Heating questions

[mcorrad1]

Hi, I currently have a 10 gallon tank, but I am upgrading to a 20 gallon tank. For the new home for my leopard gecko I would like to know if I should use a UTH or a 100-125 watt red heat bulb or both? Currently I have both a small wear UTH and red heating bulb, but shut the light off at night. Also, I heard to place the UTH on the side of the tank and not the bottom. Please I would like your feedback. Thank you

 

[fl_orchidslave]

UTH= under tank heater, to be placed under the tank. Leos need a warm end and a cool end to properly regulate their body temperature and digest food.

 

[Fencer04]

Yes, use a high quality UTH on the bottom of one end of the tank. Get a thermometer with a probe that you can place directly on the bottom of the tank or better yet a infrared thermometer that you can use to check the actual surface temp of the bottom of the tank. As long as you can get it between 90 and 95 degrees you don't need anything else. Avoid lights as they are just unnecessary and can sometimes cause more harm and good.

 

[mcorrad1]

Great, thanks guys. I was also told to get a temperature control thermostat for the heater. any recommendations?

 

[Dog Shrink]

You can actually use a thermostat or a rheostat (light dimmer) to accomodate this need. reptiledirect.com has a reasonably priced thermostat (around $30.00) and a rehostat should run you around $15 at a home improvement store. I would first test out the uth to see the temps it is producing before making the investment in a thermostat altho some will say it is absolutely mandatory. I recently added a rheostat to my uth as we were hitting upwards of 98-101 which was way to high for Eros, now we're good .Make sure you have your probe thermometer directly over the uth to get your most accurate readings.

 

[TokayKeeper]

Great, thanks guys. I was also told to get a temperature control thermostat for the heater. any recommendations?

Some might view it as overkill for 1 animal, but I highly recommend to invest in a HerpStat by Spyder Robitics for a thermostat. I'd go with the HerpStat Thermostat (Grounded cords, Red LED display), it runs $119.

I use their HerpStat ND with grounded cords and blue LED display for a 120 quart igloo custom incubator I made. The incubator was set yo 85.1°F and multiple thermometers read from 84.8 to 85.3 during the time I had the bator running. Eventually it will become my green tree python incubator and I'll create smaller versions for my gecko and colubrid eggs this season.

Your other option would be a Helix Controls thermostat, which I have one as well. The downside to the Helix I have is it lacks temp readouts to the 10th of a degree. BUT, it's the termostat I have paired with flexwatt that heats my leopard gecko rack.

EDIT: Something to keep in mind...most UTHs have a built in thermostat or rheostat. A thermostat is the better, more accurate option as it actually controls temps. A rheostat is a more simplified version of a thermostat in that all it does is regulate electrical current to the device plugged into it. By using a thermostat in-line with the UTH, should the thermostat/rheostat built into the UTH fail you have the separate thermostat to safe guard with.

And contrary to Dog Shrink, you'll want placement of the temp probe (should you go the thermostat route) at the location of basking versus directly in contact with the UTH. This will maintain the proper/desired temp at the basking location and not at the UTH. Placement at the UTH will result in the UTH being the desired temp and your basking location being cooler than your desired temp.

 

[Fencer04]

I also agree that the thermostat is a great way to go. I have 4 geckos and, while I want to upgrade to a Spyder or Helix, I am currently using this one from Big Apple Herp and I can say that it has done an awesome job.

http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat

Reasonably priced and they are a great company to work with.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Hm... I was told that you wanted your probe directly where your uth was and that leos didn't bask.

 

[aburningflame]

Leos DEFINITELY bask. And by bask - I mean lay on a heat source. They probably dont lay in direct sunlight. I have 5 leos and ive had them all for over a year. They lay on their tummies over the UTH during the day on the heat (helps with digestion). at night they come out to hunt.
i used to use a bulb - and dont see any problems with bulbs. my bulb was pointed at the roof of a hide. the temp inside the hide on the surface reached 93F. My geckos would stay in the hide all day. then come out an hour or so after i turned the lights off. No harm done.

But UTHs are the preferred way to go.
The stick it on the side advice wasn't for a leopard gecko - but probably a tree dweller who needs a heated environment.

Anyways - like everyone has said - stick it underneath. use the feet given to you to raise your tank off the ground to let air circulate.

if you can afford the herpstat from spyder robotics - id recommend it as well. i paid about $150 and it regulates the heat cable running under the babies' tanks. if you think you will be caring for geckos long term - this thermo is a good investment

 

[Dog Shrink]

Ok using "bask" in that context makes a lot more sense. When I hear bask I think laying out on a rock in the light not like what you described. Laying on their heat mat to me was always described as thermoregulation which I guess in a sense can be construde as basking.