Reptile One Atmostat

[Ginger]

Hi everyone,
http://reptileone.com.au/products/heating/46614
I have a question about the Reptile One Atmostat which will be used mainly with a 20watt heat mat taped and insulated on one side of my tank. My problem is this: there is 1 socket for daytime heating and a 2nd socket for nighttime heating. You need to previously set the temperatures for each of these times, meaning if I have it in either one of these sockets it will only stay at one temperature - there will be NO CHANGE throughout the entire 24hr day (however I would be happy to change the temperature according to the seasons). I personally think that it would be better to have different temps at night compared to day as it would replicate their natural habitat more, what does everyone else do with this? I could switch sockets or reset the temperature each day, but it's a hassle that I had wished to avoid by getting a thermostat. Also, I'm having a bit of trouble setting up the nighttime times, however unless anyone has one of these products I think it would be quite hard to explain.
Thoughts?
Thanks, ginger.

[appps]

Only way I can think of is to have a second heat source. I have two, one for day and one for night temps. With only one all I can think is you would need to switch where you have your heat mat plugged each morning and night?

[Ginger]

Thanks appps, I had considered those options, but will continue with them. My main question is, would it be OK for the crabs to have a fairly constant night/day temp WITHOUT change each season? Or would this be too overwhelmingly unnatural do you think?

[appps]

I'm the only person I know does it so it would be fine lol. Most crabbers aim to keep a constant temp day and night season after season and their crabs have lived for years.

I chose to follow the seasons etc and day night but that's just a personal choice. I started doing it after reading so many posts about crabs molting all the time, far more than seemed natural. I figured they probably had trouble working out if it was molting season or not so I started giving some variation to have a summer and winter. My cabs mostly hibernate and molt in winter and are much more active in summer.

[Ginger]

Ok, thanks appps, I think I will stick with seasonal changes then