Attaching UltraTherm UTH

[Chevalrose]

I got my UltraTherm UTH yesterday and attached it to my 20G long. I got the 11 x 11, but I'm wondering if I should exchange it for the 11 x 17. I placed it about an inch away from the short edge. The two tiles in the second column feel the warmest, and the two on the edge are warm, but not as much as the ones next to them. The third column of tile is kind of warm, but that's all the UTH heats...is that enough?

Since they don't self-stick I basically put electrical tape along all four edges, but it still kind of bows slightly from the tank, is that normal/Ok?

I don't have the temp gun I ordered yet (or the gecko) so I don't know what the actual heat is atm, but I want to make sure everything is working to full efficiency.

Should I get a bigger UTH or attach it differently?

 

[Tony C]

I use foil tape to attach them, electrical tape doesn't hold very well when heated.

 

[bman123]

If you get a 11x17 your gonna have trouble with your gradient. I have a 20long and I use a 8x8 it kept 2 rows of tile warm. A 11x11 is plenty big for a 20gallon long and one Leo. You gotta think your leo is gonna spend 90% of it's time in it's hot hide. Your uth only needs to be big enough to fit your hot hide.
Unless your room temp is cold then the longer uth would help keep the temp up. See my room temp is 76year round no matter what so all I need is a 8x8 for one Leo. You see what I'm saying. My room temp is good enough for the cool side temps year round so all really need is a uth the size of my hide. I could use a 4x4 or 6x6 uth if I wanted too,

I don't know what your room temp is, if it's around 70 a 11x11 will be plenty

 

[Chevalrose]

So I got my temp gun and the temps were originally in the high 80's with a heat pocket (which is in the center of where 4 tiles meet) in the lower 90s. I lowered the rise on the tank (I glued 2 dominoes to the bottom, but changed it to one) and it started to retain heat better. Now it's mid 90's (93 to 96), but the heat pocket is around 98/99 (it's only about an inch or two square).

Is this too high? Is it normal to have such heat fluctuation within a few inches of each other?

 

[Tony C]

Those temps are fine, pretty close to what I run in my rack.