You are going about it the right way OP. Tuning the set up before you have the animal is something I consider very responsible especially for new styles of set-ups or new owners. You probably can make the glass work without too much headache.
I've found eco-earth helpful with humidity issues(i mix it with repti-bark but that is mostly for aesthetics) and, I cut lexan to close off part of the top to reduce airflow and in winter months run a small humidifier.