If you use a human heat pad(and if I were you, I would...the reptile ones are crap if you ask me :( ) there is no glue involved. Just place it under the tank, raise the tank up a quarter of an inch or so(just enough for air to pass between the tank and the heat pad), and put it on a temp setting. Usually starting with low, then measuring temps and seeing what works. Tweak a bit, and you're good to go. :) I wouldn't use a reptile one that sticks to the bottom of a tank, because they usually get reaaaally hot and with them being right on the plastic bottom of a sterilite, it might melt the plastic.