using UTH with tub

[donley]

I am about to set up my first tub and am having a hard time figuring out what to order. I'm planning on using a 32qt tub with newspaper as substrate. As far as the UTH goes, is there any brand that is better than the other? I've been looking at the exo-terra rainforest one and the zoomed one. Then I saw that the ultratherm only gets up to 95 so now I'm really undecided. How much of the tub should the UTH cover? As of now I'm planning on using the 500R thermostat. I know its not the nicest, but I don't have a lot of money on my hands right now.

I also read in another sticky about spreading aluminum foil along the base of a tank and not actually sticking the UTH to it, just setting it underneath it to spread the heat. Does anyone else do this? Would it work for a tub? I'm a little worried that just one UTH wont keep the ambient temps up. Thanks in advance for any advice or tips you can give me!

[blackcrystal22]

I am about to set up my first tub and am having a hard time figuring out what to order. I'm planning on using a 32qt tub with newspaper as substrate. As far as the UTH goes, is there any brand that is better than the other? I've been looking at the exo-terra rainforest one and the zoomed one. Then I saw that the ultratherm only gets up to 95 so now I'm really undecided. How much of the tub should the UTH cover? As of now I'm planning on using the 500R thermostat. I know its not the nicest, but I don't have a lot of money on my hands right now.

I also read in another sticky about spreading aluminum foil along the base of a tank and not actually sticking the UTH to it, just setting it underneath it to spread the heat. Does anyone else do this? Would it work for a tub? I'm a little worried that just one UTH wont keep the ambient temps up. Thanks in advance for any advice or tips you can give me!

There have been a lot of threads about this recently.
There is no best, but I suggest flexwatt.
You order it online and it's cheaper than most UTHs.. however you have got to have a good thermostat with it or at least a rheostat.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Ultraherm UTH and T-Rex are great UTH (and do not stick like Zoo Med does)

Note: They do get higher than 95 when they are not controlled they actually get up to 120 when not regulated.

Flexwatt is also great.

If it is only for one tub I would definitely recommend Ultratherm, and as far as thermostat I would not recommend anything lower than Ranco or Johnson on the low end.

As far a size 1/3 of the enclosure is enough.

[Gloryhound]

I like using the premade ones in my display type enclosures as you can see most are water proof and most display enclosures require them to be put inside the enclosure due to a thick wooden or plastic base. Then I put a thin sheet of plexi-glass over it.

As for a tub I would use flex-watt. You can get the materials and make an 11 X 12 piece of flexwatt for around $10-$15. All you need are some simple hand tools that you probably already have.

I don't know what brand of 32 qt tub you are getting, but I do know you can build a slide in and out box that surrounds the tub on all but one side for about $20.00 maybe $25.00. This really helps maintain tempuratures a lot better and may be something to look into.

Ranco is the minimum I would use as well. I also like to use these as back ups to my herpstats just incase. While I have yet to experience a herpstat malfunction, I sleep better knowing I have a back up in place. For around $100 to $150 I could build a nice little system for housing one ball python and this would include a Raw Ranco that I would wire myself.