UTH???

[mmsi1002]

Ok so i've been getting mixed opinions on under tank heaters. From what i've been reading here today, it's definitley required. All the ones i've seen just plug in & that's it. How do you use a thermostat with it & make it adjustable?

 

[Stitch]

The UTH will plug into the t-stat. The t-stat will have a probe that needs to lay on the hot end. Set the t-stat to the desired temperature (between 88-93 degrees). As the UTH heats the ground the t-stat will control the power to the UTH so that it doesn't over heat it.

 

[ReptileMan27]

UTHs are great for heating leos when using tanks. You simply place it on the bottom of the tank on the warm side. You can use a rheostat if your worried about it getting to hot, I never had any problems with UTHs getting to hot.

 

[mmsi1002]

Where would i get one of those? Is there a specific one?

 

[Stitch]

A t-stat is easier to use. With a rheostat (which is what I use) you need to measure the temps yourself. Unless you have a reliable device to measure GROUND temps, a t-stat would work better for you. T-stats do cost more then r-stats but by only $10-20, I think. It will cost you atleast $25 to get a reliable temp gun. Those little round temp gauges at the pet store are very inaccurate and cheap, so you don't want them.

I use ZooMeds UTH's they label them to work for specific tank sizes and that's a plus. I also use their r-stats. But I use a PE-1 temp gun to get my temp readings.

Rheostats typicaly have a dial on them that reads Low-Medium-High. Well you don't know what the medium temperature is. If I set my dial at medium I would raise the grounds temps well over 100 degrees and that could be fatal if not caught quickly. That is why it's important to have a good device that can read ground temps. So when you are using a r-stat you have to "play" with it to find the right temp.

A themostat typically has a dial that displays temperature options. Set it at 80 degrees and and place the probe on top of the heating device (UTH) and it will control the UTH to maintain temps at 80 degrees. **You should still check the temps with reliable temperature gauge**

A t-stat cost more but should be easier to use when compared to a r-stat. But that is just my opinion.

Sorry for babling.

Here is a link to site that is pretty decent in my experience.
http://www.bigappleherp.com/site/index.html