Question for the tile experts!

[Phantom240]

I want to get rid of the sand under my tiles, because mealies like to escape and burrow, and I think that having my tiles closer to my heat source would create a more consistent temperature gradient across the floor. So I was thinking of taking my tiles and grouting/mortaring them into four panels I could remove from the cage whenever I have to clean or move it.

My question is this:
Being that it's not a structural, load bearing application, could I get away with using grout underneath them instead of mortar?

My plan is to lay out some wax paper on our table in the back yard, lay a bit of grout, press the tiles into it to fill in the natural texture of the underside of the tiles and leave a perfectly level and smooth surface to sit on the bottom of my terrarium... or is this a bad idea?

 

[acpart]

Any reason not to just put the tiles directly on the bottom of the tank without any grout or anything? That's what I do and if I need a complete tank cleaning, I just take out the tiles, clean them in the bath tub and clean the tank itself.

Aliza

 

[Phantom240]

Because the tiles aren't flat on the bottom. They have grooves and ridges, so they won't be perfectly stable or level, and also won't make good contact with the glass. With air between the tiles and the heated glass, I'd be worried about proper heat transfer.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

My only concern would be that if the grout is something latex-like or wood-like it would insulate the tile from the heat source and prevent the heat from warming the tile. If the grout is more like ceramic or cement it would probably be better but I'm not 100% sure how well it would work. I would test it out before you do it and make sure whatever you're using is non-toxic and you give it at least 48 hours to cure before putting your gecko back in the tank.

 

[Phantom240]

Gotcha. I planned on buying all new slate to experiment on, because I can't relocate my gecko right now. Most grouts (non epoxy or urethane) are what they call a "Portland Cement" grout. Aside from dust, there aren't really any big no-nos from a chemical standpoint, once it's cured. Same as typical floor tile mortar, but smoother grained and more brittle, put in simple terms. I'd be using sanded grout, which is for filling gaps in tiles greater than 1/8". I'll likely use non-sanded grout to fill the gaps in the top of the slate, as the gaps will be under 1/8", and sanded grouts can't squeeze in there. Hardest part of choosing the right materials right now seems to be finding grout in the right color. lol.

 

[acpart]

As I mentioned before, I have had no problems with temps by just putting the tile directly onto the glass.

Aliza

 

[Phantom240]

Even if they conducted heat right, there would be gaps in the corners of the tiles, because their edges are rounded, and I'd like to eliminate that as well.

 

[Phantom240]

UPDATE:
For those curious, grout WILL NOT work in place of mortar. Entirely too brittle. That, or it's been way too long since I've done such a thing and completely suck at it. That's entirely possible. Did a test set last night. Everything seemed copesetic, as everything seemed to stay together when being handled just now (18+ hours of cure time), when suddenly everything went to hell. Moral of the story: use mortar. Test set #2 will be setting up this evening, I suppose.

 

[pandyana]

I didn't think that using sand AT ALL was a good thing. Is it ok to use it under the tiles?

 

[Phantom240]

I don't see why not. The tiles cover the sand. The sand is merely a buffer between the tiles and the floor. It fills in the uneven surface of the tiles so they won't wobble around, and spreads their weight across a larger surface area of the glass.

 

[wombat2000]

Just FYI, I installed slate tile directly on the floor of my 20L and it's been working great without any sand beneath or mortar between them.

The UTH heats the tiles to a consistent 90-93 using a Hydrofarm T-Stat and my son's gecko seems to like the temp and textured finish to the slate. What I really like is the ability to remove the tiles during monthly cleaning and really give them a good wash before placing them back in the tank.

 

[krusty46]

I'm no tile expert, but I simply put paper towel under my slate tiles. They do not wobble and the the temps on the tile are between 89-91