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| Incubators from Glass AquariaHow to make an Incubator If you dont want to purchase a commercial incubator, it is relatively simple to make your own. They can be set up in about an hour and calibrated in about two days. It works by heating the water to the desired temperature, which then heats the air above it. The eggs are suspended in this warm air by constructing a shelf. You will need: One all glass aquarium One aquarium heater to match the size of tank Something fairly square that sinks Something fairly flat to go on top of the fairly square things A digital thermometer A humidity gauge A few little plastic tubs Vermiculite Start by setting up the tank somewhere where you wont have to move it. Then place the heater on the bottom roughly in the middle, and add water until it is approximately 2" deeper than the top of the heater. Switch on the heater to allow the water to begin warming, and place your Fairly Square Things That Sink (bricks, tubs filled with gravel etc.) at each end, so that they protrude from the water by about 10mm. Place your Fairly Flat Thing (a plank of wood or something similar) on top of these to create a shelf. Place a lid of polystyrene over the tank to keep the heat in, and you're ready to add incubating medium and eggs! Mix up the vermiculite 6 parts medium and 4 parts water by weight, and fill the a tub about halfway. The eggs will be half buried in this once the medium is at the correct temperature. Place the tub on the shelf in the incubator and Voila! You're done! Let it run for a few days to get the temperatures right, using the thermostat on the heater to adjust the temperature. Leave it for about an hour between adjustments to let it settle to the new temperature. Humidity can be adjusted by creating vents in the lid of the aquarium. Remember to keep a constant water level (it is a good idea to make a small mark on the outside of the tank as a reference) as the temperature will drop as the water level gets lower. My incubator will drop about 3 degrees C (47F) when the water level drops by 15mm! 
Other Projects: Aquarium Incubator Polystyrene Box Incubator Humid hides Fake Rocks Naturalistic Vivaria Set of Cages E-Mail me with comments or suggestions at webmaster@reptileguides.com |
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