OK, so my girlfriend and I are looking to get a ball python. We have a 48G glass tank (48" x 12" footprint) w/ a screen cover, Carefresh bedding, a water dish and a couple of caves. I want to get the heating set up and make sure the temps and humidity are correct before we even start shopping for our new pet. Therein lies the confusion. I have been doing as much research as I can but there seems to be many differing opinions on the proper way to heat the tank.

Some say to use just an UTH. Some say just a heat lamp. Yet others say to use both. Among the latter camp, some say to place both sources of heat at one end of the tank. Others say to have the UTH at one end and the heat lamp at the other. You can probably see where I am getting confused.

What would you suggest for heating this tank? What type of heat source and what wattage? Where would you place it? Is there anything else that I may be forgetting? Sorry for the noob questions and thanks in advance for your help.