Insulation

[Vanellope]

How, exactly, do you insulate your tank? I read that you can use tinfoil and cardboard over the UTH but that doesn't seem to make a difference. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, or I misunderstood or something, but now I can't get my heat up past the mid -70s, and it drops to low 70s at night. My guys used to be very active, a few of them even during the day. But now they just sit curled up right next to the heater all the time. The Home Depot near me only sells reflectix in the form of a gigantic roll of the stuff (and although inexpensive, what am I supposed to do with the 95% of it I won't use?) so if something else works I'd prefer the simpler option. (29 gal, 10-11" sub, Ultratherm is 6"x23").

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[PinchersAndShells]

I wrapped a layer of cardboard in aluminum foil (both sides of the cardboard have aluminum foil on it) and used that. You could also use multiple layers of this. Reflection is also an option, but more costly. I will however ask, which kind of Ultratherm do you have? The striped one or the plain one? sometimes it seems people accidentally put it on backwards, and then when they fix that their temperature goes up by a lot.

[daws409]

Sounds like you have it insulted correctly. Is the shiny side of tin foil facing the tank? Is your ultratherm turned the correct way?? On my three tanks the copper strip is facing outside of tank and the cord is flat against the tank. Make sense?

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[mjjluver]

i have a giant roll of reflectix I'm not using, as you describe. i can mail you some if you want to pay for shipping it could probably fit, folded, in a large envelope, though i'd really have to measure it out to be sure

[GotButterflies]

I agree with everything stated above. Reflectix is great! That is what I use for my tanks. If you have a zoomed uth do not insulate over the top of it! What kind of lid do you have? Is your uth on back of tank, or side?

[Sylah]

I'm having the same problem! @mjjluver could I purchase some from you? This way I'm not getting a big roll either...


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[mjjluver]

yes please PM with what size you want. i went about an inch wider than the heat pad on all sides.

[Vanellope]

I have this one from reptilebasics. It's on the back of the tank. The flat side of the cord is against the glass so the copper strip is facing out. I taped the foil to the glass and then the cardboard around it. I didn't do another layer of foil on the outside of the cardboard. Could that be it? And would it matter which way the shiny or dull side faces? I have a mesh lid covered with press-n-seal and a towel on top of that.

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[daws409]

That's exactly how I have mine and it works well. The only difference is that I have a glass top. I wonder if that could be your problem.... Is your whole top covered with press n seal with no gaps?

Edit: or ambient room temp?? My house is 72 winter and 76 summer. And the tank itself is against an interior wall.

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[Vanellope]

That's exactly how I have mine and it works well. The only difference is that I have a glass top. I wonder if that could be your problem.... Is your whole top covered with press n seal with no gaps?

Edit: or ambient room temp?? My house is 72 winter and 76 summer. And the tank itself is against an interior wall.

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Whole top, no gaps at all. The towel helps to hold in the heat quite a bit. It's on a glass sofa table by the windows, so it does get warmer during the day, but not a lot. No direct sunlight comes in there. It's just warmer by the windows because this is Texas and it's 100° in September. I keep my thermostat at 68° during the day, and 63° at night. The room they are in, though, is 3-5 degrees warmer than where the thermostat is located.

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