EVO Connected ii

[JoeTheNewb]

I’m trying to set up a Vivarium for a bearded dragon but I have very little knowledge about this and have had much conflicting advice. Regarding the EVO Connected ii, it has two sensors, and two plug sockets matching the colours of the sensors. At the moment, I have a heat lamp plugged in with a matching colour sensor which I have placed under the heat lamp on the floor of the Vivarium. I have put the target for this sensor as 42 degrees. The problem is that it doesn’t ever reach that temperature, it seems to top out at 39 degrees. Is this because at the moment the vivarium is empty, and I need to get some kind of slate which will heat up and then measure the temperature of that?

I do have substrate to go in, but at the moment I am waiting for the silicon to dry and just thought I would see if I could get the temperature up to what it needs to be.

Also for the other plug and sensor, I am assuming that this sensor is for the cold end, and I have placed it on the far wall about 2 inches off the floor. Am I right in thinking that I need to plug in the Pro T5 UVB kit in to the matching sensor? All of the information in the instructions seems to be what to do in the app, with no mention of what plugs in where or where the sensors go in the vivarium.

I have been told from the pet shop that I should just have the UVB and heat lamp on for 12 hours a day, and the other 12 hours just have at room temperature. If this is the case, surely I don’t need the Pro T5 plugged into the other socket with the corresponding sensor, but instead I should just have it on a timer turning off and on every 12 hours.

Can anyone point me to any good information please, or correct me if the temperatures I’m trying to achieve or wrong. Any advice would be really helpful.

 

[NickAVD]

I don't know this dual sensor system very well, but I can assume that the second channel can be used as a regular timer if you connect a UVB tube to it. In this case, the second sensor becomes unnecessary and can be left unused.

 

[NickAVD]

Is this because at the moment the vivarium is empty, and I need to get some kind of slate which will heat up and then measure the temperature of that?

Usually the basking zone is above the substrate level, so when you install the slate and put the sensor on it, it will be closer to the lamp and show a higher temperature.

 

[JoeTheNewb]

Thanks very much to you both for the swift replies, I’ll get the substrate in tomorrow, and purchase a slate and see if it gets up to the 42 degrees. I’ll have a look a look at the app instructions and see if I can use the second channel as a timer as suggested. That seems sensible. I guess the second temperature sensor is sort of redundant anyway as the end of the vivarium away from the heat lamp is going to be much cooler anyway and it doesn’t have the mechanics to offer dual climate control.

If the basking area still doesn’t get to 42 degrees, I guess I will have to purchase a more powerful heat lamp or speak to the shop I bought the complete bearded dragon setup from.

 

[Claudiusx]

If the basking area still doesn’t get to 42 degrees, I guess I will have to purchase a more powerful heat lamp

Or raise your basking surface. Your probe and measurement should be coming from your basking surface anyways. If you don't currently have your basking site set up, you're not reading your basking surface temp.

42C is a good temp for the basking surface, but it's much too hot to be the general temperature on the hot side. So if you just have the probe down on the floor on the hot side (or up against the side of the tank measuring air temp) your temperatures might be OK already. Get the tank fully set up, measure your actual basking surface temp, and then make adjustment. No point in trying to make a bunch of adjustments right now if your enclosure isn't setup how you're going to keep it.

-Brandon

 

[NickAVD]

Thanks very much to you both for the swift replies, I’ll get the substrate in tomorrow, and purchase a slate and see if it gets up to the 42 degrees. I’ll have a look a look at the app instructions and see if I can use the second channel as a timer as suggested. That seems sensible. I guess the second temperature sensor is sort of redundant anyway as the end of the vivarium away from the heat lamp is going to be much cooler anyway and it doesn’t have the mechanics to offer dual climate control.

If the basking area still doesn’t get to 42 degrees, I guess I will have to purchase a more powerful heat lamp or speak to the shop I bought the complete bearded dragon setup from.

From the description of your controller I saw that one channel is dimmable, and the second works in the on/off mode. The dimmable channel is designed for smooth adjustment of the brightness of incandescent lamps, it allows you to maintain the temperature in the basking zone. The second channel, which can only turn on and off, is designed for heating devices that do not emit light, such as heating mats or ceramic heaters. I suspect that you will not need other heating devices if your room temperature does not drop below 18 degrees Celsius. Therefore, you can use the second channel as a timer controlling the UVB lamp. The temperature sensor of the second channel can be used as a temperature meter in the shade, without activating the UVB lamp control function, just so you can see the temperature in some other place in the terrarium.

 

[JoeTheNewb]

Or raise your basking surface. Your probe and measurement should be coming from your basking surface anyways. If you don't currently have your basking site set up, you're not reading your basking surface temp.

42C is a good temp for the basking surface, but it's much too hot to be the general temperature on the hot side. So if you just have the probe down on the floor on the hot side (or up against the side of the tank measuring air temp) your temperatures might be OK already. Get the tank fully set up, measure your actual basking surface temp, and then make adjustment. No point in trying to make a bunch of adjustments right now if your enclosure isn't setup how you're going to keep it.

-Brandon

Ah, that’s really helpful, thanks Brandon. I am indeed currently just measuring the air temperature ant that end, and it’s really useful to know that it is the basking temperature surface that needs to hit 42°, not just the general temperature. I will get the rest of the vivarium set up tomorrow then, and from the sounds of it it will all be okay. I will report back either way. Thanks again, you guys have probably saved a bearded dragon, and my sanity!

 

[Claudiusx]

The setup is one of the hardest parts. But once you get it all dialed in, things don't really change so it gets a lot easier

-Brandon

 

[JoeTheNewb]

The setup is one of the hardest parts. But once you get it all dialed in, things don't really change so it gets a lot easier

-Brandon

 

[JoeTheNewb]

I think I have it sorted now, so thanks very much. I have put the substrate in and I’ve been experimenting with raising the basking rock and seem to have found a good distance so the rock temperature sits between 41-42 for the most part. It was stressing me a fair bit as we’re due to pick up the bearded dragon tomorrow and I didn’t feel ready. However, with all your help I think we are. So thanks again, it’s been a kind and helpful welcome to the community.