Lights blubs

what size watts do you think will be best for a 10 gallon tank with aspen bedding?

I wouldn't recommend using bulbs as they dry out the air, a good uth should do the job just fine.

- Bd

i have a zoo med UTH, but i heard that they burn the snakes?

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Originally Posted by Michael

i have a zoo med UTH, but i heard that they burn the snakes?

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I think your getting mixed up with heat rocks.

I guess a UTH could burn a snake if it wasn't on a dimmer.

Go to home depot, get one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...10000003+90401

With a light dimmer you can control the heat your UTH gives off. Do you have a thermostat with a probe?

Better yet, get a UTH on a thermostat.

i have a thermometer with a prob

Hi,

Just a quick explanation. :)

Thermometers read the temperature - it sounds like you have the digital type which is what is recommended.

Thermostats control the temperature - either by turning the heat source on and off or by automatically dimming it down.

For a UTH you can use either an on/off type (like a ranco or johnson controls ) but for a bulb that gives off light as well as heat you would be better off using a dimming type (sometimes called proportional ).


dr del

Use a 50w bulb on a 10g no more.

this will effectively heat the air to 80-85* from experience.

you can also use a larger one on a dimmer.

my self am using a 150w on a dimmer and its more for light then anything as i have it dimmed to the point where its generating no heat as its not needed.

for my boa since she is aborial. i have a UTH thats unplugged right now and i am using a 150w CHE on a dimmer to heat the warm side to 95* which in turn is keeping the cool side 80.9* spot on. the CHE also does a great job of heating the substrate under it and thus giving belly heat as well as back heat.

Some of the thermostats and other temperature control devices can be expensive. There are ways around it but you need to have a good temp gun to read the temps.
What I tried (Just for fun) Was to put an insulator between the UTH and the glass. The insulator was standard 20pound copy machine paper. Depending on the size of the UTH you might need several sheets. I have anywhere between 5 and 10 sheets. Tape the paper to the bottom of the tank then tape on the UTH. Let it fully warm up and take a temp reading. Add or remove paper as necessary.
I have four 20gallon longs that I have diled in perfectly but I don't have anything in them. I use them for quarantine. I don't have any temp control on them and I leave them on and hit them with my temp gun every day for long term testing. Still perfect.

I agree with not using incandescent lighting for aquariums, I think it drys the air out too much. I prefer flourescent lighting for light if any and an under the tank pad for heat. ANY heat source can burn your snake if it's not regulated. I've used both thermostats and rheostats (dimmer switches) successfully. Set the heater so that you have a hot spot in the low 90's (between 90-93 is about right). My opinion is that people make too big of a deal about ambient temps in the rest of the tank and I think whatever your room temperature is should be fine.