PaladinGirl
New Member
- Messages
- 427
- Location
- Michigan
From what I've read on here, slate tile is one of the best substrates to use because it conducts heat well and looks natural, etc. I now have it in 2 of my 3 tanks and it seems to be working great (with one exception, read on to see)..
In the midst of installing the slate, I started wondering about its compatibility with the UTH. With it being thicker than some of the other substrates (like paper) does the UTH have to "work harder" to heat the slate? I'm worried about the glass on the bottom of the tank cracking (the UTH instructions warn against this when using a substrate that is too thick). I'm keeping track of the temps and so far, all is well. It doesn't seem like I'm having to adjust the heat a whole lot, at least not on Toon's tank..
Epic's tank had a Zilla heat mat (Toon's is a Zoo Med, and Hugzor's is an Ultratherm). It heated up the slate really good the first couple days, then I noticed the temps were dropping and I was having to go up on the dimmer by quite a bit. Plus, it was making a strange buzzing noise (at first I thought it was the dimmer, but on closer inspection, it was definitely the UTH making the noise). So I hurried to the store and bought a Zoo Med. I think those Zillas are kinda crappy anyways; I have to wonder if it was starting to go bad before the slate. I think it was possibly overheating because the bottom of it felt quite hot but it was barely maintaining temps on the surface of the slate.
And just FYI, I got the thinnest slate I could find; it's just a tad over 1/4" thick.
Someone please ease my mind!
In the midst of installing the slate, I started wondering about its compatibility with the UTH. With it being thicker than some of the other substrates (like paper) does the UTH have to "work harder" to heat the slate? I'm worried about the glass on the bottom of the tank cracking (the UTH instructions warn against this when using a substrate that is too thick). I'm keeping track of the temps and so far, all is well. It doesn't seem like I'm having to adjust the heat a whole lot, at least not on Toon's tank..
Epic's tank had a Zilla heat mat (Toon's is a Zoo Med, and Hugzor's is an Ultratherm). It heated up the slate really good the first couple days, then I noticed the temps were dropping and I was having to go up on the dimmer by quite a bit. Plus, it was making a strange buzzing noise (at first I thought it was the dimmer, but on closer inspection, it was definitely the UTH making the noise). So I hurried to the store and bought a Zoo Med. I think those Zillas are kinda crappy anyways; I have to wonder if it was starting to go bad before the slate. I think it was possibly overheating because the bottom of it felt quite hot but it was barely maintaining temps on the surface of the slate.
And just FYI, I got the thinnest slate I could find; it's just a tad over 1/4" thick.
Someone please ease my mind!
