heat pad reliability

[Hoosier]

I'm definitely going to Home Depot to get some of that before the winter season. Thanks very much for the useful info!

 

[Zach33]

I have a Four Paws Nature's Heat pad and I'm really disappointed in it. Its a 9volt pad, and it doesn't heat my tank whatsoever. It has no adjustable setting so thats not the problem, and it is currently stuck on the side of my tank. When pressing it directly on the glass next to my therometer, I was able to obtain only a 4 degree increase above my normal room temp(normal temp around 80-82). With it placed 12 inches away from the therometer I am unable to obtain any temperature increase. I wish I could take this thing back. Its warm to the touch, but not much warmer than bath water... :?

So right now I've switched to a desk lamp, which seems to do a good job!

 

[mostasteless]

That brings up another thing, has anyone ever had "stress cracks" on a glass tank?.

I had one of my 10g tanks cracked but I think it was just a fluke.

 

[carpe scorpio]

I had one of my 10g tanks cracked but I think it was just a fluke.

Aha!, what size and brand was it?, I am curious because I am planning on mounting a zoomed reptitherm 8watt heater on each end of a 10g. Was this crack on the back or side glass?. how close to the lower tank-frame was it located?.

 

[fusion121]

Aha!, what size and brand was it?, I am curious because I am planning on mounting a zoomed reptitherm 8watt heater on each end of a 10g. Was this crack on the back or side glass?. how close to the lower tank-frame was it located?.

Almost certainly a fluke I've never heard of heat mats causing stress cracking furthermore theres no reason they should, materials only crack like this when they are exposed to sudden and generally extreme temperature changes, heat mat produce a relatively small temeprature change over a long period of time they are not going to cause a problem (large thermal gradient dT/dt to be technical), especially considering most glass tanks are joined with silicone polymer which is going to moderate the stress from even the tiniest thermal expansion. Of course as with all things in life there is always an exception .

 

[carpe scorpio]

Could be a fluke, but I still want to know if it's happened to anyone else. I am going to be putting the 20g-30g size pads on the ends of a 10g for extra heat and this smaller tank has much thinner glass than a 20g. The fact that it will be(unfortunately)next to an exterior wall may create some extreme temperature differentials. Hopefully this will only result in condensation on the unheated portion of the tank.