I'll add my .2 in here too ^_^

I personally went the outdoor carpet route, and found it to be rather...yuck. I had to wash it twice cause of the smell in it and Elysia kept going under it which I didn't like because it had that black tarry stuff under it and was crumbling off from being washed. So I just had her on newspaper until I got Eco-Earth. I would honestly suggest using Newspaper for your BP. Thats all I plan to use ^_^ Its extremely easy to clean and if you get the paper everyday, you never run out. I personally used 4 double sheets of newspaper, not those single sheets from in the middle of the sections ^_^

I also find that dog dishes tend to be rather deep and flimsy. I myself bought a 4$ repti-rock water dish and its perfect for me. They have all sorts of sizes too.

Make sure to get some snaps for your screen top! If you don't have somethign to secure it to the tank, your BP will get out for sure. My tank actually has a slide-in screen and a little clip to lock it in so theres no way my snake is getting out.

I also suggest getting 2 digi themometers. One with the hygrometer and a seperate one that is just a thermometer. The reason being you are gonna need 1 for the hotside and one for the coldside. I stick the probes to the surface right under where I put my hides. I leave the ambient temps in the tank up to the thermometer/hygrometer I have hanging on the wall ^_^ I might also suggest a 25$ temp gun to spot check the temps inside the hides, but I don't think its needed myself.

As for cleaning supplies that Tiger suggested, definately a must. You need to clean and disinfect everything, including the tank itself, before it goes in there. I suggest using either Virosan, or if you can't get some of that, the way cheaper, and I think better solution, Vinegar+Peroxide. Get 2 spray bottles, fill 1 with white vinegar, and the other with hydrogen peroxide, the 3% kind. Spray one all over the object, then spray the other right after, then wipe it off. I usually also rinse it off too to get rid of the vinegar smell.

Wow this is getting pretty long, sorry if some of this you already know, just got off on a rant I guess o_O

One last point. Make sure the heating pad you get has no auto-shutoff. I suggest Dunlop's 10$ heat-pad. There is one that says on the box "auto shut-off*. You DO NOT want this one ^_^ Get one that doesnt mention auto-shut off at all ^_^ Also get a Thermostat or Rheostat to control the temps of your heatpad!

Ok me shutup now ^_^

EDIT: Wow that was way more then .2 ^_^ More like.... Three Fiddy...