I’m a newbie, too, but I like my mini Zilla heat and UVB light combo, Exo Terra digital thermometer and the Zilla rheostat/temperature controller. It all works for my young garter’s 10 gallon, and surprisingly allows for an 85-degree hot spot on one end and a 75-degree cool spot on the other. No night light. I leave my lights on about 10-12 hours a day. The tank’s hotspot gets down to about 72-73 degrees by l with no lights on.

The rheostat really gives me peace of mind and is a necessity. I set up my tank in advance and just watched it for hours to make sure everything worked. I was home the full first day my snake arrived and most of the second and third days. The Zilla rheostat worked great.

A larger tank may need stronger/bigger bulbs/fixtures.

Good luck.