Keep melting Zoomed UTH's on my tubs... Is my setup wrong?

I've got two locking-lid sterlite tubs, prolly a bit larger than they should be, but nevertheless, each one contains a BP, a juvenile, and another a full grown adult about 4.5" feet long.

I bought these a while back:

http://www.petco.com/product/6353/Zo...k-Heaters.aspx

for the large 50-60gal aquariums (24 watts). They fit fine on the bottom, and their each connected to their own independent Reptitherm 500r thermostat.

I use a hafl inc rubber feet to keep them up off the table they are sitting on, with cermaic tile under enath the tank.

Everything was fine for a while, except now they are failing left and right. I've replace them twice on each tank within a months time, each time i pull them off, it looks like little parts of the pad "melted" here and there.

I also noticed when the pad is on, the bottom of the sterilite tub seems to bow, of course due to heat. Both thermostats never seem to kick on and off, they just seem to stay on contstantly... average house temp is 72 farenheit, and their average temps are 81-83.

Am I doing something wrong here? Using to big of UTH's? Dont want to set anything ablaze, but this would be my 4th exchange of one of the zoomed pads within a 2 month time period.

Do you use a thermostat?

uhhh, yeah...

Did you not see the part in my post where i mentioned the thermostats they are connected to? :weirdface

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beavermatic

uhhh, yeah...

Did you not see the part in my post where i mentioned the thermostats they are connected to? :weirdface

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Apparently I missed it, sorry.

What kind of thermostat?

Umm from the best of my knowledge zoomed UTH are for glass containers only. I have some Vision cages left over and wanted to use them and had a very hard time finding UTH in a pet store that will work for plastic. I would suggest some kind of Flexwatt hooked to a thermostat will be ideal for you. Or you can put stick the heat pads you are using to the back SIDE wall of the plastic, that will not burn your container as bad as the bottom.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by omnibus2

What kind of thermostat?

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Someone needs some sleep. :D From his original post.... "Reptitherm 500r thermostat"

I know very little about flexwatt, tell me what I need and I'll purchase away

if you go to reptilebasics.com they will wire it for you so all you need to do is plug it into your thermostat

all you do is tell them how much and it arrives in working order! :)

Read the ZooMed packaging - only the very smallest of their under tank heaters are rated for plastic enclosures (I think it's" 4 X 6")

Personally I wouldn't use flexwatt in your situation unless you had it permanently attached to a rack. If you just place it loose under your tub it may eventually get damaged.

This is a much better option, not cheap, but you get what you pay for:

http://www.pro-products.com/index.ph...d=55&Itemid=59


Good luck!

Have you considered the possibility that its the thermostat that is failing and not the heat pads??