I'm getting sick of it

[ghiigh33]

My hovabator has fluctuated many degrees since i got it.....set at 86 it dropped to 84 and now its at 90. Ok it's because my house temps fluctuate alot. I thought i could get away without spending the money but its pretty obvious that i need a QUALITY thermostat to control my **** hovabator. I have heard the big apple herp one is good.....someone please suggest a good dependable thermostat to use for my situation. Or possibly even a new incubator? If you can suggest a proven high quality incubator that would be worry free please do, money is not an issue i paid too much to have the gecko set up, its worth it for the hatchlings. Thank you.

ps: i have lost many eggs do to the hovabator without thermostat....so annoying.

Just looked up some stuff....can you please give me your opinion on these items?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/SmartHatch-Easy-20-Egg-Reptile-Incubator

this would be nice if i could just toss my eggs in an call it a day....

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Accu-Temp-6000-Reptile-Incubator-Digital-Reptile-Incubator

well this just looks plain sick!!!

and this, would it save my hova??

http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat

 

[ghiigh33]

Wait, would i get better results if the temp didnt fluctuate at all? Like what if the hova wasin a room that stayed exactly 75 and didnt change at all. would that work better?

 

[acpart]

If you had a room where the temperature stayed steady somewhere between 80-88 degrees, your eggs would probably hatch without an incubator. Someone on the forums (I think it was GeckoGathering) had about a 100% hatch rate when putting the eggs in a location in his house where the temps were steady and appropriate.

Failing that, here's my opinion:

--If you want to "salvage" your hobovator, your best bet is a proportional thermostat (which works like a combination rheostat and thermostat because when the temp starts to drop it puts out a percentage of the total power as opposed to an on/off thermostat). I used one made by Big Apple Herp for 6 years with my hobovator with very good results. The thermostat you linked to is not, I believe, a proportional thermostat (they usually cost around $100) but you could check it out. If the one in the link isn't proportional, it will likely be better than the one in the hobovator, but I think it's best to find the best solution rather than a possibly only adequate one

--remember, that even if you have the best thermostat in the world, if the ambient temperature exceeds your incubation temperature, you're out of luck. When I used the hobovator, I had to keep it in the basement all summer because I live in the northeast and don't use AC.

--If you want to have an incubator that will work regardless of the ambient temps, then the more expensive mini-fridge incubator you link to will do the trick. I'm now using a reptipro5000 which looks just like the big apple one. Many companies are selling these mini fridge incubators which all look exactly alike. The companies claim that the "guts" are different and custom made. Based on what I've read, there seems to be general dissatisfaction with the Exo-terra version, but not too much trouble with the others. I'm currently using two: one for most of my eggs incubating at about 83 and one for my gargoyle eggs incubating at 75. The only thing I notice that needs adjustment is that when the ambient temperature changes to the point where the incubator has to switch from heating to cooling or vice versa, you may have to do some adjustment of a degree or two. I keep a thermometer with probe in my egg container so I can monitor that.

--the cheaper incubator you link to, I believe, will just be another hobovator grade incubator.

I hope that's helpful and good luck with your eggs.

Aliza

 

[ghiigh33]

Ok, thank you acpart. Hereis the model reptipro has now for sale, they discontinued the 5000. I like this model, I think I will buy it. Does it look good?

http://www.reptipro.com/reptile-supplies/incubators/reptipro-6000-incubator.html

So with this one i need no thermostats or other stuff, just the incubator and a probe thermometer, the rest will be taken care of?

And it says water tray for humidity control, but i use albeys method so i dont need humidity control right? I can still put egg containers on those racks?

 

[roger]

Ok, thank you acpart. Hereis the model reptipro has now for sale, they discontinued the 5000. I like this model, I think I will buy it. Does it look good?

http://www.reptipro.com/reptile-supplies/incubators/reptipro-6000-incubator.html

So with this one i need no thermostats or other stuff, just the incubator and a probe thermometer, the rest will be taken care of?

And it says water tray for humidity control, but i use albeys method so i dont need humidity control right? I can still put egg containers on those racks?

Go thru craigslist and buy a cheap mini fridge.I paid $20 for mine.I have used a mini fridge incubator for a couple of years now .Temps stay bang on 83 deg with absolutely no variance.I suck at being handy and did mine in 15 mins.All you need is some 11" heat tape put in which is simple and a good thermostat.Reall,Im not very handy and I did mine.Total cost for me was $40

 

[acpart]

Yes, all you'll need is the reptipro6000 if you choose to buy and not DIY. It never hurts to put some zip-loc bags of water in the bottom of the incubator to further stabilize the temps regardless of whether you use Albey's method.

Aliza

 

[ghiigh33]

Ok thanks acpart, i bought the 6000. You say put ziplocs of water in the bottom, but are you saying i shouldn't put water into the water trays that are provided, but instead put ziploc water bags on top of them? And is the thermometer and prop thermostat on this thing accurate enough that i can let it be without buying another thermostat separately? I just want to have an incubator where i dont have to hook up another thermostat to it you know?

 

[acpart]

You won't need a thermostat, but you should have a digital thermometer with probe so you can monitor the temperature inside the egg box. You may occasionally have to adjust the programmed temp on the incubator up or down a bit, especially when the ambient temp changes drastically. It's better to bag the water so it doesn't splash or spill.

Aliza

 

[ghiigh33]

Ok thanks I'll do that.

 

[sanderson]

I was also looking at the reptipro 6000, but cant find many reviews on it, anyone on here used it yet?