Incubation Thermometor

[ishkaboo]

So I have my cakes in the incubation chamber I made which consists of a rubbermaid container with water and an aquarium heater set at 78 degrees in it, with the other container on top of that one so the water keeps it warm.

So my problem is I want to make sure the temperature inside the container with the cakes in it is around 80 degrees and not too hot. I put this exo-terra reptile thermometor in there on the floor of the container, and it was registering 90 degrees, but when I set it on top of the jars for a bit it dropped down to around 73. There just cant be that much of a fluctuation between the bottom of the jars and the top which is only a few inches, and how could it be 90 degrees in there when the water is only at around 78-80? The thermometor must just not be reading correctly huh?

So my question is, what thermometor would you use for this since the one I have (which I got to put in the fruting chamber and i think will work fine once I sticker it onto the glass in the FC like the directions say) is not working? Do they sell the regular mercury ones anymore? like at wally world?

I really want to take care of this today since I dont want to jars incubating too hot or too cold.

[tomstevens]

go to any hardware store and get a digital thermometer...the water temperature will be higher than the ambient air above it...if the water is 90 degrees then I would imagine the air above it to be slightly cooler...I would get a digital hygrometer/thermometer since they seem to work pretty well...

[BuckarooBanzai]

Get a good lid, reasonably tight fitting.

Also, a small 12V computer fan to stir the air around helps a ton.

Close everything up and wait an hour before you check the temp so everything has time to settle.

[ishkaboo]

I have the lid that came with the container(s) on it now, and the temp seems to have settled around 80-81 according to the crappy thermometer. Should be good. The heater is set at 78 since I got the one from wal-mart which isnt digital, it only has a notch where you can put the little knob to for 78 degrees, and increase or decrease to your liking. I just left it at the notch because I would rather the temp be a little low than a little high.

[Mycomaniac2007]

The Pet stores have Great thermom's For terrariums . I ve used the round temp guages for almost a year now . They dont get condensation inside because of the Air holes in the sides plus their Accurate . I have had no probs with them . " Nevermind " Now that I see that this is what you have lol. But try to set it in the middle of the terrarium. Put it were the middle of the jars would be. I put my jars on a baking rack in the incubator and in the fruiting chamber I use a white rack From the kitchen Section from Wal Mart.