Quote Originally Posted by Davu
Ok so I was using a dimmer switch but just got a thermostat. Here is my question and a lil info on my set-up..
I have a piece of 12x12 tile laying in my tank over the UTH (distribute heat better). I then have aspen as substrate over the tile.
Right now the aspen is reading 82-84f. The tile is reading 94-96.
I do not have a thick layer of aspen and the other day i noticed that he moved the aspen and was laying directly on the tile on part of his body. I think it was his belly while was digesting. So my question is, do I keep the tile temp where it is and not worry about the aspen so much? I mean if he is laying on the aspen wouldnt it compact it and allow for the aspen to heat up more? Or do I try and get the top of hte aspen to 88f, but then if i do that i risk him moving the aspen around and laying directly on the tile and possibly burning himself!!?? Everything was perfect before i swithced to the thermostat and now its all messed up!! Errrrr!!
Is your set-up exactly the same with the t-stat as it was with the dimmer? If so, I don't see how it could be any more difficult to get the temps you had before...I think you've just become more aware of the temperature differences between the "floor" and the surface of the substrate. That difference has always been there, if your set-up is the same as it was before.

Where were you measuring temps before you attached the t-stat? If that setup was working, keeping your snake healthy and "happy"...then just continue to measure your temps there. If the dimmer switch made the surface of the aspen a certain temperature, then the "floor" was hotter, by definition. To get the same aspen to the same temps, the t-stat will still need to heat the "floor" to the same temps the dimmer did.

I'm failing to understand how it's any different.