PLease help - thermostat suggestions wanted.

I have a zoo-med uth for my glass tank, and I just realized by doing the research that I should hook up a thermostat to my uth... What are some suggestions of reliable thermostats that people are using?? And once I plug my heater into the thermostat, where do I measure my temps at?? Directly on the glass or should I measure the ambient?? Do I need a thermostat with probes? Can I hook up 2 probes for warm & cool sides? How much $$ am I looking at, and where can I purchase one? Sorry for all the questions, I really need clarification.

p.s. the guy at the at pet shop I got my snake from never mentioned any of this. he acted like he knew everything but i realize now how ignorant some people really are...

If you're strapped for cash, this cheap hydrofarm will work. If not, I'd get a herpstat from spyder robotics. If you get a better model, you'll have several probes, each with their own independent thermostat, all in one unit. Pretty much overkill for one tub, or even one rack (of the same species).

The basic setup goes like this:

substrate
thermometer probe
enclosure bottom
thermostat probe
heat source

Edit: Also, there is a sticky either in general balls or in ball husbandry about glass tank setups. It has a ton of info on it.

Yeah, pet shops are not to be trusted. Listen to breeders and fellow enthusiasts only. Even vets have been known to make big mistakes. Like so bad that one blinded someone's ball trying to remove unshed eye caps.

Tried and true cheap repti-temp 500R
http://www.ihome.com/product//11442-...ermometer.html

I prefer the herpstat proportional for a better quality thermostat.
http://spyderrobotics.com/products/herpstat.html

The thermostat probe goes under the tank taped against the UTH.
To set your temperature you place a probe for your thermometer directly on the UTH inside the enclosure.
Your looking for a 90 to 92 degree hot spot.

Shame on the pet store for selling you a UTH and not mentioning that it needs to be plugged into a thermostat.
The last Zoo-med 16 watt UTH I check went to about 120 degrees plugged directly into the wall :(

I love the Johnsons Controls thermostats! I actually bought two more after my first one that I purchased I liked it so much. I guess I'm set on thermostats for awhile, but I guess if anything happens to them, I always have a replacement.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

Shame on the pet store for selling you a UTH and not mentioning that it needs to be plugged into a thermostat.

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Dude, I ordered a ReptiTemp from my local petshop, and they looked at the thing like they had no idea what it was. From the fact that they said they'd never used it before, I'd safely wager they didn't.

And are you aware that there is a comparatively priced digital alternative to the ReptiTemp?

One of my ZooMeds hit 140. =O

Personally I use a Herpstat, but I have used both Ranco and Johnson before with no issues. Also there is the Helix. Mainly, it's going to come down to what you want to spend and what kind of features you want...

Here is another link. It's Reptile Basics...

http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats/

Herpstat all the way. Buy directly and get the grounded one, Dion is top notch. If it's for a tank I set the t-stat between 100-102 to get about 90 degrees for the hot spot. Hope this helps!

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Originally Posted by stevepoppers

And are you aware that there is a comparatively priced digital alternative to the ReptiTemp?

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I am aware of it but until I have used it and until it gets reviews that are favorable I won't suggest using it ;)

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Originally Posted by V1L3 DiaL3cT

If it's for a tank I set the t-stat between 100-102 to get about 90 degrees for the hot spot.

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It's off by that much? And you're measuring under the substrate? I just wouldn't expect that much heat loss.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

I am aware of it but until I have used it and until it gets reviews that are favorable I won't suggest using it ;)

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Ah. Perfectly reasonable. I've just heard enough failure stories of the ReptiTemp. And that the Hydrofarm holds temps well. I believe it's proven for the seedling boxes it's marketed for. It's got to at least be easier to adjust.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stevepoppers

Ah. Perfectly reasonable. I've just heard enough failure stories of the ReptiTemp.

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When you make 500,000 units a year your bound to have failures.
I've got 4 repti-temps running for 2 yrs now and no issues at all.
I have had one fail, it failed the first week I got it and the replacement is working like a charm.
I totally prefer my herpstat though, what a great little t-stat that is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by V1L3 DiaL3cT

Herpstat all the way. Buy directly and get the grounded one, Dion is top notch. If it's for a tank I set the t-stat between 100-102 to get about 90 degrees for the hot spot. Hope this helps!

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For a herpstat that's an awful big difference.
My herpstat on my inc gets the heat tape to 90 degrees while the herpstat box reads 93.0, wonder why yours is 10-12 degrees difference? cold room?

So should the glass/uth read 92 degrees, or the temp after the substrate?? I use aspen...

Herpstat.

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No seriously, I love my herpstat and spyderrobotics has the absolute BEST customer service. I bought a Herpstat Pro several years ago and had a probe error. When I contacted them asking what could have caused it and how to prevent it, they said the probe had gone bad and sent me a new one free of charge.

Good luck finding any other company to offer replacement parts years after you originally bought it. I can't recommend them enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

For a herpstat that's an awful big difference.
My herpstat on my inc gets the heat tape to 90 degrees while the herpstat box reads 93.0, wonder why yours is 10-12 degrees difference? cold room?

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I have no idea why actually. I just know that it doesn't seem to transfer through the glass very well and anything below that doesn't get it up to 90. Strangest thing. They're checked everyday though a few times a day w/ a infrared gauge. Could be that I keep my house kinda cool. No idea though. Temps are spot on and they eat. Just what personally works in my situation. It is weird though...

As long as it's holding steady temps the difference between the two should mean anything :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by greg728

So should the glass/uth read 92 degrees, or the temp after the substrate?? I use aspen...

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You should be measuring the glass underneath the substrate. The substrate could be 92 degrees on top, but that could mean that the glass has to 100+ to get the top of the substrate that hot.

V1L3 DiaL3cT, is the heat source getting up to the temperatue the herpstat says?

And everyone knows you can calibrate the herpstat to display the correct temperature, right?

It's not a big deal, just much further off than anyone expected.

My probes go directly on the cage floor. (Or tub floor, in my racks - I place the probe onto a piece of tub plastic and tape that directly to the heat source.)

Herpstats are good. I use a couple Pros for my racks. Helix is a wonderful t-stat as well, very easy to use and pretty darn reliable. I use one of those on the incubator, and used to use them on the racks until I went with the Pros just to get rid of some of my cord traffic. IME with them, they're on equal ground, but the Herpstat did require much more tweaking whereas Helix is pretty much plug and go.

It may seem like a big chunk of change up front, but cared for properly these things should last for a very long time.