new to everything need help!

[frankadank]

hello everyone.
names frank and i'm over here in ohio and having trouble trying to get into the hobby. to start out i've always loved snakes, sharks being my favorite animal than snakes. always wanted one and finally allowed to get one after 10 years! so i've been needing help getting started and don't know many people in the hobby so i wanted to join a forum and get some expert advice. so hello to everyone and thanks for taking time to possibly help me. i've decided first snake would be a ball python to get started (:. i've been doing many many many weeks of reading and watching videos and got some good knowledge but it's all different when you try it out. within the past 2 weeks i got all the equipment and everything to try and have a happy snake. unfortunately my rooms in the basement and it gets quite cold.. 62-64 in winter. now i purchased a 20G tank, got warm and cold hides and even a middle log hide. since it's cold and i had trouble with the small UTH so i got a bigger one made for 30-40G but still is small. didn't do too much.. so i had to purchase a ceramic heater as well and it did some help to the warm side but my cold side was too cold like 68 so i also got a 75 watt red night light and in my opinion the temperatures are finally just about right. my UTH & ceramic heater are on a thermostat set around 98 so the bottom warms up thru the glass. i have a temperature gun so i am watching it. few questions. too much heating sources? scares me but it gets the right temps. thermostat probe placement is bothering me.. i have it under the tank on the heat mat but feel like inside might be better? under the warm hide is around 90. been running all this stuff for a week now trying new stuff making sure i can house my hopefully female bumblebee. if you're still reading and have good advice please help!! thanks so much for giving me your time and hope to meet some cool people!