Reddit mentions: The best temperature controllers

your BP isn't just thin, she's emaciated. you need to put some weight on her, but you need to do so gradually. you also really need to feed her f/t before she gets injured by live prey. if your enclosure is meeting her needs, and you're not causing her stress by handling her unnecessarily, she should eat f/t for you just fine. i guarantee she wasn't eating f/t at petsmart because she was stressed due to poor husbandry.

i'm going to dump a TON of information on you. some of it may be redundant, some of it may be useful. first, three detailed care sheets, a tub setup tutorial, and product recommendations to cover all types of enclosures. then i'll give you a breakdown of how i handled my emaciated BP, simultaneously putting weight on her safely and switching her from mice to rats. you'll fine more generalized feeding tips in the third care sheet. read everything thoroughly, then come back with any questions.

since i don't see any mention of what your enclosure is like, i'll start with this: glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
  
  now for a suggested feeding regimen. if your BP will genuinely only eat live right now, you can safely start her on appropriately sized rat pinkies/fuzzies/pups. if their eyes haven't opened yet, they won't be able to bite her hard enough to cause injuries. once she fills out a little and can more comfortably skip a few meals, you should start working on switching her to f/t.
  
  at the time of rescue, my BP's weight was 140g, meals were one fuzzy mouse with an estimated weight of 5g, meal schedule was "once every few weeks". here's a breakdown of the meal sizes, schedule, and switch from mice to rats i used. this is all f/t, so dealing with live will be a little different.
  
  
• week 1: settling in.
  
• week 2: one fuzzy mouse, 5g, ~3% of BP's weight.
  
• week 3: two fuzzy mice, total 8g, ~5%.
  
• week 4: one fuzzy mouse, 5g. one rat pinky scented with the mouse, 5g. total 10g, ~7%.
  
• week 5: BP weight 155g. one hopper mouse, 10g. one scented rat pinky, 6g. total 17g, ~10%.
  
• week 6: one adult mouse, 14g. one scented rat pinky, 6g. total 19g, ~13%.
  
• week 7: one fuzzy mouse, 4g. one scented rat pup, 20g. total 24g, ~15%.
  
• week 8: BP weight 160g. one scented rat pup, 24g, ~15%.
  
  i continued scenting her rats for another couple of months, but that was more because it was easy [i have a corn who eats mice] than it being necessary. she was readily eating unscented rats within five months. a couple years later, i usually don't even have to warm up her rats beyond room temperature, though she does require some dangling with the tongs as she won't eat anything she hasn't "killed".

Red light isn't good, you'll want a heat mat (MAKE SURE you have a thermostat for it or it will get too hot) and possibly a ceramic heat emitter (also needs a thermostat) for air heat. What are the temps and humidity and how do you measure them? Glass tanks usually don't hold humidity well and often aren't good for bps. You need at least 2 good hides, one for each side. They should be snug and enclosed with only one opening, preferably identical, half logs don't work.

Someone should come by with a really good care sheet, read it, it has some great info. I know this might be a lot of information, but having a good setup is important and will save you headaches in the future.

Edit: I found the care sheet. Credit to u/_ataraxia.

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. It's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• the basics and then some
  
• common problems
  
• feeding problems
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. They have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

I've got extra adderall in my system that I need to burn off, so you're going to get the benefit of a decade of mechanical engineering and prototyping work in defense, consumer products, aerospace and medical. Not all of this will apply to a senior design project, but it is my thought process when prototyping.

1. Capture the voice of the customer (what EXACTLY does it have to do). Write it down. Verify it with the customer. Make sure you know exactly what success looks like. Translate this into the minimum viable prototype to achieve this success. Example of tradeoffs you can make at the prototyping stage: If it's a small portable device, but to go from phase 1 to phase 2 you don't have time to miniaturize the power supply, microcontroller, and secure batteries, the first prototype will be on a power and data tether from a laptop. If it's something mechanical that eventually has to weigh less than X, it can be fabricated quick and dirty as a proof of concept before you start adding expensive lightness.
   
   
2. Minimize innovation. Read that again. Minimize innovation. Don't be innovate anywhere you don't have to. Reuse whatever you can from the next closest thing, and only invent something new or do something unique/custom/cool/fun where you are adding unique value. Don't assume it is cheaper or easier or better to make something yourself instead of applying an industry-standard solution unless you already comprehensively know the pros and cons of the next best competitors and have a good idea why they made the tradeoffs that they did.
   
   
3. Try to only have one miracle per prototype. If you are inventing a new remote control something-or-other, don't try to test the controls and the mechanics and the motors and the battery all at once. Take an existing product and switch the motors out, put it back to stock and work the bugs out of the control system, then do the control system AND the motors, and once ALL of that works, try the control system, motors, and your new chassis all together, since you will be able to pinpoint what is going wrong much easier.
   
   
4. Know what questions you are trying to answer when you are going to consult with the customer. If you have a design decision, build prototypes far enough to be able to show them the difference (do you want it to work with a twist knob or a pull tab? How does this feel in your hand compared to this? Is this easy enough to adjust or does it need more friction?). Know before you talk to the customer what questions you want to ask.
   
   
5. Rapid prototyping can make beautiful parts...if you get good at sanding, bondo, and spray paint. It is worth a day of prep time to make your final version parts look nice. Anything that needs threaded fittings should get pressed and glued-in brass inserts, threads into plastic in prototype parts will strip exactly when you don't want them to and ruin your day.
   
   
6. For any actual fabrication, it will take twice as long and cost three times as much as you think it will right now. Always order a spare of anything with a lead time of more than 20% of your total project timeline if you can afford to, and if you can't afford to, think hard about if you should buy it anyway because when it breaks, not only will you be buying a new one, you will be expediting it. Don't be afraid to buy something that is 50% of what you want to make and throw away half of it, it's probably cheaper in the long run and the process of stripping down something similar to what you want to build might spark some ideas.
   
   
7. Get an account on McMasterCarr for anything physical like bolts, valves, fittings, bearings, etc. Get an account on Protocam for anything you need made of plastic--upload your parts to them, fill out a quick form, and they will give you quotes on whether they can make it, out of what material, and with which combination of machining or additive manufacturing (3d-printing). McMaster and Protocam can get you parts quicker than anybody else. Get a Misumi catalog. They are expensive but they are the industry standard for one-off fabrication of benches, tables, test rigs, etc for a reason--they are precise, modular, and durable.
   
   
8. If you want to add any electronics to your project, try to find something that is close enough and make it work--example, do not program your own temperature or flow control modules, just buy them. There are a whole lot of processes that can be controlled 'good enough' by a $30 PID controller off of Amazon. or clever use of limit switches and timer relays. If you can't do that, find someone who is good with Arduino and then google aggressively for similar projects (whatever it is, it has been done before) and steal as much of their code as you can get away with and still have it do what you want it to do. You will almost never need anything more than an Arduino unless you are a very CS-heavy group in which case you should know what you want to use instead.
   
   If you have specific or more focused questions around your project, I can reply to PM's if you'd like.

Here's u/ataraxia's classic link dump I found on a other post. Although the informstion is written for bps (most common snake people have trouble with it seems- mostly due to the humedity) but the suggestions could definitely help you for the humedity aspect needed for your boa.


You should definitely read it through.

i'm going to dump a bunch of helpful links on you. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

I highly recommend you read the below information. Guaranteed that you'll be completely redoing your set up after reading all of this.

Credit: u/_ataraxia

The first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. Read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry, due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. It's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. Wood enclosures can also be suitable, if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. I'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
  
  If you set up a good enclosure, and the temperatures and humidity are correct with no special treatment, the most work you need to do is feed every 1-2 weeks, spot clean the substrate and clean the water dish as needed [once or twice a week], and do a full enclosure cleaning every 1-6 months.

I have an older one of these that I acquired second hand because it's the right size for my cellar, allows for great display, and I have a completely dark room with good ventilation to keep it in.

Some caveats if you're looking for one of these:

1. The light in older ones is a fluorescent. You might want to replace it with LEDs, which will require a ballast bypass at a minimum, though this isn't terribly difficult and will allow you to use the existing fittings.
   
   
2. They're mostly designed to operate between 32 F and 40 F. This may be fine for some purposes, but is probably colder than most people would want their cellars. I've interrupted my compressor with a Johnson Controls A419 while setting the existing thermostat to its lowest setting to bypass it. This has generally worked well for me, and is easy as the sub-components of the fridge are connected to the power distributor by standard plugs and the temperature probe can be routed up the drain.
   
   
3. If you run the fridge warmer, the compressor may not run long enough to pull moisture out of the air when it's humid out, pushing the humidity too high and causing cap rust and label mold. I use an electric dehumidifier in the summer to correct this, as most common chemical desiccants work too slowly at cellar temperatures.
   
   
4. It's easy to find someone who will service a commercial refrigerator. It's easy to find someone that will service a refrigerator in a private residence. It is not easy to find someone that will service a commercial refrigerator in a private residence. Be prepared to really call around for service, but someone will eventually do it.
   
   
5. It's a big, commercial fridge. It takes over a pound of refrigerant. A compressor failure is a $1500 fix. Be prepared for unexpected costs. I have spent more on service than on the original unit. I'm still a long ways from the cost of a new unit, though.
   
   
6. Replace the brackets that hold up the shelves immediately. They're cheap, they wear out, and they can fail. It's worth the like $20 just to replace them if you're not certain they're in good shape.
   
   A big commercial fridge like this looks super cool and is great for some. I love mine. It's done a fantastic job while I've had it, but it's not for the faint of heart. Like an old car, it's a bit of a labor of love.

First of all. It's very good you recognize that you need help in learning how to care for the snake.

Second, here is a big link dump created by another regular user u/_ataraxia all credit for this goes to her.

the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

u/ataraxia has amazing information for ball pythons. You should definitely read it through. Glass tanks are not ideal for Bps, so this should help. Here is her normal dump of information I took from another post.

i'm going to dump a bunch of helpful links on you. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

Welcome to homebrewing!

For that stout you probably want to be around 67, but your beer is fine, don't worry! Higher temperatures can impart off flavors, but at the temperatures you are at, your beer should taste just fine. I use this attached to a wine fridge or chest freezer, and it works wonders for keeping your fermentation temperature consistent (plus you can make lagers).

Cold crashing improves clarity, which is not a big concern for a stout so i wouldn't worry about it for now, it is totally not necessary.

Both of those beers would be good, and there is nothing wrong with extract brewing/kits, don't let anyone tell you different! That being said, i switched to biab (all grain) and have enjoyed it more and gotten better beers.

Lastly, as you get deeper into brewing water will become more of a concern, but for now don't worry too much about it. Grocery store water has two problems. First, you don't know whats in it, though some water companies like crystal geiser post the info online. 2. If it is distilled/reverse osmosis/filtered it will not have much of any minerals which you might want in your beer. Calcium, for example, is important for great beer, though you can add gypsum salt to your water to give it the calcium content you might want.

cheers and good luck with your new hobby, its very rewarding and a lot of fun. let me know if you have any questions and ill try to share my (limited) knowledge

Reposting the famous u/ _ataraxia info:

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. It's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• the basics and then some
  
• common problems
  
• feeding problems
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. They have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

Sounds like you were getting outdated or flat-out incorrect information and those 'experienced snake owners' are likewise misinformed. There are very few snakes that legitimately have evolved to thrive on sand-based substrate (irony being the Sand Boa is not one of them; they live in sandy soil which is very different composition than straight sand). The Ball Python is native to the svannah/jungles of Sub-Saharan Africa. Its dirt, soil, and burrows. Not a majority or even significant amount of sand.

Additionally, if I extrapolate correctly from this singular picture, your BP is also in a glass enclosure and has a log-style hide. The former makes keeping humidity in the 55~80% range a difficult exercise, and the latter, is a stressor as BPs do best with a hide that has a single-entrance or is cave-like; the more points of contact, the better, and a single entrance means they can feel safer.

I'm going to steal _ataraxia's ball python dump and toss it below:

i'm going to dump a bunch of links to get you on the right track. the first three links are detailed care sheets, the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

Promise you aren't the only one with these questions. As others have said, an evening of research will get you many of your answers.

I'm in a state that "grow your own" legalized a few years ago. Have helped friends get setups going. Feel free to PM me if you aren't getting answers online.

My usual formula, for someone who knows plants a little but hasn't grown weed indoors it:

• Plan on a $1000 budget. You can stay well under, but it's hard to know where to cut corners until you've been through a few cycles.
  
  
• For perpetual, get two tents: a 3x3' (or 2x4') veg tent, and a 4x4' flowering tent. But start with a single 3x3'. And do a full run in it before you decide you want to build up.
  
  
• 3x3' tent from Apollo: 4" inline with a fan speed controller, hooked to a Programmable Thermostat. . .light = 250w XL Quantum Board fixture. Spend money on a good light.
  
  
• If smell is an issue, Phresh filters are worth it. But pricey.
  
  
• Medium/Nutes. . .go soil-less medium, in cloth pots. Roots Organic Green Light. You can go straight from clone (or rooted seed). And add as you increase container size. Nutrients: Fox Farms Trio, CalMg+, and a pH Up/Down kit with the tester drops. pH is important, as is your home water. You'll need to read up, but if you can feed clean 6.3ish pH water, including pH adjustments to get you to that range after adding nutes, you are already ahead of the game. Pull up the Fox Farms feed schedule from their website, for soil. Follow it.
  
  
• Ventilation in basement: Should all be fine, in a tent. Keep everything close except the exhaust port, and an intake port. Cover the intake with something to keep dust out. . .cut-to-fit furnace filter works great. And old pair of nylons. Anything.
  
  
• Sourcing/Seeds: Ordering anything through the mail is technically illegal. We all do it, all the time. But don't feel like one seed bank is better than another. You mention an Auto seed. Those are very different, and you don't want to mix photo- and auto-flower seeds. If you have an existing medical program, and know, well, anyone, starting from clones may be an option? I started with fem seeds from overseas banks. Seedsman or Herbies are legit operations. You are about to drop a ton of money on gear, time, electric. Get good seeds. DNA Genetics has great Fem seeds. The best (IMO) seeds aren't feminized. If you are willing to deal with that, there are fantastic seed sources in the US. James Bean and Great Lakes come to mind. Get a Bodhi pack or two. . .you'll have to identify and weed out males, but I promise the results will be worth it!
  
  

Sous vide on the cheap. This requires a $60 initial investment, but you can turn a cheap cut into some of the best meat you've ever eaten so I promise it's worth it. You need a temperature controller for your crock pot, I bought this one you have to wire it yourself with an extension cord, or you can buy a prewired one for $25 more. Buy some Ziploc vacuum bags.

Fill your crock pot with hot water and plug it into the temperature controller. Put the probe in the bottom of the crock pot and set the temperature based on the type of meat your using and how done you want it,Here's a chart. Season the meat. Seal it in a vacuum bag, put it in the water and put the lid on the crock pot. I like to leave the corner of the vacuum bag with the valve out of the water, it helps it keep the seal a bit better. When the meat is done, if you plan on eating it immediately, pat it dry, then quickly sear all sides on a smoking hot pan. If not, chill it in ice water and save it in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it. You can reheat thin cuts by searing them, reheat roasts in the crock pot. Depending on how big your crock pot is, you can cook several days worth of meat at once.

I find it's best to use dry spices, or a little bit of fresh herbs. Garlic powder works better than raw. Don't use quite as much seasoning as you would cooking using other methods. Avoid putting sauces in the bag itself, especially acidic/alcoholic ones. If you plan on marinating/brining, do that first, then pat the meat dry before putting it in the bag. Adding additional fats, like butter/baconfat/lard helps the meat retain even more moisture.

If you're using a tough cut of meat you can, and should, cook it for a long time. Some people cook it for 72 hours, the longest I've done is 48. If your cut has a lot of connective tissue, like brisket, you should cook it at at least 140-145F to help break it down. Most steaks are good after 4-6 hours, I wouldn't cook them for longer than 16. If you're cooking a thin tough cut, like flank steak, which requires about 12 hours, bunch it or fold it in the bag instead of laying it flat, to help prevent moisture loss. Delicate meat like chicken breasts should not be cooked for more than 4 hours. Fish no more than 1. Some meats have higher recommended temps, but the hotter you set the bath the faster the meat will lose moisture, so I recommend doing most of the cooking at a lower temp like 140F, then raising it to the final temp over the last hour or so.

It's fairly idiot proof, exact timing isn't really important, but the meat will come out at the perfect temperature. The results are really impressive, and you can feel proud serving someone a meal that was cooked in a crock pot.

If he's an extract brewer, upgrading to an all-grain setup would be fun. Mash tuns, ported brewing kettles with temperature gauges and sight glasses, a nice gas burner or an all in one BIAB setup like the Unibrau or Wort Hog (especially if you have 240V power available, though 120v options are available). The latter two hit just around $1000 themselves but are ready to go out of the box.

If he's already an all-grain brewer in either multi-vessel or BIAB (or even if he's not), does he have a kegging setup? A good size chest freezer (consult the chart here for model numbers that fit the right number of kegs), a 4 pack of kegs with connectors, a gas manifold, a CO2 cylinder, and an Inkbird temperature controller will fall neatly within the budget range and is a significant "luxury" upgrade to buy all at once.

Already got that? He's probably already got fermentation temperature control if so, but if not, it's a nice one. This option tends to be the most awkward to just buy off the shelf and the temperature controlled conical fermenter I'm seeing runs around $1800, so its a bit out of budget. Again, a fridge or freezer with temperature controller are nice. I'd advise against a conical unless you know it will fit into his fermentation chamber. They are super sweet but they require a setup built with them in mind.

Already got all that? Ok, we're into the hilarious luxury items now. A reverse osmosis water setup? A high end pH meter? A giant stainless steel sink in his brewing area with one of those nifty shower head things for easy water filling and cleaning? A barrel of some kind for ageing? Can't help you past here, I'm too poor!

Oh absolutely. Most of the time I am making it for me and the wife to share so I dilute it more then I used to.

I heat 400 ml of everclear in a crockpot with a high accuracy temp controller added to it. here is the controller that I use. I set the temp to 160F and let the decarbed weed soak for most of the day, typically 6-8 hours. The temp controller holds to within +-1.5 degree when the crock pot is set to warm, so I just check on it about once an hour and give it a quick stirring.

After that I strain it through coffee filters a couple of times and reuse the everclear bottle to store it. I will give it a day or two to settle and then strain again. Once the bottle is free of particulates I do a test dose of 2ml and add more everclear to get it about where we like it. This typically makes between 500-750 ml. We then mix it into our drinks measuring with a micropipette. The wife will drop about 1-1.2 ml, I use around 2.5-3 ml. I like to float it on top of a vodka sprite to get my evening started.

For strength reference, I am a frequent smoker but not an all day toker. A good friend who is an all day toker will typically put a full teaspoon (5ml) in his hot tea when he wants to relax. 5ml puts me in orbit.


Do keep in mind that the strength of your tink will depend a lot on the quality of your weed. Living in a non legal state my batches vary a fair amount prior to adding more of the everclear. This is why I ALWAYS personally test each batch and adjust before I share with anyone.

Good luck, and don't hesitate to hit me up if you have questions. I am by no means an expert, but I have never had any complaints from anyone I have shared it with.

You're going to want to pick up something like this. You set a temperature and an acceptable threshold (i have mine varying by only one degree), and it will automatically turn the heat lamp off and on to keep it at a consistant temperature.

I also have a under-tank heat mat for my hot side, which is the main thing used to warm my snake. I absolutely recommend getting one to put under your tank. Corns like to burrow and will get more benefit to having one on the hot side. I just use the heat lamp to keep the ambient air in the tank at an acceptable level. You will want to get a separate controller for the heat mat.

Edit: I also have an Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer just chilling in the tank to get a more accurate reading inside. Your tank atmosphere is going to usually be a bit different than the atmosphere in your room. I have the "inside" number reading the ambient temp of the tank, the "outside" number reading the inside of the under-tank mat (controller probe goes between mat and glass on the outside, and this prob sticks to the glass on the inside under the substrate), and it also tells me the humidity in the tank.

You want to keep your numbers as consistant as possible. I like to shoot for 85 degrees on the hot side, 75 degrees on the cool side, and between 40%-60% humidty. I hope this information helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Edit 2: GoHerping does a great care guide video on YouTube, which is where I got most of my setup and care info from. There is also a link to their discord on the YouTube page that is full of friendly people that can answer a lot of your questions.

Edit 3: You're going to be better off using a Ceramic Heat Emitter instead of a bulb. It just produces heat and no light, which will be better with the controller ( you don't want the light isn't constantly turning off and on). Corns don't need UVB either, and do fine with just natural lighting (assuming the light in the room still follows the normal day/night cycle).

> I have an extra fridge that doesn't stay super cold, but probably hovers in the the 40-60 range. Should I used it for fermentation/lagering? I would be willing to buy a temp controller later on, but I'd like to start using it now as a cool chamber to control my fermentation temps more readily. I don't think I can count on cool conditions in my garage come summertime in Texas.

That should be perfect for pretty much any brew

> I am building a small keezer from a haier chest freezer we picked up for free (wedding gift return/exchange). As for temperature control for that, should I get a simple outlet-plug in controller (more expensive) or can I possibly opt for a built in unit like this: http://www.amazon.com/All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Stc-1000/dp/B008KVCPH2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381420269&sr=8-1&keywords=temperature+controller. I should mention I don't have electrical experience. I am trying to do this as cheaply as possible, and aesthetic is something of an issue- the keezer will be in our dining room.

The STC1000 is nice and cheap, but you do have to build a box for it, unless you want to wire it directly into the compressor. I too, have zero electical experience, and have not yet burned my house down with mine. I found these instructions to be particularly helpful.

Question One: Fridge Temperature Control
There are several different units available to adjust the temperature of your fridge. The Johnson Controls A419 will control only cold (or heat if rewired), but the Inkbird ITC-308 will control both cold and heat.

I’ve used both and the Inkbird better fit my needs and is less expensive by more than half. There are other options available as well. Google something like “temperature control unit homebrewing” and you have plenty to read. As for wiring your own, I’m sure it’s possible, but I have no expertise in doing so.

Question Two: Carbonation Pressure
There are many different ways to carbonate your beer and several different gas blends available. Oxygen is not a good choice, as it will cause your beer to oxidize quickly - this common tastes like wet cardboard smells.

I only use carbon dioxide (CO2), but I do draft line consulting for a bar that uses a “beer blend” of 80% CO2 and 20% nitrogen. I can’t taste a difference and it pours the same, but that gas blend costs a little more. There may be other reasons to choose a specific blend that I am unaware of.

As for carbonating your kegs, what you described sounds like burst carbonation. Brulosophy has a great write up on different carbonation methods. I normally use the Set It And Forget It method, but will use the Burst method if I’m in a rush.

Question Three: Infusions
Not sure if you mean infusing the beer with flavors in the keg or glass or if you mean adding fruits or other flavors during fermentation.

To infuse in the keg, I use a mess bag to keep the liquid diptube from clogging. To infuse in the glass you can use a coffee press or even a Randall The Enamel Animal.

As for adding things to fermentation, fruits, hops, oak, spices, and liquor all make good additions to the right beer. Google phrases like “beer infusion recipes, “adding fruit to fermentation,” and “keg dry hopping” for more information.

Happy home brewing and good luck. Kanpai.

(Wiring diagram included in with images)

​

I finally put together a basic parts list for those of you that are interested in building a DIY heat treat oven. I've included a wiring diagram, but I take no responsibility for anyone who wants to make one. If you don't know what you're doing, find someone who does. Its up to you to figure out how to mount the door switch, and to design and make a door latch (I made mine on the fly and have to dimensions or drawings).

Its not a project for the faint of heart, but if you have some electrical knowledge, and the help of someone with a welder, its very doable.

I've included CAD files for the frame and electrical box. Any fabrication shop with a waterjet, plasma or laser cutter should be able to cut these for you. I'll give a break down of the parts required and how much I spent on everything. You're prices may vary:

​

24x Insulating fire bricks 2.5" x 4.5" x 9". I bought direct from the manufacture for $130 shipped.

MyPin Temperature Controller $35(https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B005NGL53W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Solid State Relay $18 (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06W9LNZDX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Thermocouple $15 (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00XJB4DYQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

3x KANTOL wire elements $12/ea (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07CLLW3BG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

​

You'll also need to find a 120V+ 20 Amp fuse, a Normally open door switch, and 2 On/Off switches.

DXF CAD Files: https://www.dropbox.com/s/diwuui3qtw247uh/kiln%20layout.dxf?dl=0

​

I found the best way to make the grooves for the wires was to score the likes with a 3/16" thick file on is side, and follow that by widening them with a drillbit just under 1/4". The fire bricks are very soft so just take your time and dont force anything.

​

Feel free to modify and redistribute these drawings as you wish, but you take your safety into your own hands. Good luck!

​

Good day everyone! this time the give away is ended. Congrats to our winners u/thescartographer from USA & u/MichelleTCM from Canada. Congratulation! I will PM you, pls check out your messages. Thank you everyone who entered! ☺️We've already got our next give away in the works so keep your eyes open for more chances to win free stuff!

Here are the 15% coupon codes if you are interested in.

US: G2UMWV9Q , https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KC24CKD

CAN: KAV8MP3K , https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KF31BRT

(Enter code when you checkout)

It depends on how much you want to spend, but the easiest way to control temps is with a dedicated fermentation fridge with a temperature controller to regulate the temperature. I generally only need to regulate down (i.e., cool the fermenter to keep it from getting too warm), but some climates require a dual regulator to be able to either increase or decrease temp, especially depending on the seasons.

The cheapest regulator that's gained a lot of popularity in the community in the last few years is the STC-1000. There's a bit of DIY involved in connecting this controller to an actual electrical outlet. But it does dual control for around $30 total (once you buys the outlet, etc.).

If you're less handy but have the money, you can get a controller like this Ranco. There are tons of other options, so just Google "refrigerator temperature controller" or something.

There are also much less robust, but also much less expensive options. Google "fermentation swamp cooler" or "son of a fermentation chamber" for some good, low-cost, DIY options.

Hopville is down for their upgrade to 2.0, so I can't post the exact recipe, but here it is from memory.

Lemony American Wheat

• 5 pounds Briess soft white wheat
  
• 4 pounds Briess 2-row pale
  
• 12 oz Wyermann CaraHell
  
• 0.50 oz Liberty & 0.50 oz Mt. Hood @ First Wort
  
• 0.25 oz Liberty & 0.25 oz Mt. Hood @ 15
  
• 0.25 oz Liberty & 0.25 oz Mt. Hood @ 10
  
• Wyeast American Wheat 1010
  
• dry-hop w/ 1 oz Sorachi Ace and 2 - 4 stalks (1 oz ?) diced lemongrass for 7 days
  
• OG ~ 1.058
  
• IBUs ~23
  
• ABV ~5.6%
  
  I had a bunch of small problems with this beer.
  
  I do BIAB and thought I'd try mashing in around 140F, and then heat to 152F and mash there for 60 minutes. I turned off the heat at 151F, but it just kept rising to 157F. I stirred and stirred trying to bring it down, but after about 7 or 8 minutes I added a little ice, which brought it down to 150F. I let it convert at 150F for about 55 minutes, then stirred while mashing out to 165F. My extraction was still good (83% efficiency), but I don't know what kind of body I'm going to get out of this. My new $25 refractometer seemed to work really well.
  
  Due to high humidity, my boil off rate was lower than I estimated, so my planned 60 minute boil was closer to 90. Then, due to high temps, I couldn't get my wort to chill below 78F, even after 45 minutes with my immersion chiller and a frozen 2 liter. I should have saved the 2 liter for the end when it plateaued. The next time I brew in the summer I'm going to borrow my buddy's IC and put his in a bucket of ice water and use that as the input to my IC.
  
  I setup a swamp chiller in the basement, wrapping the primary bucket with an old towel and set it in the path of the exhaust fan of my dehumidfier. I added some ice to bring the swamp chiller down to 67F, but it rose quickly again to 72F. This might not be the cleanest American wheat after fermenting so high, but hopefully it will be ok. My temperature controller and SSR will be here tomorrow. I guess I should have waited a week until I had temperature control set up and working.
  
  And HOLY COW 1010 stinks like rotten eggs! Hopefully that won't take too long to clear up.

I've got three STC-1000s that I've ordered from multiple places and they have all been flashable - so I guess I've been lucky. The first two I bought from Amazon and the last one I bought from Alibaba although it took about 6 weeks to arrive. Mats has this link set directly on his Github page for the software so I figured this would be a really safe bet and it worked fine.

The flashing is pretty easy and there's a great instructional video on the blackboxbrew.com website. You'll need an Arduino Uno and some jumper wires which cost me about $20 at a specialty electronics shop. Best thing to do would be to ask around your homebrew club or brew shop if anyone has one that you could borrow. One guy brought his to a brew club meeting and flashed a whole bunch of peoples all at once.

Good luck with the build and feel free to hit me up for any questions. Go Leafs!

One won't be near enough, though that depends on its size. As far as heat transfer, yeah, wort doesn't pump well at all, and if anything, keeping it circulation as opposed to still would probably give the little yeasties some indigestion. I can imagine a complex system of tubing, heat sinks, pumps, and heat exchange fluid, but that's probably beyond most people's motivations and abilities. I think that you can make essentially an insulated box that's cooled by the Peltiers, essentially a refrigerator, and use a glass carboy for better thermal transfer to the fluid.

For example:

https://www.mpja.com/Peltier-Cooling-Assembly-12VDC/productinfo/15312+PM

This module uses 6A at 12VDC to move just 170 Btu of heat. Fermentation is exothermic, so let's do some math. According to this:

https://byo.com/article/fermentation-temperature-control-tips-from-the-pros/

It's possible for the fermentation process to raise the temperature 20°F in 6 hours. A common batch size is 5 gallons. A BTU is the amount of heat necessarily to raise one pound of water one degree F. A gallon is 8 lbs, so to raise 5 gallons, which is 40 lbs, of wort 20°F takes 40x20=800 BTU, and to do it in 6 hours takes 800/6= 133.3 BTUh.

The main physical problem with Peltiers is that the hot and cold side heat sinks have to be close together, and that makes it difficult to use them in an insulated box because insulation requires thickness to be effective. You'll need fans, both internal and external, to move air past the heat sinks, and in the inside, to keep it circulating. Putting the modules in the lid would probably be the most effective solution as hot air rises and that brings that air to the modules via convection.

The more I think about this, the more difficult and expensive it looks, honestly. If you're lagering, I think you'd actually be better off money and power wise using a small refrigerator. Actually, maybe a small chest-style freezer with an external thermostat controller to turn it into a refrigerator might be a more practical approach. In fact, here's a decent one on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Thermostat-Temperature-Controller-Fermentation/dp/B015E2UFGM/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Inkbird+ITC308&qid=1568383520&s=industrial&sr=1-4

That being said, it sounds like an interesting series of experiments to try!

Aspen is good for them. They're not a high humidity species and are generally fine with ambient humidity. If it has trouble shedding, you can just add a humid hide box. Give it a basking temp of 85-90F, and the rest of the enclosure will be fine at room temperature (as long as your room stays above 70F or so). I don't have direct experience with pueblan milksnakes, but I know my kingsnake (a very close relative) likes to bask occasionally, and will actually use all the vertical space I give him, both climbing and burrowing. Pueblans stay relatively small, 3-4', so anything in the range of a 40G breeder and up will be fine for them.

General advice for all snakes: You need at least two identical hides, one on the warm side, one on the cool side. These should be small and tight...snakes like to wedge into tiny spaces so they should be able to touch at least three walls of the hide. They should have one entrance, so those half log things are not good hides. The more cluttered the tank the better. They will climb, so give them stuff to climb on, and milks will burrow, so give them at least 3 or 4 inches of substrate.

I recommend overhead heat instead of under tank. It provides a more natural heat gradient that better mimics what they encounter in the wild. The heat source should be something like a ceramic heat emitter or a deep heat projector. Don't use a heat source that puts off visible light because the heat will need to be run 24/7. All heat sources must be on a thermostat. My cheap thermostat recommendation is the Inkbird ITC-306T. My high end recommendation is the Herpstat (I linked the Intro+, but there are higher end models available as well). The difference in the two is that the Inkbird is an on/off type, and the temp will swing a few degrees around the set point, while the Herpstat is proportional and will hold the temp to within a degree of the set point.

If you wish to provide light as well, use either an LED for just light, or if you want to provide UVB as well (not necessary, but may possibly be beneficial), use a 5% or 5.0 UVB bulb (I recommend ZooMed or Arcadia only...some other brands have been show to put out dangerous UVB levels as they age). UVB bulbs need to be replaced periodically because their UVB output will fade as they age. Bulbs that put out visible light should be on a timer to provide a 12/12 day/night cycle.

Finally, feed in the enclosure. Don't move to feed. Moving to feed is based on an old, disproven myth, and causes stress to the snake. And feed frozen/thawed, not live. There is no benefit to live feeding, only danger.

What's the unit of measurement for your dimensions?

If you want to go super cheap, I imagine you could could get a temperature regulator (two outlets and 1 temp probe); you could run a dedicated fan next to a space heater to keep the temperature moving around the space, while the probe sits somewhere in the middle of the room. You can set a temp range where on the low it would pop on the heater, and when it hits the top temperature it shuts off (and you could attach another fan in another part of the room/wall of the incubator to the other outlet which would switch on once it hits the top of the temp spectrum you hit to promote ventiliation and more quickly cool it down).

The space heater I suppose would be overkill for a 2 foot container, but if it's 6 feet (meters) it would be a lot. You could even scrap the extra fan by getting a heater that oscillates with a fan and then use the second outlet, again, to promote ventilation.

Not sure how ideal this would be for super consistent temperatures, but temp regulators are pretty darn cheap. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is what I used with a medium sized styrofoam cooler and a 60W bulb. It worked quite well.

I've got one. I like it a lot. You definitely have to be aware of some of it's pit falls and plan accordingly. (In particular: making sure the thing doesn't leak, unscrewing the collection ball without unscrewing the valve from the tank, using a "S" style airlock instead of a three-piece style to prevent suck back when changing out the collection ball or bottling/kegging, and not using recipes that have tons of trub or hops.) If you know those pitfalls and take steps to avoid them, then the fast fermenter is really pretty awesome. The best way I've found to prevent leaks is to use the included teflon tape, and then use keg lube on all the joints. It is super easy to clean because of the wide opening on top. I clean mine right after use, I haven't really noticed any lingering smells. As for temp control - I sewed up a jacket for it with heating wires and a water tube in it. kinda similar to this system. A temp controller monitors the temp and turns the heat on, or turns a water pump on to recirculate ice water from a cooler. The thing comes with a wall mount bracket, I built a stand for mine using 2x4's and the wall mount bracket.

All in all- if you know about the pitfalls and how to avoid them, the thing actually makes your life a lot simpler and easier. It allows you to do a secondary fermentation without having to rack to a second fermentor(thus avoiding all the work of sanitizing all that extra equipment). It allows you to harvest yeast. And bottling/Kegging is a breeze.

Buy an Inkbird Temperature Controller. I also worry about this, but since I've installed these for my tanks it's like a weight off my shoulders. You basically plug the heater into it, and once the thermometer built into the device reads that it's at your desired temperature, it cuts the power to the heater. It's a great device for peace of mind.

Just to put your mind a little more at ease though, I think heater related fires are very rare, and probably because someone wasn't using it correctly or heating their tanks too much. I've heard great things about Hydor 50W (and I'm actually using the 25W right now with no controller). You're fine. :)

I think the easiest fridge to use is a freezerless design. You don't need a freezer at all, so a freezer just becomes wasted space. 4.4 cubic feet is a good size that doesn't take up too much space, but still has enough room for several ferments.

This is the temp controller I'm using. It's pretty good at managing the temp in the fridge. It's very easy to set up. You choose a target temp and a range. Mine is set to 75 degrees F with a 2 degree F range. The controller turns on the fridge at 77 degrees, and turns on the heater at 73 degrees F. Plug the fridge into the cooling outlet on the controller, and the heating mat goes into the heater plug on the controller.

I'm using a seedling heating mat to heat up the fridge. I'm not convinced that it's the best solution, but I'm going to give it a chance before I swap it out for something like a reptile heating coil.

Do your best not to drill any holes into the fridge! I murdered the fridge in the picture this morning and had to go out and buy another one. :( In the new fridge, I fished the temp sensor up the moisture drain and passed the heating mat cable through the door seal. It works just as well, and doesn't require any drilling.

This. Is. Awesome.

I currently have a Monster cooler like this that is set up as a curing chamber with a simple temperature and humidity controller.

I would love to be able to integrate something like what you made into my setup. The data logging and interface are super nifty! Definitely let us know when/if you pull something together.

Craigslist freezer - we chose upright for vertical space. Chest freezer might work - but you would have to figure out how to hang in it.

Temperature controller - there are lots of options. This one is the Johnson 419. You plug it into the wall then plug the freezer into the female lead. It cycles the freezer on and off at the set temperature. There are cheaper options - but I had this one laying around. I'll link some suggestions below.

The fan is a computer fan with speed switch. I wired it to an old 12v wall wort I had laying around in the parts bin.

Meat hooks are just stainless hooks - again from amazon.



Temp controllers:
Johnson - https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Controls-Digital-Thermostat-Control/dp/B00368D6JA/ref=pd_sim_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SG7X9CB5Z0VYY8RM7EVB

If you're comfortable with electricity:
https://www.amazon.com/Lerway-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B00BMLCGF8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481133568&sr=8-2&keywords=temperature+control

Best deal:
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Fermentation/dp/B015E2UFGM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481133568&sr=8-1&keywords=temperature+control



Meat hooks:
https://www.amazon.com/Meat-Hooks-Inch-Pack-Pieces/dp/B0195CE08Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481133886&sr=8-3&keywords=meat+hooks



Fan:
https://www.amazon.com/Antec-TriCool-DBB-Cooling-3-Speed/dp/B00066ISES/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1481133824&sr=8-5&keywords=speed+fan+computer

I just went through this with by 12”x12”x18” gecko tank. There is so little real estate on the screen top that I had to get kinda creative. Forgive the pink foam insulation on the sides and ignore the gauge outside the tank (just monitoring my room temp), it’s an ugly winter setup but it helps keep the heat in! So, in my the hood, which can only hold one bulb, I have a Jungle Dawn LED, same with the free floating one hanging from the left side of the tank. The one in the clamp lamp (attached to a square dowel rod sticking up at the back) is a 50W ceramic heat emitter. I use an Inkbird thermostat that allows me to set two temperature windows for different times of day and a degree differential. So in the day time, it keeps the temps between 74-76 (2 degree differential meaning it hits 76 then turns off the lamp and when it hits 74 it turns it back on) and night between 68-70. This achieves a good temp gradient for me, the bottom of the tank is typically 72-73, middle (where I have the probe) is 74-76, top usually has a nice little hotspot on his branch around 78 during the day. Ceramic heat emitters (or really any heat bulb I would imagine) can majorly dry out your tank though so keep an eye on your humidity levels. An auto misting system would probably help a lot.

Don't do the open refrigerator thing, you will waste a ton of electricity and won't actually be able to temperature control even close to enough to lager with any reasonable degree of certainty. If I had to guess, leaving a fridge with an open door for a month will probably waste far more than $16.

Instead of wasting that $16 in electricity, you can get one of these, which is perfect for a fermentation chamber made from a fridge. A small amount of wiring work is required, but it's relatively easy.

If you aren't willing to invest $16 and an hour figuring out how to wire it together, I would suggest just letting it ride without temperature control (or maybe a swamp cooler or similar). Most lager yeasts will be fine in the low-mid 60s.

Edit to note: it's not too late by any means to get that temp control part now. You could start it warm and chill down in the refrigerator when you have the part, possibly even complete fermentation warmish and then stick in the refrigerator on its highest setting for a few weeks. Or you could start it in the refrigerator on its highest setting and let it warm up a bit more when you have the part. Leaving the fridge open is probably the worst choice you could make out of all the options above.

Double edit: If you don't want to mess with wires, you could get one of these, but it's more expensive. It's basically the same thing as the cheaper one, but with plugs.

Bonus fun fact edit: Refrigerators make the room warmer in general, but peaving the refrigerator door open will make it even warmer. You would be effectively making a really really ridiculously inefficient space heater.

You can look at my recent post to see how mine is coming. I am doing it with a new 7.1 igloo that I got from best buy for about $200 tax included. I bought a 3 tap system from kegconnection with a dual regulator and all stainless hardware and perlicks. That came to about $370, which is a lot BUT everyone recommends it, and if you're going to fucking do it, you might as well fucking do it right.

I probably spent close to $100 on materials for the collar, BUT this is my first real project and I didnt have a lot of tools/screws/misc stuff around to put that together so about $30 of that would go there.

I got a temp controller on amazon for $16 and an extention cord at home depot for ~$10, and have some leftover electrical accessories from my previous TC build so YMMV there.

I bought these dehumidifiers on amazon for $32

I bought two converted ball lock kegs from cornykeg.com for $100 with shipping and it was a breeze to clean them even thought they said they would be cleaned already.

I then got a 10lb steel air tank from adventures in homebrewing for $60 which I thought was a steal (steel hehe).

So this puts me close to $900. Which is $300 less than a very DIY-spirited blog post like this says it will cost. Sure I havent bought the last two kegs, but I then would still be $200 short of it.

There are some suggestions by the other guys in here that will save you money, and I'd say that my attempt is a little bit of combining both.

Hope I was some help!

Congratulations!

I am in zone 5 but not high altitude, so YMMV, but ... I have a 12x12 greenhouse made with cedar and 10mm triple wall polycarbonate. I use an oil filled electric heater (like a small radiator) to keep temps above 45ish when small starts are out there in early spring.

Another idea, if you ever did want to overwinter figs or rosemary plants, is to create a second envelope inside the greenhouse with a clear tarp. I clip the tarp to the rafters and hold it up with shepherds hooks. It lets you create a smaller area for plant storage and reduces heat loss considerably.

Last thing ... SensorPush temp and humidity sensors let you add a gateway if your greenhouse is too far from the house to see WiFi. And this doodad is awesome for running a fan or heater based on it being too warm or too cold.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KMA6EAM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If that's the case might I recommend a fermentation chamber? It's not going to fit a conical fermenter but I can easily put 3, 6.5 gallon, carboys in there.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/diy-fermentation-chamber.html

The Inkbird is usually on sale for about $30 on Amazon. Follow http://homebrewfinds.com to get one on the cheap!

I built mine using an STC1000, but I had to go to Radio Shack and grab a project box to make it look pretty.

For the heating unit, I purchased a $12 mini heater from Amazon and also installed a 12V fan that is on 24/7. Eventually I tossed a unit to help with moisture in there as well. I can't remember the name of it...found it on Homebrewfinds.

I'd run outside to take photos of my build but it's raining something hard right now ;(

Things like these are why I love Reddit. Two of my fave things coming together. I tried a few months ago with a REALLY basic setup, and got pretty good results. It was on homemade juice that was really simple, but it did well. For the record, here's my setup.
controller
container/heating element
It's a pretty good and cheap setup, eventually I'll add a aquarium pump to give motion to the water bath.

Can I recommend a different thermostat? I think you would be much better off with an STC-1000, with a probe that can be immersed in the beer with a thermowell, or stuck on the side of a carboy/bucket. They are really cheap, and easy to wire. It needs 120v to power the unit, and then you can switch the input voltage for the fan with the built in relays.

If you ever wanted to add a heater it would be easy too.

The [Inkbird](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_spS8ub02194G2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_spS8ub02194G2) seems to be a pretty great option that has F instead of C

Realistically, the only thing that you need to create a keezer is temperature control, and even that is optional depending on what your freezer is capable of.

The key to making a freezer into a keezer is getting the temperature right. The easy way is to add temp control, something like an Inkbird ITC-308 is relatively inexpensive and is plug-n-play. These max out at somewhere around 10 amps, so there is an upper limit on freezer size because larger freezers have larger amp draws during the compressor startup. I have run two different ~6-cuft chest freezers off an ITC-308 and they both worked fine. Another option is to locate the coarse adjustment setting on the freezer's own thermostat and adjust it until you can maintain beer fridge temps. I have successfully done this as well.

As for the collar, Most chest freezers are tall enough for a keg to stand up on the floor without a collar. In-fact, you'll find many keezers that use towers mounted to the top of the lid rather than collars for mounting taps. If you are willing to serve out of a picnic tap, you don't even need a tower. I ran a keezer with picnic taps for almost a year because it allowed me to very quickly and easily convert it back to a fermentation chamber. Another added benefit to not adding a collar is not having to lift the keg as far to get it in.

I unfortunately don't have all the photos I took of the build. Thankfully google saved a few.

The fridge was delivered and I ripped all the shelves out.

I cut a little hole in the bottom of the fridge (the bottom 6" are empty space for the compressor, so this was just thin plastic) and wired up an ITC-1000. The original freezer controls only go 10F max. I also removed the defrost timer so this fridge is on manual defrost now, though I've had no freezing problems in well over a year. The fan is now on 24/7 instead of coming on with...the defrost? I cant remember how it originally turned on. You're playing with electricity here, be smart and safe and dont start a fire or die, or have a professional do it.

The back panel in the above picture stayed on, RIGHT behind it is about 3" of space for the evap and fan. Right under the evap I drilled 3 holes. 1 for the main CO2 line, 1 for the Nitro line, 1 small one for the fridge temp sensor. Eventually another one for the 5v for the arduino. They all came up through the little slit and had grommets for the sheet metal. They shouldn't be moving around, but the last thing I want is a cut line.

I bought a 36"x5" drip tray without a drain and 3d printed 3 brackets for mounting. Since it doesnt have a drip tray I want it to be mobile. The brackets have magnets in them so it can easily be taken off the fridge door and cleaned. I really didnt want to put any holes in the door except the taps.

I cut the shelves off the door but left most of the skin. The plastic helps seal the door seal AND it's holding in the plywood I used to replace the door. I have no idea the thickness of the plywood anymore but I did have to sand down a good 1/8" where the taps are so they'd fit. Any longer shanks and I'd be poking kegs, any shorter shanks and I'd be too short and need smaller plywood.

You can see above how the CO2 is routed and the temp sensor right in the middle of the fridge.

The top distributor goes to the top shelf, middle splits to both sides, the bottom goes to the bottom shelf. I honestly could have gotten away with 2 different pressures. I really don't change off serving pressure except for quick carbing a beer. Most of the beers I brew end up around the same carbonation level. Maybe when I need something crazy high/low carbed I'll be excited.

That's also the best photo I have of the finished product before it got a bit more messy like now. I have some 3D printed brackets that hold the lines in place on the side of the fridge.

I did have an issue with the fridge leaking all of its damn r134a out. There was a small leak by the evap. A bit late in the build for a replacement. Found the leak and JB Welded it shut. It was too close to the wall to braze and JB Weld has held for over a year now. Luckily I had done a car AC before and had the manifold gauge, vacuum pump, and fittings. I learned to braze on the quick connect, pulled vacuum, hit it with nitrogen to ensure there were no leaks (though it held vacuum as well), pulled another vacuum and filled her to spec with r134a. Been working like a charm ever since.

There is a raspberry pi running RaspberryPints with some cheap ass flow meters. The only changes I made were how many pulses on the meters meant a pint. I've been fiddling with it ever since. I'm sometimes off by a handful of pints on my kegs. Enough to get me close, but I'd like to dial it in without spending $60 on each freaking meter. How much beer is left in my keg is not a $60 problem to me.

Thank you very much for reply.

​

>I don't know about where you are, but where I live, regulations require two layers of insulation between you and mains voltage.

I live in west-europe, so I guess we must have pretty strict similar regulations. Would you recommend taping all cables with electrical tapes as an extra safety measure?

>I'm also concerned that the metal screws might be live.

They are, would electrical tape not suffice?

>An easy way to deal with this might be too stack a second lid on top, although that does increase the risk of overheating.

I can do this and will do a test day to see how high temps go.

>Is there a suitable fuse?

All electricity in the house has fuses in the general fuse-box. Is that fine? I was also thinking of adding this: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01N9NP1CV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&psc=1 as an extra safety measure just in case.

>Can the wires carry enough current? (They look okay, but I can't be sure just by looking at them.)

It's electrical wire I just found in the house. It's a single copper wire with about 1mm thickness. Thickness looked fine to me, but I wouldn't know tbh, I'm not electrically adept at all.

>What about heat dissipation? What will happen if your cooling fan fails?

I would like a way to shut down the lights if the fans fail, but I don't really know how to do that. I thought about using this: https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-1200W-Temperature-Controller-Greenhouse/dp/B07PVBG8K1/ It has a temperature sensor and you can shut off your "heating" in case it gets too warm. So if my fans would fail and it gets too hot, the lamps would shut off. And I also can get notified on my smartphone.

​

This is the fan set-up: https://imgur.com/a/rny1aXL

Found this really nice connector thing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MAU7QD4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You'll need one or more Heating Elements inside your keg. The one I linked to is for water heaters. You need a 240V hookup, too. If you don't have one, these elements will work on 120V, but you're going to need more of them unless you want to wait an hour to get 5 gallons of water to boil.

You'll control these elements with a PID controller and one relay per heating element. The PID controller I linked comes with one good solid state relay that's capable of switching 240v. The PID controller also supplies you with the temp probe you need to put into the kettle somehow.

In addition to this, you'll need some various connectors, and probably an electrical box. I'd say budget a couple hundred bucks for odds and ends.

Finally, when messing with 240v... or even 120v, you really should get a real electrician to look over your connections before you apply power to it. A: to keep you safer, and B: to keep your investment safer.

Not sure about shipping with Canada Post lately (maybe don't buy date sensitive products if shipping with Canada Post) but here's a short breakdown for Canada deals:

https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Articles.asp?ID=323 Lots of stuff on sale (free shipping over $100)

https://brewhq.ca/ 20% off equipment (free shipping over $75)

https://www.noblegrape.ca/collections/equipment/ 20% off equipment with coupon code: HAPPYMONDAY

https://www.hopdawgs.ca/ 10% off $100 or 15% off $250

https://www.everwoodavebrewshop.com/ 20% off Coupon Code: Everwood

https://torontobrewing.ca/collections/black-friday-sale Lots of stuff on sale

https://www.amazon.ca/Inkbird-Itc-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B011296704 Apply $10 Coupon

https://goldsteam.com/ No specific BF sale but everyday low prices and didn't want to leave them out of the party

https://www.topps-hops.ca/collections/t90-pellets Same with Topps, always good pricing

https://www.plaato.io/plaato-airlock-bf Worth noting $99 (USD?) fun tool with free shipping worldwide

Don't forget to support your local Homebrew shop as well!

I recommend you use one of these temperature controllers. I used one to allow me to control the temperature of a small freezer to use it as a refrigerator. Another one proved to be great as a doghouse temperature controller. The thermocouple temperature probe is waterproof and sturdy. It has a built in 10-amp relay so it will handle a substantial load. It would be great for a Sous Vide project.

Have fun.

I bought mine in Germany, but they have the same one on amazon.com.

http://amzn.com/B00OXPE8U6

There are quite a few with different brand names, but they are all made by the same company, mine was branded 'Tinxi'.

For the plug and connection [to crockpot] I just cut an extension cable in half and attached either end to the relevant terminals.

And I use a pump a little similar to this: http://amzn.com/B00NPJECXO.

The crock pot is only 200W so it takes a while to get to temperature, but you can use something more powerful like a rice cooker or start with hotter water.

It's great for making yoghurt in jars too.

Just need a better vacuum sealer, any suggestions?

If you can splice a few wires yourself, here is a cheaper option for temp control. You would still need to buy a couple of extension cords, and a heating element (I use a light bulb in a paint can). Set up a search alert on Craigslist for a cheap fridge or chest freezer and you are in business. If you are looking to go super cheap, your best bet is to submerge your carboy about 3/4 of the way in water, add ice, and wrap a towel around the top of the carboy to encourage evaporation. You really have to stay on top of the ice though.

Wow. Does he know that control panels are essentially just a PID temperature controller, some solid state relays, and some big clunky knobs in a metal box? Anybody can DIY one with little to no knowlege of electricity. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087O6S2A/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002PIM3R8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=047MQEK1ETMMTNZBED62There's

No mysterious expensive computer inside.



It boggles my mind that anybody would think what your friend wants to do is a good idea. Then again, it sounds like he's probably pretty wealthy and it probably doesn't matter anyways.

I see a lot of people mentioning the Hydrofarm but I gotta say, if you want the most bang for your buck, pick up one of these. I have these for my rack and it is great, works like a champ. And it's only $16!

I am still a newb on my first grow, so please take this as potentially wrong. Also, if anyone sees a problem, let me know. I'm trying to do my best.

I started in a tent but I built a 6'x8' grow room. I posted it to this sub a while back. Here is the album: http://imgur.com/a/Gshra

I upgraded to COB LEDs. They can pull 500 watts (40 watts per sqft) They are currently at 85% (34 watts per sq ft). The plan is to slowly ramp them up to 100% the first few week of flower. (I'm currently in the first week of flower). Here the album on that build: http://imgur.com/a/iWYiP

I'm in a basement where I can draw a large volume of cool air into the room. It becomes a problem during lights out because it gets too cold. I have on of those oil filled radiator heaters hooked up to a thermostat-controlled outlet:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KEYDNKK

When it hits 69F, it kicks on until it gets up to 79F then it shuts off.

To control the upper end of the temperature, I use my fan and this speed controller.

fan:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018WM0EMQ

speed controller:

http://www.hyper-fans.com/shop/bybrand/hyper-fan/hyper-fan-temperature-speed-controller

I haven't had any need to run an A/C unit but I could plug one into the "cooling" side of that temperature-controlled outlet.

The humidity in the room is rather high right now (50-60%). It seems to go up when I water. I'm on the fence if I should get a dehumidifier or just let it ride. If I do get one, that will have to have a humidity I can set.

Also, I put my original grow tent in grow room to veg some clones. I covered up all the passive air vents and taped them closed with gorilla tape. Then, I used flexible ducting to make an exhaust tube and intake tube. Using the flexible tubing, I can make light traps. I put 4 CFLs in there on a 18/6 timer. I do have an exhaust fan in the tent. It does not, however, need a carbon filter as the whole room is filtered. I'm not sure how a veg tent in a flower room is going to work out, but I am going to find out. :)

Anyway, I'm a newb on my first grow. That is, however, how I am currently growing weed.

Thankyou so much for the help. Yes I care about animals and she just doesn't look that happy. The new owner is a great person, but doesn't possess either the financial means nor "technical desire" to take care of the somewhat precise environmental needs.


Yes tank is glass, with a "wire frame" top. I am handy with carpentry, so am thinking of making a decent wooden lid for the cabinet, with air vents routed in to it.


So for a glass tank, should I go for a UTH and a ceramic lamp for ambient temperature? Would I need two thermostats? e.g would two of these suffice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015E2UFGM/

More of an electrical engineering question, but I feel like you guys would provide me with a better answer.

After doing a lot of research the past week, I found many guides on how to assemble a Freezer-Chest-Fermenter. I am using this temperature controller, and I just want to make sure I set it up correctly.

From what I can understand (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG), this tool lets me set a temperature and a range, and will heat or cool if necessary to reach that destination temperature.

If that's the case, what my plan is, is to plug the Chest Freezer into the "Cooling" out, and a small space heater into the "Heating" outlet.

So my two questions... Is my idea on how this works correct? And would my plan work? Or should I get something other than a space heater?

My condolences for your loss, it always hurts bad when a pet passes away.

Not having a hot spot would explain the lack of eating, but he shouldn't have starved in such a short time. Was your room super cold? Cold BPs can succumb to respiratory infections, which generally have obvious symptoms - wheezing, drooling, open-mouth-breathing, that sort of thing.

Did his body have any discoloration on the belly? An unregulated heat mat can reach dangerously hot temperatures, capable of burning/cooking a snake. It is possible that your heat mat shorted out after being on "full blast" for too long.

Unfortunately, cases like these are par for the course when it comes to reptiles and reptile equipment sold at chain pet shops. Their snakes are usually not very healthy to begin with - they generally sell the "less desirable" snakes produced by local breeders, and pet shops usually keep them in poor conditions (inadequate feeding, humidity, temps, overcrowding, etc), which weakens them. The quality of most big box heating products (Zoomed, etc) is garbage too.

If you want another snake someday, I would recommend buying from a good private breeder (avoid large-scale operations, like LLL Reptile, BHB, Underground, Big Apple, etc.). Most large cities have a reptile expo once every month or so, if you're up for the drive, or you can buy online and have a snake shipped (it's much safer and less weird than it might sound!). Get a radiant heat panel or a square foot of heat tape, and get a nice thermostat to control the temperature.

The swamp cooler method (tub, water, swapping ice bottles, old tshirt to wick the water up on the fermenter, fan, etc.) does work with a certain amount of dilligency, but if you're like me and get pulled a million different directions, that dilligency might get strained. I did it for awhile, and if I was super anal about changing out the ice bottles at the exact time every morning and evening, it worked well. For those times I got pulled away, not so much.

With a small investment, you can absolutely take your fermentation to a new standard. For me, the game changer was a $60 used wine fridge off Craigslist (I see these popping up all the time for far less than I paid for mine) and a <$40 Inkbird controller. And when I say game changer, I mean set the controller and walk away never worrying about whether you swapped your ice bottles out on time, perfect fermentation game changer.

The plus on using a wine fridge is that there's no build required like there would be with a mini fridge (no removing the door shelving to make room, no building a collar or shelf, etc), plus the door is glass, so you can keep an eye on things without opening and closing the door all the time.

Okay I'm waaay late to the party, but here is what you can do. Buy some heat cord. Here is one by exo-terra

You just use electrical tape and make a zig-zag pattern on half of the bottom of the tank. Only go one side or the other, so if it gets too warm on one side, your frogs can move to the other side. I also would get this so you can set a desired temp and it will run the tape until it hits your target temp, and doesn't end up superheating your viv. You can also hook a small AC powered computer fan to the cooling side, so it will automatically maintain your desired temp, up or down. Just plug the fan to the cooling side, the heat cable to the heating side and presto.

Just have to have a strong arm, the feezer is at about waist height so the buckets can be heavy but nothing too bad. I can fit one on the floor and then have wood at the same level as the hump filling up the rest of the space. With that there I can fit in two more buckets. I had to build a collar on the freezer in order to get enough clearance for an airlock though.

I have this temperature controller and just tape a sponge to my fermentation bucket with the probe pressed against the bucket under the sponge. Seems to work fine! I also have a muffin fan in there blowing air around to try and normalize the temp everywhere.

10 gal anvil kettle $250, BrewBag $30-40, Keg $75, Regulator $45, Co2 tank $85

I'm sure you can find some of this cheaper, but this gets you brewing 5gal batch's and kegging them. I'd add in an Inkbird temp controller $35, a used fridge off Craig's list and a fermenter.

I read you wanted to do 10gal so you could keg half and bottle half. I'd keg it all and bottle off as needed with The Bru Bottler. Super simple to build and works fantastic. I find it to be better then my blichmann beer gun.

I based it on the Son of Fermentation Chiller plans but made modifications to the dimensions to allow it to fit two carboys. Originally I just had a cheap thermostat from Home Depot and only cooling, but had some issues in the winter months with the beer getting too cold at night and the yeast dropping out before it reached the targeted FG. So eventually I upgraded the temp controller to the STC 1000 which does both heating and cooling and picked up a 4" duct fan, some 4" duct, foil tape, and cut up an old brew belt I had laying around. I would highly recommend building one if you have the resources. It's probably the single biggest improvement to my brewing process I've ever made.

I have two cooler setups using this one: https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6

I have a large one for large cooks, or meat, while using the small one for veggies, or a smaller cooks. They both work great. I use a tiny aquarium pump which will need to be replaced once in a while since they are not rated for heat and will wear out eventually. Mine have lasted about a year of weekly cooks. Have fun, build your own, and you'll probably learn something too! I use water heater elements for my heating element Get a hobby box for the temp. controller/wires, mount it on the cooler. I actually have a wire diagram I made and will supply you with a full parts list if you are interested. I integrated an external relay in my setup too, and it has it's own GFCI plug end on it for those times when you are not near a regular GFCI plug in a wall. Safety first around power and water! PM me if you want to goods!