Zoo Med UTH

[blubudgie]

So I have been struggling with getting a good hot spot temp in my Ball Python tank. I am using a 50 watt bulb on my 10 gallon tank but it doesn't get up to 90 degrees. Plus I know that belly warmth is better for BPs.
So I got a zoomed Under Tank Heater mini size, 4 watts. I didn't want to buy a thermostat so I went with the smaller wattage because I thought there'd be less chance of over heating (I've read some horror stories about overheating). So now I'm wondering how much will this heat pad actually raise the temp? Could I forgo the lamp and just use the pad or should I use both together? And then of course is it possible to overheat with only 4 watts?
Thanks
And then at night I want to just use a nighttime 50watt bulb.
My lamp has a 60watt limit which is why I am not using my 100 watt bulb. But I also bought a 100 watt lamp, would that heat my 10 gallon tank too much?

Tl;dr I've got a 4 watt UTH and a 100 watt lamp, which one should I use to heat my 10 gallon tank?

[albinos_rule]

The heat pad does not raise the ambient temp, it just provides belly heat. All UTH's can get dangerously hot if not controlled bu a t-stat. You can do whatever you want, but I would recommend getting a proper sized UTH for your tank size, and controlling it with a thermostat..Good luck

[PitOnTheProwl]

Yes, this is the next size up from the 4 wt and this was only after a couple minutes of running.
Please regulate OR don't use it at all.

[blubudgie]

Okay so would I use a lamp to raise ambient temperature?

And that's why I got the 4 watt one. Could I put it the UTH on a timer instead?

[albinos_rule]

The way I understand it if your ambient temps are in the upper 80 range then you can get by without a hot spot. No I wouldn't put a UTH on a timer. It will get way too hot in just a couple minutes. Look at the pic Pit posted after just a couple minutes

[artgecko]

I'd play it safe and get either a cheaper, but good, thermostat (see the hydrofarms... about $35 and good performance) or you can usually make it work with a rheostat (lamp dimmer) IF you have an accurate thermometer (like the accurite) that has a probe to put directly on the hot spot. I used a rheostat when I was getting started and it worked, but it took a couple days playing with it to find the right setting and I had to check it like 7x a day to make sure it was still at the right temp (as the room temp changes you have to adjust the rheostat).

Lamps will work to raise your ambient temp, but 3 things: 1. It will suck humidity out of your tank (there's a tank screen top foil tutorial that will help you with this somewhere on this site.. it's a sticky). 2. Get one on a dimmer or hook it up to a dimmer so you can adjust to the right temp. 3. Use either a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) or a red / black light bulb so that you can leave it on all the time and not mess up the day / night cycle.

I know all the equiptment seems expensive and a pain, but in the long run, it'll be cheaper to spend $15 on a good thermometer and $40 on a deacent t-stat rather than $100+ on a vet bill for burns. The one expensive thermostat I have (herpstat) I consider my best investment in terms of $$. I actually requested amazon gift cards for my birthday and then pooled them together to buy it (the bean farm sold it off of amazon as an independent seller).

Good luck.

[KMG]

Why did you by an animal if you don't want to care for it properly? All you did was waste money on a uth that is going to be to small very soon.

A tstat is an absolute with any uth, a timer will not work.

You can certainly create the proper ambient and surface temp with a heat lamp alone. The ambient temp only needs to be 80, not 90. The hotspot in a range of 85-90 will be good.

A 100w bulb is way to much for a ten gallon tank they are suggested forforty gallons and up.

Your best bet to get a heat lamp dialed in is by using a rheostat commonly referred to as a dimmer.

[blubudgie]

Obviously I want to take good care of my snake :/ why is that even a question?
Anyway, I got the heat mat, it works fine, and I think I like that it's only 4 watts. The surface of the substrate is only 90 right now after about 6 hours turning it on.
I'm looking at thermostats now. Where would I put the probe? Should I put it at the bottom of the tank, or in the middle of the substrate?
I checked the temperatures at all levels and its a pretty big difference (100+ at the very bottom, 97 in the substrate, and 90 on the surface) so where would I put the probe?

Also can I keep my 50 watt lamp to control the ambient temp?

[blubudgie]

I'd play it safe and get either a cheaper, but good, thermostat (see the hydrofarms... about $35 and good performance) or you can usually make it work with a rheostat (lamp dimmer) IF you have an accurate thermometer (like the accurite) that has a probe to put directly on the hot spot. I used a rheostat when I was getting started and it worked, but it took a couple days playing with it to find the right setting and I had to check it like 7x a day to make sure it was still at the right temp (as the room temp changes you have to adjust the rheostat).

Lamps will work to raise your ambient temp, but 3 things: 1. It will suck humidity out of your tank (there's a tank screen top foil tutorial that will help you with this somewhere on this site.. it's a sticky). 2. Get one on a dimmer or hook it up to a dimmer so you can adjust to the right temp. 3. Use either a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) or a red / black light bulb so that you can leave it on all the time and not mess up the day / night cycle.

I know all the equiptment seems expensive and a pain, but in the long run, it'll be cheaper to spend $15 on a good thermometer and $40 on a deacent t-stat rather than $100+ on a vet bill for burns. The one expensive thermostat I have (herpstat) I consider my best investment in terms of $$. I actually requested amazon gift cards for my birthday and then pooled them together to buy it (the bean farm sold it off of amazon as an independent seller).

Good luck.

Is this the Hydrofarm thermostat? http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...mostat+reptile

[KMG]

A tstat probe goes between the UTH and the tank bottom, on the outside. The thermometer probe can go wherever you want it really. Whatever you want to monitor.

The UTH should only have at most 1/4 inch of substrate over it. This keeps the UTH at a temp that will not harm your snake if the substrate is moved and laid on directly. Having a thick substrate you will need to keep the UTH at a high temperature so the heat can reach the top of the substrate.

Yes, you can use the lamp too. On my 40 gallon in a cold room I have a uth, che, and heat bulb.

I questioned your post because it did not seem as if you wanted to do things correctly and instead choose to do things half way which is not safe for your snake. You should have done a bit more research here and we could have helped you get things right the first time, saving you time and money.

I use Herpstat and love them.