new incubator setup

[jrh3]

This is a 120 qt cooler with 3ft of 11in flexwatt and a zoomed hygro therm thermastat controller. i put a 32 oz deli cup in with water for humidity. It is holding temps almost perfect. does anyone else run a system like this? I used it with my chameleon eggs and had perfect hatch rates. the thermastat can be programmed to have a night time drop and even turn on a on a fogger for humidity but im not using the hydro part. it will also cool if i plug a cooling device in it. total cost i have in this setup is 100 bucks.









feedback is appreciated.

 

[gripen]

What are you doing for ventilation?

 

[jrh3]

I open it daily to allow fresh air in. Should i add a fan like a small one? I have it cracked open about 1 in gap around the top.

 

[Malakyoma]

I open it daily to allow fresh air in. Should i add a fan like a small one? I have it cracked open about 1 in gap around the top.

you said you've hatched chameleons in there with good hatch rates? If none of them have suffocated then mantids sure wont. Chameleons need a lot more air.

 

[jrh3]

yeah i hatched over 200 chameleons in it but i had a different thermostat. all i did was opened in for a few minutes daily.

 

[gripen]

I know some species need circulation of air so if you could get a fan in there it might help.

 

[jrh3]

the main species will be gongy and probably only gongy ooths and b. mendica.

 

[gripen]

the main species will be gongy and probably only gongy ooths and b. mendica.

Those were actually the two species I had in mind lol. They need LOTS of ventilation and heat. B mendica need NO spraying or they will die so I assume there ooths need no water.

 

[Malakyoma]

Those were actually the two species I had in mind lol. They need LOTS of ventilation and heat. B mendica need NO spraying or they will die so I assume there ooths need no water.

I talked to nikko about mendica ooths. He says he gives his a light mist once a week. It increases hatch rates but isnt required I dont think.

 

[mantid_mike]

I talked to nikko about mendica ooths. He says he gives his a light mist once a week. It increases hatch rates but isnt required I dont think.

This is true. Mist the container lightly but not the ooth directly.

 

[jrh3]

yeah i have been talking to nikkko about them. even the gongy nymphs can survive without ever misting. only reason i added a cup of water is to keep humidity at 45%. I hope this setup works good because those are my 2 main species im going to dedicate my time to. I will work with others but im trying to perfect there setups and incubations. i may add a small fan and just crack the top cause the flexwatt can really put off heat to keep up with the fan. You may be right gripen about the fan cause the nymphs have to have net cages.

 

[aNisip]

Yeah, you can drill a hole in the side and put a computer fan in there ....the hole can be a small hole that only allows minute amnt of air out when part of the fan is over the hole...

 

[jrh3]

I cant believe how tight it is holding the temps and humidity. I will post pics showing the gap for air i have later this afternoon, (bout to leave for a Bass tournament).

For the ooth im thinking it will get enough maybe because there is not alot of air flow in a delicup when i hatch ghosts out but i do open it every other day, so i may just do that to keep it fresh.

How important is light for a ooth, i was wondering if it is needed because if so i can add a small LED, ( not heat) to add some dim lighting.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I used the same thing for bird eggs when I was younger (snowing in handfuls here) but I used a thermometer and a light bulb with acrylic top, worked like a charm.