Help with UTH

[Scott&Nikki]

What UTH do you all recommend? I can't afford a real high end one, and it is only for a 10 gallon tank.

 

[g man]

just go to your local pet store and they will have them for about 11-12 dollars for a ten gallon that will work great

 

[ReptileMan27]

Like already said, you can get ones at the pet store for $10-$15, sure they make more expensive ones but the cheaper ones work fine to, been using them for years with a number of different herps and love them.

 

[Kotsay1414]

Make sure you get a thermostat to go with it. Otherwise you will bake your gecko.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

OK, I have a few questions now.

1. Is the Zoo Med one good?
2. If so, would I need the Mini or Small for a 10-gallon?
3. Will it heat through the slate tile enough?
4. The tank is on a metal stand with a thick cardboard top which the tank is resting on. Will this be safe with the heater?

 

[Kotsay1414]

1. Is the Zoo Med one good?

I use it with the Alife Thermostate which can be picked up on ebay from $25-$35 shipped.

2. If so, would I need the Mini or Small for a 10-gallon?

They should say which size tank they are made for on the package. I believe the mini is for 5 gallon tanks and the small is made for 10-20 gallon tanks. I say go with the small, but check the package to be 100% sure.

3. Will it heat through the slate tile enough?

It should. I'm not a 100% sure on it since I use paper towels as my substrate

4. The tank is on a metal stand with a thick cardboard top which the tank is resting on. Will this be safe with the heater?

To prevent a fire hazard, you may want to remove the cardboard. The UTH has a sticky side which I applied directly to the glass on the bottom of my tank. It also came with 4 little rubber feet for the corners to raise the tank about a 1/4 inch. So just to be safe, I'd ditch the cardboard.

Enjoy!:main_thumbsup:

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Slate absorbs heat really well and if you want it low cost and long term, Id get a piece of heat tape and wire it. 11" is about $4 a foot then you can get the wire at the $1 store and hook it to the thermostat and go. Just use tin foil tape to tape it to the bottom of the tank.

If you have a small human heating pad aroudn you can use it with a thermostat too.

 

[g man]

yes zoo med is what i use and it is perfect

it also heats through tile very well

and it usually has what size gallon the pad is for on the upper right hand corner of the package

 

[ReptileMan27]

Zoo med is good, I never personally used any thermostats for my UTHs for 10+ years now and never had any problems with them.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

Alright, I cannot find a good replacement for the cardboard. I can't just take it off and use nothing, because the tank slides across the stand. Could I just line the bottom of the tank under the UTH with some foil or something?

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

you could use a piece of paneling or other thin board material to make the tank sit on the stand correctly.

 

[acpart]

I use the Zoomed mini (rated for 1-5 gallon tank) for a 10 gallon tank and then don't use a thermostat. I have ceramic tile substrate. I find that with a 10 gallon tank and 1 gecko, after the temps have stabilized, I can find a good location for the hide where the temp is appropriate. It does get hot enough, but not too hot, and if there's a spot where it's a bit too hot, I just move the hide over. There's someone on ebay who regularly sells pairs of zoomed UTH's for a starting bid of about $2.99 with $4.35 shipping to my area. I have bought pairs of mini's several times for less than $10 including shipping. Sometimes people bid up the price and sometimes not. It's a good deal if you don't mind waiting till it comes up.
Aliza

 

[Scott&Nikki]

If you don't use a thermostat, how do you know you are getting good temps?

 

[acpart]

I check the temps periodically with either a heat gun or a digital thermometer with a probe. I tend to check more as the seasons change. Most of my tanks have heat cable and the ones with UTH's are mostly 20 gallon longs so they have the larger UTH but I have one small tank and one "upstairs" of a tank with the smaller UTH and it's been fine.
Aliza

 

[LadyGecko]

You can use a sheet of Styrofoam (usually found at craft shops) they come in varied thickness-so just pick the one that will work for you
That will be safe with the UTH and should support the tank evenly
it's an old fish keeping trick to level out the tanks to keep the seams from being stressed from being on an uneven floor
Stick the uth to the bottom of the tank and put the sheet of stryo under it on the top of the stand and hopefully that will work out OK for you



Sandy

Alright, I cannot find a good replacement for the cardboard. I can't just take it off and use nothing, because the tank slides across the stand. Could I just line the bottom of the tank under the UTH with some foil or something?

 

[Scott&Nikki]

Sandy, sounds great! Thanks

 

[LadyGecko]

You are very welcome
I'm just glad that I could be of some help



Sandy

 

[moosassah]

FYI: Although you're talking about UTH & my situation is a bit different, check your styrofoam now & then to be sure it's not being melted by the heat. The background of my cage is made from styrofoam & my boys have melted it twice by bumping the red light & redirecting it too close. I have not seen the same issue where the UTH meets the styrofoam on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

FYI: Although you're talking about UTH & my situation is a bit different, check your styrofoam now & then to be sure it's not being melted by the heat. The background of my cage is made from styrofoam & my boys have melted it twice by bumping the red light & redirecting it too close. I have not seen the same issue where the UTH meets the styrofoam on the bottom of the tank.

Yeah, I decided to go with some heat resistent tile instead.