Considering Tank Upgrade... suggestions?

[AreUaBadfish2]

My juvenile Leo is currently being housed in a 10g tank, with paper towel substrate. I plan to upgrade to a 20g long tank this summer, with a ceramic tile substrate. My main question is what would you recommend I put under the tiles so they aren't directly touching the bottom of the tank? Feel free to give me other suggestions as well, I'm always looking for new ideas!

Thanks!

Matt

PS - I do not have a thermostat for my UTH

 

[Pdrut]

I just place the slate tiles into the tank without anything under them.
But then again I use a thermostat to control the temperature from getting too hot.

 

[AreUaBadfish2]

Oh ok. I don't have a thermostat for my UTH, so I need to have some sort of barrier in between the tile and the bottom of the tank

 

[Pdrut]

I would recommend putting some reptile carpet and paper towels under there.
Make sure you have a thermometer with a probe to get the temperatures right.

 

[AreUaBadfish2]

I would recommend putting some reptile carpet and paper towels under there.
Make sure you have a thermometer with a probe to get the temperatures right.

Thanks, I was thinking that too. How much repticarpet and paper towel is enough so as not to overheat the tiles? And I have a thermometer with a probe.

 

[Dog Shrink]

You could also use sheets of cardboard or sheet insulation like what houses are wrapped in. OR you could just spend the $12 bucks at home depot and get a light dimmer/rheostat to adjust your temps down. Something else to remember with ceramic tiles is that ceramic and porcelain are INSULATORS (Think coffee mug here). Using a natural stone tile such as slate, shale, or even marble (but use the reverse rough side not the polished side) would conduct heat better than ceramic or porcelain. I use a high end vinyl simulated slate tile in my tank. The self stick ones and they look and work great. See...

20 long set up

In the construction phase to give you a better view

 

[AreUaBadfish2]

You could also use sheets of cardboard or sheet insulation like what houses are wrapped in. OR you could just spend the $12 bucks at home depot and get a light dimmer/rheostat to adjust your temps down. Something else to remember with ceramic tiles is that ceramic and porcelain are INSULATORS (Think coffee mug here). Using a natural stone tile such as slate, shale, or even marble (but use the reverse rough side not the polished side) would conduct heat better than ceramic or porcelain. I use a high end vinyl simulated slate tile in my tank. The self stick ones and they look and work great. See...

20 long set up

In the construction phase to give you a better view

So I should put the slate in upside-down?

 

[Pdrut]

Thanks, I was thinking that too. How much repticarpet and paper towel is enough so as not to overheat the tiles? And I have a thermometer with a probe.

Not sure, just experiment with the amounts of papertowel, cardboard, reptile carpet, etc... that you use to reach the correct temperature.

 

[Dog Shrink]

No you would put any polished tile like marble upside down. They leave the bottoms unpolished so your leo has traction.

 

[PaladinGirl]

I use brown paper lawn bag, cut to fit. Looks more natural than newspaper or paper towel and is fairly cheap.

 

[acharpenter]

Something else to remember with ceramic tiles is that ceramic and porcelain are INSULATORS (Think coffee mug here).

Ceramic tiles being insulaters....this never occured to me...good to know!

THANK YOU!