Do you take temps on top of the substrate or the bottom?

[EverEvolvingExotics]

In the past i have always taken temps on top of the substrate thinking it is the best way to go. But the more i think about maybe i should be somewhere in the middle in case they dig down. I have it around 87-89 degrees on top of my aspen and 93-95 or so taking the temp directly on the bottom of the tub. Either way if you have somewhere around there you're BP is going to be in good shape just wondering what most of you do. 92 on top or bottom?....

[reptidude1]

Allways go to the bottom because if it is 93-94 on the top it could be way hotter on the bottom, and if they snake burrows down to get the most heat it will seriously harm it.

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I understand it being WAY TOO HOT on the bottom. But what if you are reading temps at the bare bottom of the tub at a perfect 92 and on top of the aspen you are only getting 85-87? Just wondering how much it matters to each individual person "the hot spot" being 92 (where do consider your "hot spot")?

[Oxylepy]

I take temps on the tubs and on the tape.

[reptidude1]

well if you are reading a 92 at the bottom of the sub straight then that is perfectly fine, as long as the hottest part of the tub doesnt get over 94, but with the heat wave in my area i lowered the hot spot on my bps tank to like 87-89 i usually like to keep the hottest spot around 92

[Animals As Leaders]

Cool tip Dr Del gave me that is gold:

Hot glue thermometer probe to bottom of the hot-spot! Then you can monitor "true" belly heat temps. I didn't believe him at first and thought my method was fine, but this is truely the best method IMO. Monitoring the top doesn't really ensure a proper reading.

[Oxylepy]

Cool tip Dr Del gave me that is gold:

Hot glue thermometer probe to bottom of the hot-spot! Then you can monitor "true" belly heat temps. I didn't believe him at first and thought my method was fine, but this is truely the best method IMO. Monitoring the top doesn't really ensure a proper reading.

Thats a Thermometer, BTW, not the Thermostat. Some people like the latter in a dummy tub, others with a snake in said tub, and myself: Right on the tape, set to a couple degrees over what you want. The issue with heat tape, though, is that sections hit different temps. I ran my temp gun over it and I had spots sit at 110 and others at 80. It was odd, but in the tub the temps were fine and the thermostat kept it's section at 94.8 (set to 95).