I would think you could make it work in a pinch. I actually started out with all glass aquariums. It was a lot of work and not the best setup but it got me started before I could afford a rack system. Probably the best would be to silicone a wood divider in the middle. You may be able to attach something on top of a screen top so they can't get to the other side. Or you could make the divider a little shorter and leave enough room for a small flat board on top to make a 'T', that way they can't get around it. I would say you would want two heat mats, one for each side or maybe one larger one under the divider that can cover both sides.
If you already have the tank it may be a cheap option, not sure I'd pay money to invest in it though. If you don't need a display tank you could go with two levels of an ARS-7010 for about $200 plus shipping and they come with heat strips built in, all you would need is a thermostat.
http://arscaging.com/ars7010_hybrid.html