Tubular Heater - What size?

Pla · 17-09-2013, 01:06 PM

Hi
I am looking to get a tubular heater for the greenhouse where torts are to go in bad weather which we have now so am panicking as think they are too cold.
Its a 6x4 green house. I just wondered what size tubular heater i would need, any ideas please and also should I get one with thermostat control? and should i also put their UV light in there with them?
Thank you

Catwoman63 · 17-09-2013, 01:36 PM

Helo, i have a 2ft tubular heater in a 4ft x 4ft x 5ft high shed, although now i use a ceramic heat bulb which does the job just as well but you will prbably need a 3ft maybe 4ft tubular but others will be along who have these size greenhouses that can advise you x

Pla · 17-09-2013, 02:00 PM

Hi thank you do you have a UV light in there as well?

lonelylayla · 17-09-2013, 02:10 PM

Hi. I have one greenhouse, 6 x 4 and another 8 x 6. I have one 3' tubular heater in each, which has a thermostat built in. Have this set to 10 degrees - surprising how much it has been coming on last few days! I also have suspended 2 MVB bulbs in each to give a basking area. The torts are OK, yesterday was a bonus as when we had a bit of sun the temperature shot up and the torts wanted to go out in the rain. Today is totally grey (so far), torts are out, have assumed basking positions but food consumption has decreased by about 50% I would say. Happy to be able to protect them from too low a temperature, but will be moving them inside as soon as OH has finished their new indoor accommodation - unless the weather changes

Catwoman63 · 17-09-2013, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pla

Hi thank you do you have a UV light in there as well?

Yes i have a 36" uv strip light in there and also a 100 watt halogen heat bulb, loads of wiring as also got a timer, twin thermostat and the uv starter ha ha x

Pla · 17-09-2013, 02:21 PM

Great thank you I will look for a 3 ft one then

RacingSnake · 17-09-2013, 07:06 PM

I run a 3ft tube & a ceramic bulb in my 4x2 house (ish

)

burnt toast · 18-09-2013, 09:18 PM

I have various set ups & heating/ lighting to suit. I would point out its irrelevant how effective a tubular heater is in a shed compared to a greenhouse

With a shed & good insulation you can get away with much less heat. Where as a greenhouse isn't much warmer than outside temperature when there is no sun

If your planning to use the greenhouse to house your torts during winter rather than hibernate them or even either side of hibernation for a few months you need to insulate it & perhaps even section off an area to concentrate the heat in.

Last year I suddenly got an elderly group who were used to living in a greenhouse & the previous owner wanted them to have same set up: 6 x 8 glass greenhouse which I insulated with bubblewrap & put wood all around the inside lower part. I had 2 x combined UV bulbs 160watt in one area & a 5 foot tubular heater + a large dog kennel in one corner with its own 2 foot tubular heater inside as this is where they slept overnight.

This year I have changed this set up by: removing the kennel - put two low sheds at the back ( easier to insulate/ keep warm & more secure overnight) I have swopped to a polycarbonate greenhouse ( simply because the old one was ancient & an eyesore!) I now have 4 basking lamps & for the colder months I am planning ( rather soon!) to enclose the basking area (keeping it warmer) by putting thick polystyrene all the way round bottom half of greenhouse followed by plywood & then that cheap corrugated plastic roofing stuff on top of the staging that the basking lamps are suspended from.

I have a selection of tubular/& other low watt heaters which I can dot around but im not sure on where yet as I have two exits!!

Sazzy1987 · 19-09-2013, 02:58 PM

I keep my tortoises inside as they are still only young and small but can i ask is it really expensive to run the tubular heaters, ceramic bulbs ect?

I'm interested for future reference x

Catwoman63 · 19-09-2013, 03:23 PM

If they are on overnight then yes it can be, i have 2 on overnight in 2 sheds at the moment, i purposely purchased 2 small sheds (1 childs playhouse and a very large Dog Kennel), for the reason that it costs less to heat and they are kept in smaller groups, but i will be hibernating the ladies from late November so the heat and light in the sheds will not be in use during the winter months.

However, I do plan to build and attach to both sheds a makeshift greenhouse type thingy so that if they want to be outside the shed then they can go in the greenhouse type thingy without getting wet, as at the moment although i place polycarbonate sheets across their outside enclosure it is still damp and cold, and 2 of my girls have not the sense to go back inside.

My Tyler who is the smallest of them all at 9.5cm, will bask in the shed, then go outside even if it is pouring with rain and windy and will dig under a plant and stay there till i get her in, but yesterday she suprised me by being in the shed when i got home from work and it didnt rain at all yesterday....the nutter

x

17-09-2013, 01:06 PM	#1
Pla Member Egg Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 90	Tubular Heater - What size? Hi I am looking to get a tubular heater for the greenhouse where torts are to go in bad weather which we have now so am panicking as think they are too cold. Its a 6x4 green house. I just wondered what size tubular heater i would need, any ideas please and also should I get one with thermostat control? and should i also put their UV light in there with them? Thank you __________________ Plababy 2 Hermanns - Hector & Madge 2 Staffies - Tia & Dylan 2 Cats - Millie & Micah 1 Husband -Andy

17-09-2013, 01:36 PM	#2
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	Helo, i have a 2ft tubular heater in a 4ft x 4ft x 5ft high shed, although now i use a ceramic heat bulb which does the job just as well but you will prbably need a 3ft maybe 4ft tubular but others will be along who have these size greenhouses that can advise you x __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

17-09-2013, 02:00 PM	#3
Pla Member Egg Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 90	Hi thank you do you have a UV light in there as well? __________________ Plababy 2 Hermanns - Hector & Madge 2 Staffies - Tia & Dylan 2 Cats - Millie & Micah 1 Husband -Andy

17-09-2013, 02:10 PM	#4
lonelylayla Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Ammanford, South Wales Posts: 1,481	Hi. I have one greenhouse, 6 x 4 and another 8 x 6. I have one 3' tubular heater in each, which has a thermostat built in. Have this set to 10 degrees - surprising how much it has been coming on last few days! I also have suspended 2 MVB bulbs in each to give a basking area. The torts are OK, yesterday was a bonus as when we had a bit of sun the temperature shot up and the torts wanted to go out in the rain. Today is totally grey (so far), torts are out, have assumed basking positions but food consumption has decreased by about 50% I would say. Happy to be able to protect them from too low a temperature, but will be moving them inside as soon as OH has finished their new indoor accommodation - unless the weather changes __________________ Lynne TG Terresteris 1:3:1 Apollo & Layla, Santa, Helpa & Unig TG Iberia 2:3:0 Tonka, LJ, Persephone, Cleo & Clyde Saffron TGG RIP Jaunary 2019 Jasper, Harry & Ruby pussy cats 4 ex bat hens.

17-09-2013, 02:21 PM	#6
Pla Member Egg Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 90	Great thank you I will look for a 3 ft one then __________________ Plababy 2 Hermanns - Hector & Madge 2 Staffies - Tia & Dylan 2 Cats - Millie & Micah 1 Husband -Andy

17-09-2013, 07:06 PM	#7
RacingSnake Member Hatchling Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Reading Posts: 582	I run a 3ft tube & a ceramic bulb in my 4x2 house (ish ) __________________ Code: .~~~. _ .~~~. _ ./____/'_) ./____/'_) {_}-{_} {_}-{_}

18-09-2013, 09:18 PM	#8
burnt toast Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,246	I have various set ups & heating/ lighting to suit. I would point out its irrelevant how effective a tubular heater is in a shed compared to a greenhouse With a shed & good insulation you can get away with much less heat. Where as a greenhouse isn't much warmer than outside temperature when there is no sun If your planning to use the greenhouse to house your torts during winter rather than hibernate them or even either side of hibernation for a few months you need to insulate it & perhaps even section off an area to concentrate the heat in. Last year I suddenly got an elderly group who were used to living in a greenhouse & the previous owner wanted them to have same set up: 6 x 8 glass greenhouse which I insulated with bubblewrap & put wood all around the inside lower part. I had 2 x combined UV bulbs 160watt in one area & a 5 foot tubular heater + a large dog kennel in one corner with its own 2 foot tubular heater inside as this is where they slept overnight. This year I have changed this set up by: removing the kennel - put two low sheds at the back ( easier to insulate/ keep warm & more secure overnight) I have swopped to a polycarbonate greenhouse ( simply because the old one was ancient & an eyesore!) I now have 4 basking lamps & for the colder months I am planning ( rather soon!) to enclose the basking area (keeping it warmer) by putting thick polystyrene all the way round bottom half of greenhouse followed by plywood & then that cheap corrugated plastic roofing stuff on top of the staging that the basking lamps are suspended from. I have a selection of tubular/& other low watt heaters which I can dot around but im not sure on where yet as I have two exits!!

19-09-2013, 02:58 PM	#9
Sazzy1987 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 33	I keep my tortoises inside as they are still only young and small but can i ask is it really expensive to run the tubular heaters, ceramic bulbs ect? I'm interested for future reference x

19-09-2013, 03:23 PM	#10
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	If they are on overnight then yes it can be, i have 2 on overnight in 2 sheds at the moment, i purposely purchased 2 small sheds (1 childs playhouse and a very large Dog Kennel), for the reason that it costs less to heat and they are kept in smaller groups, but i will be hibernating the ladies from late November so the heat and light in the sheds will not be in use during the winter months. However, I do plan to build and attach to both sheds a makeshift greenhouse type thingy so that if they want to be outside the shed then they can go in the greenhouse type thingy without getting wet, as at the moment although i place polycarbonate sheets across their outside enclosure it is still damp and cold, and 2 of my girls have not the sense to go back inside. My Tyler who is the smallest of them all at 9.5cm, will bask in the shed, then go outside even if it is pouring with rain and windy and will dig under a plant and stay there till i get her in, but yesterday she suprised me by being in the shed when i got home from work and it didnt rain at all yesterday....the nutter x __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted) Last edited by Catwoman63; 19-09-2013 at 03:26 PM.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)