Advise for how to heat my tank

[specialk01510]

I am going to be going with a 20 gal long tank set up. I am trying to figure out how I should heat my tank. The room I am having the BP in can get cold in the winter. There will be a space heater in the room to help this problem (this heater is for me, not the snake). What I am wondering is how I should regulate temps in the tank. The options I am concidering are:

-A medium Zoo Med UTH and a ceramic heat bulb in a heat lamp housing.

-A medium Zoo Med UTH for the warm side and a small Zoo Med UTH for the cool side. This is the option I feel will work the best. I think it will keep the ambient air warm enough (especially since the top will be covered with plexiglass) and will regulate belly temps much better.

Which option would you all say is the best? Will it be ok with a small and medium UTH? I am suggesting a small because the tank I am looking at already has a small zoomed UTH, meaning I only have to buy one.

Also, I am not sure how the small UTH is attached to the tank. If it is stuck to the glass will I have issues? Can I remove it so I can put it on in a better fashion?

Thanks in advance for replies

[Kaorte]

It really will just come down to the weather in your area. If you live in a dry climate, then any sort of lamp will have you fighting to keep the humidity up. The space heater will help heat the whole room.

I would start with one UTH and then if you still are having trouble with the cool side, get a second UTH.

It is rather difficult to remove a stuck UTH but there is a sticky on this site about how to remove one. Try the search function.

Just remember, whichever heating method you go with must be controlled with a thermostat to prevent cooking your snake.

[specialk01510]

Ok, I live in Michigan, so we are humid as hell in summer, but then there is winter... snow, snow, and more snow (especially in Kalamazoo where I will be). I will have everything regulated on a thermostat with a thermometer for monitoring and a temp gun for spot checking. The smaller of the UTH's already comes with the tank. The second UTH (the one I have to buy regardless because the small is too small) would be regulating my warm side.

The reason I ask is because the person I am buying the tank from has two 20 gal long tanks. One has the UTH already stuck to it and one doesnt. The one with the UTH is in a little better shape, but isnt worth paying an additional $20 for the condition alone. However, if I utilize both UTH's then the additional $20 is really only like $5 more for the tank as the UTH would cost atleast $15.

[Kaorte]

I live in a similair climate and I had no problem with using one UTH. I would say get the tank with the UTH already on it. If you only need the one then great, you have an extra UTH for the next snake you get

[specialk01510]

I live in a similair climate and I had no problem with using one UTH. I would say get the tank with the UTH already on it. If you only need the one then great, you have an extra UTH for the next snake you get

Hmm... thats a very good idea. Even if I use it, I can use foil tape so I can still remove it (unless I am misunderstanding how it will work with foil tape) and use it on a second BP. I cant say I have plans to breed at some point as I have never owned 1 BP, but the thought is very much in my mind and also the reason I am getting a pastel instead of a normal.

[specialk01510]

bump...

[gmcclurelssu]

I would say go with the dual uth setup over the uth/che.

[mrshawt]

Yeah, CHE's suck...humidity that is.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Remember, if you use 2 UTHs, you need two thermostats, or a dual thermostat.

[mrshawt]

Remember, if you use 2 UTHs, you need two thermostats, or a dual thermostat.

Not exactly true.

What I used for my old 20L tank, since I had to use two UTHs was:
I got a Repti temp 500r and two Lutron 300W dimmers. Plug UTHs into dimmers, set temps to 95 and 85 for warm and cool side, respectively. Plug dimmers into thermostat and set dial to appropriate level. This way, both a warm temp of 93ish and cool of 83ish are maintained.