How To Build A Rack?

Ok...I plan to build a rack either this summer, or as late as next year (hopefully this summer). I am wanting to get ahead of myself so that I can price everything and figure out exactly what it is going to take to build one.

I am not good with building things so I need more or less very detailed instructions ...if anyone knows how I can get such instructions. I will probably have my fiancee help so that I don't hurt myself .

Alright, so on average what would it cost me to build a rack? I would like to have a rack that can house both hatchlings and adults (and I plan to breed, reason for the rack, so would I need breeding tubs?). I guess just make it so that it would house half adults and half hatchlings. I am not so sure what I will need yet (in terms of how many tubs), but I really only have room for one rack, and if it has to be tall that would be fine, or maybe I could build two and stack them? I just have so many questions!! Oh, and what size tubs would I need for hatchlings and for adults?

And what about heating? I have no experince with things such as flexwatt and whatnot, so I would need opinions on that. I know that I would attatch it with heat tape to the back of the racks shelves, but how do I wire it? And how many times do I have to run it across the back?

I guess what I'm hoping for here is for someone who has built a rack and can give me some good ideas and instructions on what to do ...I'm a complete novice to the rack thing, but I need one...all these tanks just aren't cutting it anymore! Anyone want to make my life easier and just build me a rack :smug2:? HAHA...just kidding, or am I :main_evilgrin:?

Here is a link to a post on building a rack. I found it on page 6 searching the housing topics.

http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=14228

Thanks! I had done some searching, but must have missed that one. So now that I've read through that, I have a question. What width heat tape would be recommended? I see it comes in 3", 4", or 11". I can't imagine I would need the 11" tape, but would 4" alone be enough?

And still, what size tub would I need for adults. I saw that Paul was using 6qt. for the hatchlings, but would it best to use 15qt. or 32qt. for the adults. And what about breeding tubs?

Thanks again!

I am using the 4 inch. It works pretty good now that I know how to find out the temps.
I am using 12 quart but alot use the 15 quart for adults. For hatchlings I have the 6 quart.

Yea, I remember you having a post about not being able to get the temps right with your flexwatt...what did you end up doing to get it right? Just asking so that I will know what to do . Thanks for all the help!

Well flexwatt is picky about how the connector are on. Thats why at first I had heat on 1 shelf but not on the rest. You just put all your tubs in the rack and your temp probe on the flexwatt not in your container.

Ok, I'll remember that when it comes time to doing all of this. Thanks :main_thumbsup:!

I use 32qt for my breeders which i put 1.2 in. I use 16qt for my sub adults and my males when they aren't breeding and 6t for hatchlings. What works best for me are open air racks similar to

http://animalplastics.com/1754EP.htm

They work great and are very easy to build. I like them because I can use different tub setups in one rack. They are lighter weight than full melamine racks. Mine are in a room where the temps are pretty constant throughout the year, so I don't get much temp fluctuation. I wouldn't go more than eight levels high. The costs for the rack and flex watt are cheaper than the thermostat used to run the hole setup. Hope this helps to give you more ideas

traffic said:

I use 32qt for my breeders which i put 1.2 in. I use 16qt for my sub adults and my males when they aren't breeding and 6t for hatchlings. What works best for me are open air racks similar to

http://animalplastics.com/1754EP.htm

They work great and are very easy to build. I like them because I can use different tub setups in one rack. They are lighter weight than full melamine racks. Mine are in a room where the temps are pretty constant throughout the year, so I don't get much temp fluctuation. I wouldn't go more than eight levels high. The costs for the rack and flex watt are cheaper than the thermostat used to run the hole setup. Hope this helps to give you more ideas

Click to expand...

Thanks...and yeah, I have figured out that the thermostat is the most expensive part, and I am okay with that, as long as I can get everything else at a decent price. Did you build a rack like that? If so, what exactly did you do? Got pictures? I just like to keep my options open, definitely since I have several months to think about what I am giong to do.

That link is what I used to build my rack. In all it cost me 150$ including a thermostat (i use the cheaper 30$ ones)

Here's one I built a few years ago - My Rack.

Here's how I made my melamine rack for 32 quart Rubbermaids...http://www.westerngecko.ca/breeder_rack.htm

Thanks for all the replies guys! Now I have another question...how exactly do you go about doing the parallel wiring? I saw the picture of what it is supposed to look like, but I guess I'm having trouble understanding what exactly you do with the wires at each strip of heat tape.

I think when I go to build this thing I am going to have to be on the phone with someone to help me along :main_laugh: ! And now I wish I could build it now, not later...I'm such an impatient person :main_rolleyes: .

All AC electrical wires will be either color coded on the inside or coded with a raised ridge on the outside so positive and negative can be identified. Make sure you always connect pos to pos and neg to neg. When connecting to the flexwatt tape always keep the pos on one side and the neg on the other side. In this crude drawing below the section with verticle bars represents the bars of actual heating elements inside flexwatt. When connecting the two strips together so they can be connected to one thermostat make sure you connect the two +'s together and the two -'s together with a plug on the end and plug into your controller. It doesn't matter which side goes to which prong on the plug as long as you always keep the +'s together and the -'s together. This is called a parallel circuit....

___________________________________________ +
|___|___|___|___|___|_______________________ -

___________________________________________ +
|___|___|___|___|___|_______________________ -

Watch the gauge of wire your using for the amount of wattage you are connecting...

Here is the flexwatt parallel wiring diagram from The Bean Farm...
http://www.beanfarm.com/heating/Flexwatt_parallel.pdf

That's a great diagram you made there. Here's another one I made a long time ago but it's a little rougher than the last post. I hope it helps.

Great work on that rack, 2.1SRR.YYC!



Oh yeah, please have an electrician look at your wiring. You stand a very real chance of burning something if it's done wrong.