I mix a little of the tropical jungle mix bedding from my local petsmart with the eco earth. 60/40 heavy on the eco earth. It compacts nicely. Easy cleanup. Looks oh so beautifully natural; and helps radiate the heat from your uth while making it more difficult for your snake to burrow down to the glass. Are you using a controller for your uth? I use a totally different method than everyone else so one of these kind folks could set you up with a controller i bet.