HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I'm planning on buying a glass canopy for my 40g breeder to keep the humidity in, but my main concern about this is how I'm going to heat the tank now. I usually rely on 1 or 2 heat lamps sitting directly on the mesh lid during the winter, but I figure I can't really do that with a glass lid without possibly damaging it. Also, I have problems with the heat lamps drying out the substrate and sucking up all the humidity. I would like possibly have a light strip on the camopy to light the tank during the day, so is there a more effective way to heat my tat?

Look into an under tank heater (UTH.) Many of us use that instead of heat bulbs. Despite the name, it needs mounted on the back of your tank above the substrate line. They won't kill your humidity like heat bulbs do. If you go that route you'll want the biggest one that'll cover the back of your tank without going too far below the sub line. A good brand is Ultratherm: http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads They're cheaper than a lot of pet store ones, more reliable, and can be safely insulated to boost temps a bit more if necessary.

I have a hinged glass lid and have had no problems using a fluorescent strip light atop it (for lighting purposes, not heat). For heat, as @megmaholm says, a UTH is your best bet: once you install it on the back of the tank, it does its job of providing heat without drying and you don't have to fiddle with it. And yes, Reptile Basics is the best source for the ultimate UTH, the Ultratherm -- good prices and very good shipping charges!

That's what I figured I was going to have to do. I was concerned because I read that a UTH doesn't actually heat up the tank very much by itself, even when it's stuck on the side and not under the substrate. I may just have to invest in more than one. Thank you guys!

Megmaholm and Crabinski pretty much covered it. Ultratherms are really the way to go!

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goodcreb wrote:That's what I figured I was going to have to do. I was concerned because I read that a UTH doesn't actually heat up the tank very much by itself, even when it's stuck on the side and not under the substrate. I may just have to invest in more than one. Thank you guys!

If you get one that is able to be insulated, you will see it makes a huge difference.

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You can always use the lights so long as they are mounted with several inches between the tank and the glass. You want around 6-8 inches of distance so that the glass doesn't get too hot, and even then - turn the lights off for around 10-15 minutes and use warm water when replacing water bowls and spraying the tank just in case. I've got examples of some of my old set ups in the lighting guide here: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92543

UTHs are easier, hands down. But if you need to stick to what you have, it just takes few precautions and it can be done! I still rely on heat lamps for most of my heating since they're cheaper in the short term. (I keep managing to find heat bulbs on super sale for a couple of bucks at least once a year, so I stock up and never have found a need to upgrade.)