Temp fluctuations

[msebar]

I just finished setting up my unit and have some questions on heat fluctuation.
I have a 17x11 UTH 23watt on a 90g tanks. This UTH is hooked up to a thermostat. My top temp on the thermostat claims 93.4 digital without giving the thermostat a chance to turn off. I set the therm to be at 93 so I can see it regulate the temps. My other sensor give me a reading of 1.4 less and both probes are next to each other. This morning I noticed that it was down to 88.5 and going up. Will this fluctuation be a problem? My other side of the tank is low at 76 and high of 82 but this probe is floating at mid tank. Humidity is at 80% in the moist hide. My house temps range from 76 to 79. I am going to add some installation to the bottom of the heat pad as per the manufacturer to get the pads up to 96 if needed. Once I get this done I can order my Leos. YEA

 

[msebar]

I added the insulation last night and I was able to get higher temps. My only problem right now is the fluctuations in temps. I see a lower swing of 4 degrees and a higher swing of 1 degree. At a temp set for 95 degrees the unit will go as high as 96 and shut off and then down to 91 before it turns back on. Is this swing ok or not.

Another problem I am having is my no contact Infrared Thermometer reads the substrate as 89 degrees and my regular digital thermometer reads 91 and the thermostat reads 95 degrees. Then I added another one and that one reads 90 degrees. Which one do I follow?

Please help I want to order my little ones soon

 

[LZRDGRL]

Hello there,

Temp fluctuations are only a problem when you're breeding and when they're happening in your incubator. Then, you might run the risk of hatching deformed babies.

If your UTH is a little bit off and not at a constant 96F or whatever, that doesn't matter at all. As long as the warm side is in the mid nineties and the cool side in the eighties (room temp works, too, unless it's winter and gets really cold in your house), that's fine for your geckos :main_yes: My UTH's are not a constant temp, either. The geckos get up and walk away if they want to cool off and regulate their temps. :main_yes:

You are preparing very well for your new leos!!

Chrissy

 

[sunshinegeckos]

I agree with Chrissy. You are doing just fine good luck with your new geckos!

 

[msebar]

Thank you so much for all your smarts. Now I have a bigger problem, I can't decide which 3 I want. I guess I will have drop some paper notes in a hat. LOL

 

[4mb3r]

lol hmmm... You could do a poll on here? lol. Or the paper in a hat may do Wish I had the room for a few more!! haha, im working on some tanks though

 

[scm133]

Michael,
I had to chuckle a little, while reading your post. I went through the same frustration. My thermostat, on my tanks, turned my UTH's off and on while regulated the temps. It drove me crazy!! I spent all weekend with my infrared thermometer trying to get the right settings. I finally settled on 90 something. Which three are you thinking about??

 

[msebar]

Michael,
I had to chuckle a little, while reading your post. I went through the same frustration. My thermostat, on my tanks, turned my UTH's off and on while regulated the temps. It drove me crazy!! I spent all weekend with my infrared thermometer trying to get the right settings. I finally settled on 90 something. Which three are you thinking about??

Just so you know I am laughing my xxx off after reading your post. I must of hit the button on the infrared thermometer over 300 times. This is too funny. I spend so much time on things like this. I must have over 200 hours in reading forums to find out everything possible.

I would like to breed them for the fun of it and for a great experience for my 11year old. I want to get them as small as I can and be able to get 2 or 3 females and 1 male.

By getting them small gives me more time to research and to get familiar with them compared to iguanas. I use to have2 iguanas with my older children when they were small but they got too big and had to give them away. The iguanas not the children (still trying to figure out if I gave away the right ones LOL)

I was thinking about geting one of the albinos as a male.

I am open for any and all suggestions

 

[zmilt86]

Not to hijack your post, but im starting to have same probelms. i have a 10-20 gallon UTH in a 10 gallon tank. Im using slate tile as my substrate and i cant get my temp past 83?!!? for the first couple days i got 90-92, but day 3 now and its only 83-85. what can i do to raise the heat of the UTH? will a thermostat raise the heat? or do i need to place sand as a insulator between the tank and tile??i didnt want to use overhead lighting since belly heat is whats needed.