How do people heat 20g glass tanks with only UTH's ??

i have seen a lot of people who use an Under Tank Heater as there primary source, but how?? I would love to only use that because it would help with my humidity problem,but there is no way it can hear the whole tank.. i need to find the best solution to the humidity problem too, i have been using the damp towel on top and that has been working okay but its not attractive, i need something better, i am going on Sunday to get my ball python at the White Plains Reptile Expo. so i want to figure it out asap.




Thanks :snake::confusd:

When I used glass I sandwiched the uth between a piece of ceramic and the glass. I feel it more evenly disperses the heat. If you have part of the top covered it should trap in enough heat to keep cool side in the upper 70's granted your ambient room temps stay in the 70's.

But my best recommendation is to go with tubs vs. Tanks. Heat and humidity are so much more manageable

i have the UTH on the hot side of the tank under a stone hide, it holds heat pretty good but not enough to heat the whole tank to an 85 by itself, i only get real heat fro my ceramic heat lamp.





ps: i have a thermostat as well :snake::snake::snake:

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I would go with the tub but i like the visual aspect of the tank.

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Originally Posted by Meech

I would go with the tub but i like the visual aspect of the tank.

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Then get a PVC enclosure.

i'm looking for options without changing the enclosure, i plan to do that in the future but for now i have to work with what i have.

I've configured mine with the CHE over the UTH then just regulate the CHE with the thermostat so you get the desired temp on the cool side.

I run a 100 watt CHE and heat cable in my 50 gal tank (on a thermostat) and that works great with our Canadian winter and early spring. The temperatures here are all over the place so it is getting tricky but I watch the tanks carefully. Hopefully I will go PVC when I can get some $$'s ahead (have to sell some stuff - anybody want to but a guitar and amp - seems like snakes are taking up all of my practise time!)?

The big thing that doesn't get mentioned enough is the temperature of the room that the enclosure is in. If you heat your house to 75°, it is very easy to get an enclosure up to 80°. If your house is 60°, it requires four times as much energy because you are raising the temperature by four times as many degrees.

Some methods of heating are more efficient than others, but all else being equal, the bigger the temperature change you need, the more wattage it will require.

But the first thing to do, if you haven't already, is to insulate the tank as best you can. Various kinds of foam make great insulation. Some is made exactly for that purpose, like foam insulation board.

I've wondered the same thing... I'd say ambient temps play a big part in it. If you don't want to change enclosures, I'd get a pvc or Plexiglas top for your tank and then put an RHP on it. It will keep your humidity in and provide ambient heat.

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Originally Posted by LittleTreeGuy

I've wondered the same thing... I'd say ambient temps play a big part in it. If you don't want to change enclosures, I'd get a pvc or Plexiglas top for your tank and then put an RHP on it. It will keep your humidity in and provide ambient heat.

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What is an RHP?

Radiant heat panel. Best heat source imo :)

I had to use a light and uth to get mine right.. but it's a constant chore on upkeep..

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Thanks for everyone's input, quick question, i have the reptile thermostat but should i plug the UTH into it as well as the heat lamp or have the UTH always on? with the heat lamp connected to the thermostat?

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Originally Posted by Meech

Thanks for everyone's input, quick question, i have the reptile thermostat but should i plug the UTH into it as well as the heat lamp or have the UTH always on? with the heat lamp connected to the thermostat?

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A thermostat can be used to regulate multiple heat sources if they are all the same type (including size and wattage). One t-stat won't work for both the lamp and the UTH, unless it has two separate inputs.

The UTH should not be always on, they can get hot enough to burn your snake in minutes if they run unregulated.

Personally I would ditch the lamp completely and just use the UTH for heat, the lamp just kills your humidity anyway. Put a hide over the UTH and it will trap heat underneath for a warm area, and cover the whole top with plexiglass to keep humidity in.