UTH Position Help

[cyber]

I am having some issue with keeping my heat up in the tank. I brought a small “hermit crab” UTH heater but it’s not working with my 10 gallon tank. So I ordered Zoo med under the tank heater medium, a better thermometer and thermostat. They have not arrived yet and was wondering how to set it up once it’s here. My old heater I place on the side of my 10 gallon tank but it was not able to warm the tank up due to being small and UTH. I think I want to place this one under my tank but what can I use the keep the crabs from borrowing down on top the heater. Some larger rocks then put the bedding down over top of it?

3 hermit crab, 10 gallon aquarium tank

Thanks for the help guys.

[aussieJJDude]

I'm a firm believer on keeping the UTH on the side of the tank, as I feel it's more important to heat the air than to heat the sub. However, there's many that choose to heat their substrate and place it underneath.

I personally have tried both ways, and when I placed the UTH underneath I had a range of problems from bacterial blooms to melted hermies. True the crabs often enjoyed digging near the UTH to chill before coming back up again, but for me the disadvantages won out.

[cyber]

Thanks for the reply. I had done a lot of research this past week for all the different options. My heater came yesterday but I changed everything out last night. I mounted the Zoo med medium under my tank. It takes up about 1/2 my tank which is prefect. I than used different size flat smooth stones to cover the heater on the inside bottom of the tank. This is so the crabs can not rest right on the UTH. Filled with coco fiber that was soaked in a mix of salt water and fresh (to hopefully avoid bugs and mold) enough so they can bury themselves anywhere in the cage. Filled the tank with the normal stuff - homemade salt, fresh pools, homemade hidey hole, food dishes, and hanging moss pit to help with humidity. Hooked my UTH to my thermostat (Jump start from amazon) and set the max temp at 75 degrees for now. I will raise the temp over this week to allow the crabs to adjust. Watched everything closely last night and overall very pleased. Thermostat kicks the UTH on if the temp falls below 74 degrees and off if above 75 degrees. The hermit crabs are really enjoying the new set up also. They used to just be by my small side heater but last night were all over the cage. Checked on them this morning before work and they were still out and not buried themselves. I am super pleased I don't have to stress about this anymore and can just enjoy my little guys.

[ladybug15057]

I use the vase gems over our UTH's and have for years. It also lets the heat through to the substrate:

https://www.starfiredirect.com/royal-bl ... HwodEJsKaw

They are also sold as aquarium stone, but a LOT more expensive. I got ours at WalMart YEARS ago. (almost 16 years now) The UTH's are under the tank cover 1/2 of the flooring.
Almost 1 1/2 - 2 inches of the gems.

[cyber]

Very good idea. I will keep that in mind. They have them cheap at the dollar tree or Wal-Mart. Rocks are working well for now with heat going up through. They also seem to hold the heat for a period of time before the UTH needs to kick back on.

[ladybug15057]

They do help generate heat, as well as when it is time to clean the tank they will clean up well too. If you use 'rocks' be careful with heat (as in boiling or baking for deep cleans). Some will explode.

[cyber]

I say rock but is was the decorative round stone that you find in the same area as those also. Thanks a bunch for the tip, I will really watch when I do my first deep clean.