UTH ok with tile?

[nicoleroxs73]

im planing on putting tiles in my 10 gallon tank because i now have repti carpet but i cant seem to keep the worms and crickets from going and hidding under it, making it very difficult for my baby leo to find them. i even tryed to tape the repti carpet down but the worms just ended up getting stuck to them lol. but i was wondering if i put tiles in the bottom for substate will i still be able to use a under the tank heater or will it like not go thru the tile or something? sorry if this is a stupid question i just wanted to make sure itd be ok.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

I wondered this at first too. As long as you get a slate that is not heat resistent, it will hold the heat very well; sometimes better than other substrates. I could not be happier with my tile and the UTH is working just fine. I think you will be much happier with it.

HINT: It is close to impossible to get the measurements of the tile exact. You will most likely have very small spaces either between the tiles, or between the tile and the glass. You have no idea how much that pissed me off when crickets still got under it. Easy solution: Buy some playground sand (sift it first to get the larger rocks out) and use that to clog up any cracks.

 

[nicoleroxs73]

ok thanks

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

I have a tank with ceramic tile and Iused coco fiber to fill in the tiny cracks but the tile is 12"x12" and my tank is 12"x36" so it was a perfect fit for 3 pieces. No matter what substrate you use you gotta use a thermostat.

 

[BluGnat]

HINT: It is close to impossible to get the measurements of the tile exact. You will most likely have very small spaces either between the tiles, or between the tile and the glass. You have no idea how much that pissed me off when crickets still got under it. Easy solution: Buy some playground sand (sift it first to get the larger rocks out) and use that to clog up any cracks.

I'm glad to hear this because when we got our second round of tile cut and my husband went to put them all in, I thought he was going to throw it off the balcony. It was either too long to fit in (he dug out a bunch of silicone wads from the corners to try to make it fit) or when we got them re-cut, it too short. So we also have cricket and mealworm-atracting gaps. I just leave it though, and pull the mealworms/crickets out with a screwdriver since I pull the tiles out to wash them weekly.

 

[nicoleroxs73]

well cant you somehow like glue them down to the tank and then fill between the cracks with some sort of filler or something?

 

[Scott&Nikki]

well cant you somehow like glue them down to the tank and then fill between the cracks with some sort of filler or something?

I just felt it would be easier to clean if I could take them out of the tank. But yeah, if that is easier for you. Just keep in mind, if your UTH is connected to the bottom of the tank, it may be difficult for you to rinse it very well without getting it wet.

 

[Californiaman]

Working with Tile

It's my experience in working with tile that a good pair of tile nippers is invaluable. For under $20.00 you can buy a good pair at any tile store or hardware store.
If tile doesn't fit, simply nip off an edge in quarter-inch increments. Nippers work great with travertine and slate tiles. You can also use them on ceramic tiles. There is also a tool for cutting porceline tiles. It has a little wheel attached to the business end.
Both work well.
As for filling in the spaces and cracks I use Repti-sand. You'll only need a little bit.
As for the use of a UTH with tile, I'm using two in my 29 gallon tank. The larger is rated at 16 watts, while the smaller is rated at 8 watts.
The 16 watt UTH heats up to between 90-92 degrees over the hot-spot and cools down to the mid 70s the closer you get to the edge of the tile.
I have placed a humid hide over the 8 watt UTH and it heats up to around 83 degrees. This is where my girls will lay their eggs when we breed them later this summer.
Good Luck