well to kinda answer both of you the brand i have is acurit. its an electronic one. there was a probe i stuck on the warm side then the cord under its matting then the actual device is on my cold side. it measures my cold side warm side and humidity . . . . .
I got a ball in a 70 gal. last Saturday so I have had to deal with the same problems you will come across.
So the 1st thing I would recommend is that you insulate the sides of you tank with cardboard and use aluminum tape (or duct tape but it will fall off so you will keep fixing it). I chose to cover 3/4 of the whole tank so that I was still able to see in enough to keep and eye on him.
2nd thing I would suggest is covering the top of the tank with aluminum foil and the aluminum tape or duct tape. You will loose less heat and hold the humidity much easier.
Now your going to have to spend a buck or 2 because there is really no way around it. You need a UTH which is a good bang for you buck. I am new to this so which UTH is the best I have no idea I just got one from PetsMart that cost me around $25. Along with that you will need to regulate how hot the UTH gets. So HomeDepot has lamp dimmers which are $10 or so that do just fine.
You can find tutorials for that stuff in the DIY secton of the forum and some other places if you look. So just read read read and look around a bit and you wont have to spend that much to have a good spot for your ball.
see i have a UTH. but my tank is on my dresser so the instructions said to put it on the side. so i have one thats on the right side of my tank down low. . . . .
see i have a UTH. but my tank is on my dresser so the instructions said to put it on the side. so i have one thats on the right side of my tank down low. . . . .
That's part of the problem - heat travels up, not sideways (at least not more than an inch or two).
Heating a 55 gallon tank is going to cost you a nice bit of change. You say you have to use it, but there are more affordable alternatives, like tubs that aren't so difficult to try to heat.
I also agree that there is no such thing as a safe heat rock. I've seen far too many burned bellies from heat rocks. Cut the cord off and use it as decoration, but don't use it as a heat source.
Originally Posted by wolverineandrew
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