The CHE will work great with the slate. The slate will absorb the heat from the CHE and produce belly heat even better than a UTH. A low wattage UTH has to work very hard to heat the slate all the way through and then maintain a constant temp. Where as the CHE is heating it from above and produces a much more natural type of heat IMO.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Great! Makes since regards to the CHE, substrate would normally be heated by the sun in their natural habitat.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

I'm so excited about getting this set up completed, I've totally blown my budget. My hubby said if he knew how much I would love this, he would have gotten me a Gecko years ago.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

Glad to be of help. Be careful, this hobby can be addictive!!!

 

[Thin Lizzy]

The cost of this "hobby" is surprising. Don't get me wrong I'm lovin' it, but maybe someone could add some realistic budget predictions to the "Care Sheet" so newbies can determine that they're financially able to provide all the necessities these little cuties require to truly thrive, including weekly food estimates. Maybe I'll post a full listing of my costs for set-up, etc. when I'm all done, or maybe this has been done already. Thankfully, for my little guys sake, I've been able to afford all of these things.

 

[ebross67]

Don't forget the cost you loose by listening to bad advice at the pet store. I'm a little perturbed about that one. I bought a terrarium that was said to be perfect for geckos to only find out that it was way to small. A loss of $60 (I placed the UTH on it and can't get it off, so I can't take it back .).

 

[Embrace Calamity]

The cost of this "hobby" is surprising. Don't get me wrong I'm lovin' it, but maybe someone could add some realistic budget predictions to the "Care Sheet" so newbies can determine that they're financially able to provide all the necessities these little cuties require to truly thrive, including weekly food estimates. Maybe I'll post a full listing of my costs for set-up, etc. when I'm all done, or maybe this has been done already. Thankfully, for my little guys sake, I've been able to afford all of these things.

That's a good idea. Most people overlook it, but the reality of it is, it's bloody expensive. There's food, supplementation, different heating (which will also eventually need replaced), temp controls/monitoring, enclosure, decor, substrate, etc. Of course, there are way to cut down on cost like creating your own hides and using bioactive subtrates, but it's still a huge cash dump.

~Maggot

 

[Thin Lizzy]

I hear you there, I bought a new UTH that was the size suggested by the pet store and it's too small giving me temps of only 75 Deg f. I'm hoping I can get it off there as they said they would take it back as a faulty return.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I hear you there, I bought a new UTH that was the size suggested by the pet store and it's too small giving me temps of only 75 Deg f. I'm hoping I can get it off there as they said they would take it back as a faulty return.

20 longs usually require a size up in UTHs, since there's so much screen for the heat to escape through. Though a light in a large dome on top would probably help trap some of it, which would be the ideal way to go.

~Maggot

 

[Corwin's Keeper]

but maybe someone could add some realistic budget predictions to the "Care Sheet"

There is a budget on the caresheet. :biggrin:

Check Post #26 (Setup and Cost): "When adding all the products together, I have spent about $370.00, not including shipping and handling of the stuff I ordered online. The products that I am using, and links to them are below:"

 

[Thin Lizzy]

There is a budget on the caresheet. :biggrin:

Check Post #26 (Setup and Cost): "When adding all the products together, I have spent about $370.00, not including shipping and handling of the stuff I ordered online. The products that I am using, and links to them are below:"

Thanks! I guess I haven't got that far yet... The first 25 Posts must have tired me out. How come I could only find the articles that said how easy and simple Leo's were to care for prior to jumping in? My bad... I guess I didn't dig quite deep enough. Though I did buy a book, an app and read through numerous care sheets; noe were quite as comprehensive as the one here.

 

[Corwin's Keeper]

Though I did buy a book, an app and read through numerous care sheets; noe were quite as comprehensive as the one here.

I agree!! Before getting my gecko, I borrowed about three books from the library and spent tons of time online doing research - thankfully I found this site. (FYI when I first read the caresheet I didn't realize all five pages of the thread were part of it too! :lol

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I agree!! Before getting my gecko, I borrowed about three books from the library and spent tons of time online doing research - thankfully I found this site. (FYI when I first read the caresheet I didn't realize all five pages of the thread were part of it too! :lol

I feel bad that I didn't do research ahead of time. It was actually kind of a surprise. My dad called me from the pet store and asked if I needed anything (we have a million other pets, so there's always something we need), and I was like, "Yeah, a gecko! Haha!" I wasn't serious, but he came home with a gecko. XD So I instantly did a ton of research, which thankfully allowed me to get everything together properly right away. Of course, I've tweaked things a little as I've gone, since there's so much information out there and so much to learn. It's unfortunate that so much of the information is crap though. =/

~Maggot

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

Thanks! I guess I haven't got that far yet... The first 25 Posts must have tired me out. How come I could only find the articles that said how easy and simple Leo's were to care for prior to jumping in? My bad... I guess I didn't dig quite deep enough. Though I did buy a book, an app and read through numerous care sheets; noe were quite as comprehensive as the one here.

The basic care of a leo IS quite simple. They can be kept in as simple of a set up as a small shoebox sized rubbermaid container with paper towel substrate and a piece of 3" flexwatt heat on a thermostat. One hide and a water dish.

That's how most of the large scale breeders keep them. I'm not saying that it's the best way to do it, but it's how it's often done, and it is one way of keeping them (although not a very fun way).

Most people who keep them as pets prefer to keep them in a more naturalistic looking setting and of course, you can get as fancy as you want to when it comes to buying equipment. I could certainly put together a proper newbie leo set up for far less than $370. But, when one buys all of the pre-made pet store gear, it does tend to add up quickly. It's a huge industry that thrives on people not knowing what they really need and selling over priced plastic junk that's made in China for pennies.

 

[Corwin's Keeper]

What matters is that you cared enough to do the research and make any changes that needed to be made! Now it sounds like you're an expert! (Speaking of - know anything about armpit bubbles?! Lol)

Your dad sounds great! I'd have a zoo by now if I had a dad like that!