Simple Gecko Rack Help

[Reptiles101]

Hey guys and gals! well I've posted something similar before but now I pretty much certain about making a simple gecko rack with a heat cord, I'm going to be using 1200 x 595 melamine and make at least 5 shelves like miss phantom fangs did on her youtube video, also I'm going to route a heat cord near the back of the melamine so I will be able to heat more then one tub, or is there an easier way to put the heat cord in without using a router?

Because I'll be using 120cm melamine sheets how big dose the heat cord need and how many watts it needs to be I'm thinking 4 meters would be about right but not sure, I'm going with a microclimate either mini stat 100 or 300 depending on what wattage the heat mat needs to be.

How many runs of heat cord would I need to have the right temperatures, I'm going to have thick-tails, knob-tails, stone geckos, sand swimmers etc. What size store man storage tubs would I need to have pairs of these types of geckos?

Hope this gives u guys of an idea on how I want my gecko rack to turn out and yeah thanks for reading.

 

[mad_at_arms]

5 shelves at 1200mm?
thats at least 6 metres of heat cord a only one run per shelf.
How will you provide a lower temp for the thick tails?

 

[Reptiles101]

I can go smaller, 900x600mm if that helps and make only 3 or 4 shelves, I was going to have the thick-tails on less of the heat cord so they don't overheat to much

 

[Reptiles101]

Need a little help with routing this melamine, got a few questions too, how deep do I have to route the melamine? and how far apart do the cords have to be to provide a good temperature? The heat cord is an URS one Or could I just stick it down on the melamine with tape? Bad idea?

 

[kitten_pheonix]

The depth should be the height of the cord, so if its a great 6mm thick cord thats how deep and wide your bit should be (or 7mm for some wiggle room) our runs are 5 cm from the back and 5cm apart. That heats pretty consistently. If you stick down the cord with tape you will have the back end of the tubs at a different height to the front and the constant movement and weight may cause issues with the wiring inside.

 

[Reptiles101]

Thanks kitten_Pheonix that makes a lot of sense now have u got an image of your rack?

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Thats a bit personal! But I have a picture of my gecko rack 6ou can look at I will upload it when I get home