Star Trek is awesome....
You wouldn't necessary need a tank, tubs work extremely well and are fairly cheap (check at Walmart). I recommend the ones that latch, the lids are more sturdy. If you have a "human" heating pad that will work just as well as ones marked for reptiles. You can use TP rolls and all kinds of house hold things as hides and water dishes, too. When I first got into this hobby I hadn't quite caught on to improvising, but it's a great thing to keep in mind. I've noticed a lot lately that things specifically for Reptiles always seems to be marked up way high, so if you can think of something to cut costs, that works just as well, go for it.
And good luck! If you can't get anything from Brent now, keep a watch out and pick something up from him later.