Belly heat or back heat?

[amg20102006]

What would you use on a rack belly heat or back heat and why?

[kavmon]

belly heat rocks! it is more efficient than back heat and you don't have to turn up the stat as high to get your desired temps. on a rack, belly heat with a proportional stat and your set!


vaughn

[daniel1983]

Belly heat all the way! Heat rises.....it does not go side to side

[snunior]

is belly heat the same as heat tape?

[justcage]

Bellyheat!!!! It is a form of heat.. Putting your flexwatt or whatever element your using under the cage/tub makes belly heat.. Basically any heat the animal can lay on is belly heat...

[daniel1983]

belly heat is heat from the bottom of the enclosure...so ya....heat tape can provide belly heat if placed on the bottom of an enclosure

[Kara]

Belly heat is more effective. Back heat is something you settle for.

And keep in mind that back heat isn't referring to heating the animal's back by comparison...it's basically a short cut, IMO.

K~

[sil-40]

get someone to "shoot" you with a hairdryer from about 5 ft. away. then get someone to "shoot" you with a hairdryer from about 5 ft. away while being OVER it (might be kinda difficult). you'll know your answer then

[TekWarren]

I have a question about this. I am currently heating from the back and it seems to be working fine but there is no real "belly heat". Given what I have available right now in my rack I'm wondering what others thought about this: Rather than running flexwatt under one end of the tubs (2 tubs wide in rack). Is there any reason I shouldn't run that peice of flexwatt along the bottom *inbetween the two tubs? I have just 3" flexwatt and it keeps the tubs warm...but its cranked up there. So I'm thinking if I move it inbetween the tubs along the floor of each shelf it may be more beneficial/efficient?

[justcage]

If you can move it than I woudl say go for it.. Belly heat will be more efficent for sure