Tank setup, and do I need a CHE?

[trickshot]

I'm still working at setting up our tank for our new arrival in a couple of weeks. I scrapped the 55 gallon tank we got because it's only 12 inches wide and found a 40 gallon breeder for sale nearby in great shape. I built a custom stand to get the tank up off of the ground and at eye level for my kids to look in (and so they don't try to open the top of the tank).

I've got the reptile carpet for a substrate, but I can change that out for tile if someone on here thinks it is harmful. I also grabbed a half log and a wide, solid mopani stick for a basking option. I still need to get a little bowl for water (I've found that it draws the crickets to it and makes it easier for the beardie to eat) and some other incidentals for in the tank.

I just ordered a 24" T8 fixture with a 24" ReptiSun 10.0 from Amazon, and I am going to get 2 ceramic dome fixtures for basking and extra lighting. My question is, do I need a CHE? I keep our house at 69 degrees (74 during the summer), but the tank will be near an exterior wall and a window.

This little guy is going to be loved immediately by my son, and I don't want to take any unnecessary chances if I can help it. Thanks!

 

[CooperDragon]

The reptile carpet is OK but it needs to be cleaned frequently and gets shabby so it's good to have a few sets on hand so you can replace with a new one right away while you clean the other.

I've found that offering crickets in small batches of about 5 or so at a time and repeating for 10 minutes or so helps both of you track the crickets so they are all eaten or removed by the end of the meal.

The ReptiSun should be good. I'd mount a T8 inside the tank so it sits about 6-8'' above the highest basking spot for optimal output.

I'd get two adjustable lamp stands. One for your basking light and one for a CHE if you get one. This makes it easier to adjust the temperatures by simply raising or lowering the lights. If you find that the temps inside the tank get below 65 at night I'd get a CHE or a heat projection bulb like this http://www.reptileuv.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=196 If the temps stay above that, you don't need it. I use one seasonally. It just needs to be enough to bump the overnight temps to high 60s or low 70s.

 

[trickshot]

Thanks for the reply.

I know in the past, we've always taken the carpet out right after a BM and cleaned it off and ran it through the washing machine. While waiting for it to dry, I usually just put some newspaper in there. I also noticed it did start to get a bit fuzzy the older it got.

Back when we had Gigantor, I remember giving him small doses of crickets when he was younger. I think I would buy 15-20 small crickets at a time and do half and half. The water trick just helped him be able to catch the one or two that were a bit too quick.

I'm planning on mounting the T8 along the backside with command strips.

Thanks again for the response. You helped me out a lot!