My house temp stays at 68F -is that ok?

[Lanthia]

In the winter I keep my house at 68F. Will this be too cold for Cristobals? In the summer I keep it at 72F because that is as cool as I can afford to keep it. Is there a way to safely heat the vivarium?

Thanks.

[Philsuma]

68F at night is fine. Try to have lights bring the tank temp up to around 74 for daylight hours, which should be no problem with lights on top of tank lid.

[joneill809]

As Phil said, your lights will heat the viv, but keep in mind you will have a variety of temperatures within a decent sized viv. You can use that to your advantage.

My main display area's ambient is ~72 (30% RH). The floors of my vivs are about 70, and the tops are 76 to 78. I use active air flow that pulls down the temps below ambient at the base of the viv through evaporative cooling, while the lights heat the upper portion of the viv. This creates a gradient, and that is really what I would be looking for.

I have another viv in a different area where ambient is ~70 during the winter (30% RH). The air movement yields floor temps of 64 to 66 (yikes!) and about 70 at the top of the viv during the day. My tincs in that viv prefer the warmer temps and cluster near the top of the viv. I am experimenting with a heat mat / thermostat within my cabinet that encloses the tank. My intent is to heat the air pocket that surrounds the tank by suspending the mat on the back cabinet wall that does not touch the tank, rather than heating the tank directly. If you use a heat mat, just be aware of the impact to the temperature gradient within your tank. Get a decent temp gun to verify your internal temperatures.

[Gope]

My living room is kept around 65. I have an LED fixture full time and CF fixture that I use about half of the time,mostly to supply heat. The temps in the viv vary from 67 at the foor(lowest temp) to upper 70s at the top. I throw a small blanket over the viv at lights out to hold the temp overnight. Everything seems to be doing fine. My pumio sleep in the big brom in the upper reaches of the viv and spend the day on the floor in the leaf litter. Their first froglet just morphed last week,

[Lanthia]

Thanks for all the answers. I was dreading to have to knit them little sweaters.

[Lanthia]

In searching for temp guns, I found a brand called Nubee. Pretty funny. What is a good brand to buy?

[joneill809]

Phil bumped this thread for you:
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=5520

I have a thermometer that can measure body temp or object temps - does double duty in my house on kids and frogs . I also use a data logger when I want to understand temp and RH over time:
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=4452

The loggers were fun for a few projects monitoring vivs versus ambient and shipping container temps. Kind of overkill

[Gope]

I bought this one. Seems to work fine but I have no way of checking it's accuracy.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Geatex-GXMT38-T ... 2a4ff12c6a

[Lanthia]

Thanks for the thread Phil. When you have time read these operating instructions for the Pro Exotic....very funny. https://www.sparkfun.com/images/newsima ... s/PE-2.PDF

Two words Jim. Data freak! But thanks for the thread. Graphs make me turn into a transvestite Lewis Black...I start stuttering and spitting and pointing my finger..."Why don't you just TELL me what the bottom line is?!!" Throw in a word that can't be said here and that's me. Except I'd say freaking since I don't say the other word (out loud).

There may be a 12 step program for you Jim.

[joneill809]

Haha yeah I have a data problem, but it's too late for me

[Lanthia]

Okay, I didn't get a temp gun (budget is stretched and I don't have frogs yet) but two different thermometers say the temp stays 68 day and night.

All my springtails died. I am assuming the temp was too low for them or what else could it be?

[Philsuma]

Had to be something else. 68 is fine for springtails.

Did you seal the lid too tight and suffocate them?

[Lanthia]

The culture is growing fine. The ones in the viv died.

[Lanthia]

I added more today so I guess I'll see what happens.

[Gope]

Are you sure they're dead? They can seemingly disappear in a viv.

[Philsuma]

how many, approx mind you...did you dump in?

A 'goodly' population of most microfauna takes half a year to a full year to 'git bumpin'...

I've just noticed that I'm speakin' in country-like words and phrases lately and it's coming out here on the forum as well. I wonder if I had a stroke or sumpthin.

[Lanthia]

I would guess about 40ish.

Well I swan. You think you have problems, I'm starting to say things like, I'm fixing to go do my hair. I know I'm going to turn into an Okie cracker. It is phrases we heard our grandparents say. I think it is in the genes and such like that. Doomed.

Save the stroke claim for when you forget peoples names.