Under Tank Heat Pads - UTH

[DonLisk]

I would like to begin a series of equipment threads that I hope everyone can contribute to.
For those reading this thread at a later date, I hope some of the gathered information is useful in your decision to select and properly place a UTH in your amphibians home.
This thread is in place to discuss the pro and cons of under tank heat pads.

Use of an Under Tank Heat Pad (UTH) is a common and useful addition for providing ambient heat and sometimes even humidity to an enclosure. Placement of the UTH is critical and will depend on many things including type of tank/enclosure, type of drainage, and even the type of frogs.

UTH pads are available in many sizes and from many manufacturers. They can be controlled with timers to set times when it will be on and off, and also be used with a dimmer to lower the amount of heat produced.
UTH pads were designed for use on the outside of the enclosure and not inside a wet humid environment.

Pros and Cons to placement:
A. Bottom Placement:
PRO - will add heat to a substrate and help burn off water in the drainage layer.
PRO - can add some humidity when burning off drainage water.
CON - can make the substrate too hot for a frog that burries itself.
CON - can cause a bottom to crack or fracture due to no airflow and over heating.

B. Side Placement:
PRO - will add heat to the ambient air temperature of a tank and create a cool side and a heated side to an enclosure.
CON - will not add to humidity levels but may slowly reduce the humidity with the dry heat created through the tanks side.
CON - depending on the pad's size, can create an area that is to hot at the glass surface and possible injury to the inhabitant that may decide to settle directly at the pads location.

Please feel free to add to or comment on the above information so we may create a localized place to research and decide on how one may utilize an Under Tank Heat Pad.

Thanks for your input.
Don