Reptile Habitat Controller (Arduino/ESP8266/SmartThings)

I've upgraded our Dragon's controller to use SmartThings now. It is pretty slick and if you have a little bit of techie in you and a Samsung SmartThings setup in your home....you can make this too!
https://youtu.be/pj-LaVXPBMg

Very cool. I like the mobile readouts and remote control. Can you set the basking light to ramp up and down to simulate sunrise & sunset? That's a feature I really like with my Herpstat.

I'm about to do something very similar. Using arduino uno, LCD button shield, and sensors, relays. I want to be able to automatically control heat and lights. Don't need any of the smart side of things.

Going with ds18b20 temp sensors and dht11 temp and humidity sensors. Want control over both basking and cool side of tank.
Any places you could point me to get me semi close for coding would be great. I do have some experience with arduino , and have both uno and mega 256. Thinking that with what I'm trying to do, the mega would be the way to go. More i/o pins, especially with wanting to use the button LCD shield to create a menu system to adjust and make changes to the system. As well as current temp of both got and cold side readings in real time.I

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This is an awesome thread, thank you for sharing. I am a full custom DIY type person. I can draft designs, make all custom parts and build, I am unfortunately a bit behing the times when it comes to coding or anything like that. Would there be someone willing to point me in the right direction or perhaps a bit of class work learning in emails to push me along. I would like to tech out my beardies vivs. Thanks in advance.