Hi guys not posted for a while! been rather hetic over the xmas period and finally settled down!

I am getting a new viv for my 6month Cali King, its dimensions are 36'L x 20'H x 18'D(its 3ft viv not sure of how many gallons etc) and I was just wanting some help please?

I know what items I need in the viv my questions are a bit more specific. which I know all you guys can answer for me!

What size heat mat would be best? thats the easy one really,

Now I can not get my head round this bit, how do I wire them all up through a thermostat? and if so which ishould I get as there is pulse stat, dimmer stat, mat stat etc etc. thing that gets me is I also want lights in the viv so how would I combine the lights so it creates the gradient and the correct temps!? do I need a dual thermostat? HELP!!!!

If someone could simply tell me what I need that would be great! thanks (sorry for the legth of this thread!)

get a heat mat that is 1/3 of the viv a thermostat should plug into the heat mat for the light just get a wattage that keeps the temp gradient after the heat matt is turned on.So if the matt will keep the lowest gradient at night then u wil need probally a 40-50watt ligh for the day. and can runn that on a timmer.

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Live for today Not tomorrow.

So which type of thermostat should I get? a mat stat? so if I have the heat mat running at the night time temp all the time and then the light on through the day to bring it up to day time temp is that right? then when the lights off the night time temps will be right? how would that work with the thermostat then can you simply keep the mat at one temp? or will it be affected by the light?

I think what im trying to say is do I set the mat stat to 75 or 85? (75 being night time temp and 85 being day time temp)

Sorry its all just a little bit confusing! if I had it in front of me I would be able to sort it! thanks though aiden!

Also what watt matt should I get? is 20w suitable to heat a 3ft viv?

If you have the mat hooked into a thermostat, it will turn your heat mat on and off based on the temperature in the cage and will keep it at a constant temperature. If it is set at 80 it will turn off at 80 regardless of whether or not the light is on. As long as the temperature in the tank is correct the lamp would not be needed. If you only desire a light source for viewing the snake, you could go with a flourescent light. They do not creat enough heat to worry about.
Alternately you could hook the mat up to a rheostat which is basically a high and low switch and will set the mat at a particular temperature and keep it there. Then you could use a basking lamp to cause the temperature to raise during the day and lower when it goes off at night. The proble whith the rheo is that if the room temperature varies so will the temperature in the tank. For example if someone turns the heat up in the room the mat will still be running at the same temperature and the cage could get too warm.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

nice one thanks merlin. i will look into both ideas. Would the same thing happen if I used a mat stat? can I not just set the temp of the mat stat to 75? and then use the light or would the same thing happen?

I am not familiar with the device you are referring to but if it is a thermostat that measures the temperature and turns the heating device off and on accordingly then yes it would behave the same.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I have just found this page to show what it is and I think it will behave in the same manor, as there is a probe the goes with it so have a look and see what you think. its just for heat matts you see and cheaper.

http://www.livefoods.co.uk/product_i...roducts_id=146

That is a thermostat and as I said above will turn your heat mat down when the light comes on. It will not just control the temperature of the mat.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

oh well! thanks for helping anyway.