Check out THIS caresheet, Your UTH should be "on" all the time pretty much. You should have a thermostat that controls how hot the pad will get. Ideal range for a UTH on the hot side of the tank should be 92-94 with the cool side around 80-84 (ambient temp). Also, a tub is just a Tupperware container, alot of us use them because they are easier to hold temps, humidity and keep clean especially if you have more than 1 snake.