Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just built a rack......75" H x 18 W x 34" D. It is basically just like the Animal Plastics CB-70 except it is all melamine and I am putting a peg-board back on after I install my Flexwatt heat tape (10W). The enclosure for each adult ball python will be 18"W x 34" D x 6"H. I should be getting my heat tape and Helix Thermostat next week. I am probably going to use aspen for bedding so my pythons should be able to get good heat and good humidity.

I am comfortable installing the heat tape but my question is, do I just put one strip across the back (18 inches across the back) for each tub and how many inches from the back should I put the strip? Will this heat 1/4 to 1/3 of the enclosure to a good basking area? Thanks for any advice.

For CB-70 I'd probably use a piece of 11" heat tape under the tubs.
3" doesn't do much, in my experience, for heating larger tubs.
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You could use 6 watt depending how cold your room is. If 10 watt runs away you are going to bake your tubs and possibly your animals. I use three inch in all my racks. When I built my CB 70 rack I used 4" flex and I ran it 8 inches from the back all the way across the tubs like you indicated...18 inches across. Hope that helps.

Regards,
Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.0 Honeybee
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids (9) and (16)
0.1 Spouse (22 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab

I was going to buy the Animal Plastics CB-70 rack but decided to build my own with the same exact specifications. They use one strip per tub of 3" Flexwatt belly as one of the options. I ordered the heat tape last week and thought it was 6 watt, but turns out it is 10 watt. I didn't think it would matter since I am using a Helix thermostat anyways........does it?

I guess I will just put a strip across the back from side to side about 6-8 inches from the back of the tub. If it does provide adequate basking temps, I will leave it. If it does now, I guess I can run two strips side by side.

The 10 watt is fine as long as everything works properly with no thermal runaways. Helix is a good thermostat and if it fails it is suppose to kill all power to the heat tape. The three inch flex watt will work fine. Measure 8 inches from the back of the the shelf and install it there. Have fun building your rack.

Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.0 Honeybee
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids (9) and (16)
0.1 Spouse (22 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab

I just built the rack and I love it......its pretty much the same as any melamine looking rack all over this site and YouTube. I know a Freedom, AP, or other plastic rack would be much better but this one was just to save a small dime so I can get started. Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it.

Take some pics so we can see.

Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.0 Honeybee
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids (9) and (16)
0.1 Spouse (22 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab

Better go with 2 row.

On my CB-70 rack (from Greg West at CornelsWorld), I am using 2x4" flexwatt.

One would have been enough, but I prefer to have a larger warm zone, since the tub is already quite large. That way, I can have a hot spot, a bit lower from the heat tape.
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