14 yo newbie here with a shopping list and some questions :))

[tttaylorrr]

whats the best way of going about keeping the right ambient air temp in a tub?
where should i put the thermometer/hygrometer? the cool side? the hot side? should i have 2?

place the thermometer/hygrometer in the middle of the tank or more towards the cool side, then use a thermometer with a probe to place on the floor above the hot side to monitor the actual floor temp instead of just reading the thermostat output. as for the ambient temp it all depends on your environment, and hopefully someone else can provide a better answer because i do not have one here.

if i'm using flexwatt heat tape how do i mount that onto the tub? i mean is it safe to put it directly on the bottom of the plastic? and where should i put the thermostat probe?

you use aluminum tape to adhere the heat tape to the bottom. it is safe, those types of tubs aren't regular cheapo plastics. the thermostat probe gets sandwiched between the heat tape and the bottom of the tub.

[chickenooget]

then use a thermometer with a probe to place on the floor above the hot side to monitor the actual floor temp instead of just reading the thermostat output.

how do i keep the accurite and probe in place?

[Zincubus]

how do i keep the accurite and probe in place?

I secure all the probes with a hot glue-gun .... very durable but CAN be torn off gently if required ..