UTH's

[Thulsa]

Can the above item be used on a regular 20 gallon aquarium? The product description says no. And also, What would be the best wattage be if I can use it. Thulsa has her own room where the temp range is between 78(evening) and 86(daytime).

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

Then you have the wrong size product.

 

[ceduke]

Find a UTH the appropriate size for a 20 gallon, they do exist. Don't forget to get a thermostat to regulate the temps also.

 

[bitsy]

Your UTH needs to cover one-third the floor area of the tank. The capacity of the tank and the wattage of the mat aren't issues - the floorspace is what you need to measure against the size of the UTH.

There's no link on your original post so not sure which UTH you're talking about. I've never heard of one that says it can't be used with a specific capacity of tank, as that's not how they're measured. However, if you're looking to use a glass tank and the instructions say to not use the UTH with a glass tank, then avoid it. There are plenty of UTHs out there which can be used safely with glass tanks.

 

[Sweetseraph]

Chances are that it's fine to use in the manner we use them in, which is with a lamp dimmer or thermostat to keep it below 85F. You won't find any that say you can use it with a plastic bin on a wooden/melamine shelf either.

 

[Thulsa]

This is the one I was thinking about. You will notice in the info section it says to not use with aquariums.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752652&ab=hp_ln_reptile

 

[Nanci]

I think they must mean they don't work underwater, in aquariums. I have a bunch of those. You have to have a thermostat or rheostat (as with nearly all UTHs) because it will get up over 120F.

 

[Marica]

Nanci's correct. They say not to use on aquariums as they are not meant as a heating device for a fish tank. I have the ZooMed UTHs on all my terrariums. You will need a device to regulate the heat output as they do get way too hot for corns. I would not recommend the ZooMed Rheostat as I've found that even at the lowest setting it did not lower the temperature of the UTH enough. Either pick up a lamp dimmer (which is essentially a rheostat) at a hardware or department store, or a thermostat of which I would recommend the one from ZooMed. There are other thermostats such as the Herpstat that are more expensive, but they do have more features.

 

[Thulsa]

I decided to go with a red light over the tank for in the evenings. During the day the room stays warm enough as it is a spare room and I can regulate the temperature with the vent. Living in Florida its stays warm enough during the day.

 

[bkelm18]

Well.... the purpose of the UTH is to provide belly heat which the snake needs for digestion. He's not gonna get that from a lamp. It also allows the snake to thermo-regulate by choosing the warm or cool area of the tank.