Hi I would not feel comfortable making those connections. I am also under the impression that that flexwatt is not UL listed.??? If he seems skittish I was thinking of partitioning the tank or setting up a 20 gallon tank. I wasnt planning on using a overhead ceramic heater unless I had to. If I went with a overhead & only 1 pad which side would the overhead have to be on? or would there have to be two overheads?