Beardie set up help plz

[Puddlefish]

ok.. So i want to set up my 4ft tank for a beardie.. Im new to the whole good ol world of reptiles and have been browsing as many internet sites as i can.. books etc. .but what one place says is ok, another place might say is not. I use to keep my oscar fish in the tank but sadly after 7yrs he passed away.. ive cleaned the tank out well n have it sittin in the sun to dry out properly.. Is this all i need to do to make sure its free of any nasties? I plan to get my other half to do a bit of DIY work to the lid cos i understand you cant use glass as it blocks out the uv, so was ditching the glass in favor for wire mesh...Anyone have any recommendations on where i can get it from?? Just normal hardware store?? Whats the best thing for a substrate that can still look natural? I hear any types of sands/gravels are no no's because of the risk of ingestion while feeding, but i kinda like the dry desert look.. What do you guys use and recomend?
Any hints/ tips/ pictures of their own set ups etc that anyone can give In a dumbed down,point form of what i need, yes im kinda slow, and learn better from doin it myself, or seeing pictures, diagrams kinda way would be muchly appreciated Im still a good few months away from getting him/her as it will be my Christmas/b'day present to myself, but just want to take my time setting it up to make sure i learn everything possible i can n have everything perfect a few weeks to a month before i do bring my new baby home.

 

[gecko-mad]

this is my mates, hope it helps.

 

[thebraddles]

this is mine

 

[Puddlefish]

Awesome set up
I like it
So u never have had any problems with sand as a substrate and feeding??
Or do u take em out to feed em?

 

[DragonOwner]

Heres my tempary enclosure till Safiras bigger one is ready.

 

[Puddlefish]

ok so ima gonna ask a reallllyyy stupid question here
but why are there 2 heat lamps?? is 1 to provide heat during the day and one for providing heat at night without too much light??
someone needs to explain the whole heating the tank too me in like reallly simple point form treat me like an idiot kinda way hehe

 

[thebraddles]

Awesome set up
I like it
So u never have had any problems with sand as a substrate and feeding??
Or do u take em out to feed em?

nah i have never had a problem with sand at all. with the lighting beardies love to bask so thats what one of the lights are for and the other is for heat. i have 3 heat lamps in mine with a basking light and uv tube as well. my tank is quite large so it needs three lights to get the temp even, as the basking light is kinda like a spot heater. often after they feed they will bask for an hour or 3 depending on how they feel.

 

[Puddlefish]

So a basking light alone wont provide enough heat to keep one side of the tank at the right temp during the day??
Im just tryin to get my head around if i need to have like a ceramic heat emitter/light + a basking light + a red night time bulb to keep it warm enough for him/her
keeping in mind I also live on the gold coast n it doesn't get very cold at all even in the middle of winter.. (like still slept with my window) i think we had maybe like 2weeks of temps at night droppin to maybe 9degees at night outside but the last 2 weeks of winter during the day we have had 30/32 degree days lol

i know they sound like stupid questions
lol

 

[Puddlefish]

on the measuring of my old tank i have discovered it 4ft x 1.2ft by 1.2ft
this will be just that lil bit to small for a adult beardie correct? As i read u should not go any smaller then 4x2x2....