5 or 10 gallon uth?
- Thread starter TomOC
- Start date
Allee Toler
Member
Lets see. a 5 gal UTH is made for a 5gal tank. A 10-20gal is made for a 10-20gal tank.
So I'd suggest a 10gal UTH for a 10gal tank. ;]
So I'd suggest a 10gal UTH for a 10gal tank. ;]
Allee Toler
Member
No. That's why it's for a 5gal. They write the gallon size on each size for a reason.
I don't think they labeled the 5gal heat mat a 5gal if they intended for it to go on a 20gal.
I seriously don't get what you're so confused about. What size tank do you have (a 10 gal) then get the appropriate heat mat (a 10 gal). It's really not that hard...
I don't think they labeled the 5gal heat mat a 5gal if they intended for it to go on a 20gal.
I seriously don't get what you're so confused about. What size tank do you have (a 10 gal) then get the appropriate heat mat (a 10 gal). It's really not that hard...
I have been fine with the 1-5 gallon UTH for a single gecko in a 10 gallon tank. I actually sell my set-ups that way because I have found that the mini UTH on a 10 gallon with ceramic tile floor will heat the floor to about 92 without a thermostat. The "footprint" for 1 gecko in a tank is well within the range of a mini UTH if the dry hide is placed over the heat. Either size is do-able and my point is that the smaller size is possible as well as the larger size.
Aliza
Aliza
Thank u for clarifying Aliza and not talking to me like I can't read or I'm
a five year old. I find it very rude allee that you reply like I'm a child when in reality I was right and you can use a 5 gallon uth. The point i was trying to make was that some reptiles might need the whole tank heated, and since a leopard gecko only needs half maybe you only need a heater on half the tank. It's not like I can't read the size on the box so I would appreciate if you would take time and possibly think about the question, not just asume I am completely dumb and know nothing. Thanks again Aliza
a five year old. I find it very rude allee that you reply like I'm a child when in reality I was right and you can use a 5 gallon uth. The point i was trying to make was that some reptiles might need the whole tank heated, and since a leopard gecko only needs half maybe you only need a heater on half the tank. It's not like I can't read the size on the box so I would appreciate if you would take time and possibly think about the question, not just asume I am completely dumb and know nothing. Thanks again Aliza
jking
New member
A 10-20 gallon UTH will only heat half of the tank on a 10-20 gallon tank. They are not made to heat the whole tank. You can pretty much go up or down a size of UTH in comparison with the tank size if you are using a thermostat. I have a 20 gallon long and I am using a 30-40 gallon UTH with a thermostat. Floor tems on the hot side are kept at around 90 to 93 and the cool side stays at about 80 - 82 and my little gecko loves it. I dont think that Allee was being rude she just did not know what the confusion was about. And there did seem to be some confusion on your end because UTH's are made to only heat half of the tank on the rated gallons of the heater; not the whole tank.
mbetournay
New member
If you buy a 10 gal UTH it's made specifically to fit only one side of a 10 gal tank. If you buy a larger one you can always cut it to fit.
While I would cut heat tape (in the correct places) to make it fit, I'd hesitate about cutting a pre-packaged UTH like zoo-med.
Another solution to the whold UTH issue is to use something like Zoomed Heat Cable which you can tape to the bottom of the tank in any configuration you want. I often use this so I can put the cable on one side of a tank to house adults and then during breeding season I can run the cable along the entire back bottom length of a tank and divide the tank into 3 sections to house hatchlings.
Aliza
Allee Toler
Member
Thank you. I wasn't trying to be rude and I apologize if that's how I came across. I didn't understand how you didn't think a labeled mat for a 10gal wasn't good for a 10gal? When it's clearly written on the box that it's made for a 10gal... They were made that way for a reason. And there's directions on how to use them and where to place them on the bottom of the tank. So it's pretty self explanatory. So I didn't know what there wasn't to get.
"It's not like I can't read the size on the box so I would appreciate if you would take time and possibly think about the question, not just asume I am completely dumb and know nothing."
Well, you didn't know the 10gal UTH is made to cover only HALF of the 10gal. ;] That's what I didn't understand. a 10gal UTH covers 5gals. a 5gal UTH covers 2.5gals. You never mentioned that you thought the UTH covered the whole bottom of the tank.
Last edited:
Allee Toler
Member
Spend the couple extra dollars on a digital thermometer also, and look in the fish department for a good thermostat. At least that's where I got mine. It was a good $10 cheaper than the reptile ones. Lol.
I already have a digital thermometer for him ( as far as I know it's a him, but he's too young to check 
) right now he has a heat light for his cage since it hot and muggy in the summer. The probe says his temp is average 89-91 so that's fine for now I believe. I'm getting the uth for insurance and for winter. And the person I'm getting it from is selling me a thermostat as well man do I love finding deals on craigslist I believe it's the repti therm brand thermostat.
) right now he has a heat light for his cage since it hot and muggy in the summer. The probe says his temp is average 89-91 so that's fine for now I believe. I'm getting the uth for insurance and for winter. And the person I'm getting it from is selling me a thermostat as well man do I love finding deals on craigslist I believe it's the repti therm brand thermostat.
Allee Toler
Member
I don't care too much for the zilla brand thermostat. Lol. So don't ever get that one. It's a dial, and doesn't have an actual degree to set it to. just Off Low Medium High. It's irritating. And the dial moves easily, so if you bump it (or another pet does) it can be really unpredictable.
I buy most of my things on CL. I moved out on my own from Florida to California, so I had to leave all my stuff behind. I bought all my furniture for around $300 total. TV, bunk beds, two dressers, night stands, armoire, etc. I've never moved in my whole life until Feb this year. I moved so many times since. Lol. I'm in the process of moving, yet again. Hopefully, this time for good! But it's hard when you're 18, fiance's 20, and fiance's best friend who lives with us (he has the top bunk lol) is 23. We're all crammed into a 1 bedroom apartment. Haha. I love being young!!! It's fun being on your own. =D Our dining room is our reptile area. wow.. rambling, anyways.
CL=Great. Except for the animals on there. I cringe when I see people rehoming their kittens for $60, not including shots, microchip, of neuter. I'll go to the humane society and pick out a kitten for $30 and get all of the above done. Lol.
I buy most of my things on CL. I moved out on my own from Florida to California, so I had to leave all my stuff behind. I bought all my furniture for around $300 total. TV, bunk beds, two dressers, night stands, armoire, etc. I've never moved in my whole life until Feb this year. I moved so many times since. Lol. I'm in the process of moving, yet again. Hopefully, this time for good! But it's hard when you're 18, fiance's 20, and fiance's best friend who lives with us (he has the top bunk lol) is 23. We're all crammed into a 1 bedroom apartment. Haha. I love being young!!! It's fun being on your own. =D Our dining room is our reptile area. wow.. rambling, anyways.
CL=Great. Except for the animals on there. I cringe when I see people rehoming their kittens for $60, not including shots, microchip, of neuter. I'll go to the humane society and pick out a kitten for $30 and get all of the above done. Lol.