how to remove under tank heater?

[ch312]

i want to use my current tank (15g long) for mice and switch my BP over to a slightly larger tank (20g long) because the current UTH covers almost the whole tank the snake is in right now. it is my understanding that you should only have a UTH on half or less of the tank.

i do not have any money to buy a new UTH so i figured id try to remove it and move it over to the larger tank.

soooo....how do i go about removing it and attaching it to the new tank without damaging it?

or would i be better off with selling the tank my BP is in right now and just buy another UTH? what size UTH should i have for a 20 gallon long?

[Patrick Long]

I have yet to find a way. Every time I have removed one of those, I have cracked the heating element inside. Parts would work, and parts would not.

[BMorrison]

From what I know you're not supposed to remove UTH's unless you're done with them because they're not supposed to adhere to another surface other than the original one that it was on. I am pretty sure you could pick up one big enough for a 20gallon tank for like 13 bucks at petsmart or something. Hope this helps.

[2kdime]

Try a blow dryer or a heat gun to soften the glue.

Or if you want to. Use some goof off on the glue. Then peel it off. You'd have to find a way to adhere it to the next tank though.

[dalvers63]

There are quite a few ways to remove them, depending on how stuck they are. The main thing to remember is to try and not bend the UTH too much or it may not work when you put it on the next tank. All the suggestions above are good ones for getting it off.

To stick it on the other tank, I suggest getting some aluminum tape at the hardware store and using that to stick it on the tank. I love the stuff and use it to hold the flexwatt down on my rack. I've also used it in my incubator to hold the flexwatt to the walls and to hold an UTH on the bottom of a 20L tank.

[Argentra]

I don't even stick the UTH's on the bottom anymore, I leave the paper on and attach them using aluminum tape.
However, when I did stick them on, to get them off try the Goo Gone or something to remove adhesives on a straight flat object like a spatula and gently slide it under to 'peel' the UTH off. If you bend them more than just a tiny bit, they will most likely stop working.

[wolfy-hound]

Goo Be Gone. Available at Walmart, and works GREAT. Peel up the edge bit by bit, and don't get in a hurry. It'll come right off, and then you can use the aluminum tape to put it on the new tank.

[GirDance]

Goo Gone on a papertowel over top of a spatula. When you slide that under it makes sure you don't bend it too much and break the element, and it gives the goo gone time to soak in. Also, turning it on unregulated for at least 10-15 mins will warm the glue enough to make it a little easier.

[Areillea]

Try a blow dryer or a heat gun to soften the glue.

Or if you want to. Use some goof off on the glue. Then peel it off. You'd have to find a way to adhere it to the next tank though.

Um, I'm pretty sure this wouldn't work. The glue is exposed to the heat from the pad itself and it doesn't come off...

[Ax01]

Try a blow dryer or a heat gun to soften the glue.

Or if you want to. Use some goof off on the glue. Then peel it off. You'd have to find a way to adhere it to the next tank though.

Um, I'm pretty sure this wouldn't work. The glue is exposed to the heat from the pad itself and it doesn't come off...

@Areillea - lol how did u even find a thread like this? are u just looking for someone to prove wrong esp. when the question has been answered? i'm sure there are more recent posts u can disagree with.

Edit: anyways good bamp and u made me laugh butt...