Thanks for the advice people, but apparently one thinks I should take an average when the other says to use the hot spot (I presume by middle temp you don't mean average, but mean the temp in the middle?) so I still don't know! LOL
I don't "create" the hot spot. It is in every tub in the rack. It is heated with heat tape. You know how the heat tape is hotter in the middle? Not lengthwise but along it's width the middle between the two metal parts are hotter than the sides? Well, the rack has the tape running "along" the tubs. It is a one column rack and the heat tape is 11" just enough for my 11" wide tubs. So the middle of the hot end is the middle of the heat tape's width.
The person who said go with the hot spot, that is even so if it's only literally one spot? I search for the spot and if my hand moves a little bit it disappears. So far I HAVE been going with the hottest spot, just second guessing myself sometimes.