On the nesting box, there are some links at the bottom of the page on this site that link to other sites that give more detail. Also, I recall someone on here had success with snake bedding as the substrate for a turtle nest.
The trick is getting the turtle to accept the nest. Turtles can be very picky about where they lay their eggs. The best success seems to be letting them lay outside. They seem to like softened dirt - like in a flower bed - and a somewhat sheltered location - like under some bushes. You have to, of course, watch them every minute when they are outside.
And yes I don't think you need worry about it for awhile. You should notice a marked behavior change when the time comes - very restless, trying to get out the tank, loss of appetite.
On the bulb, we recommend an Exo Terra Repti Glo 26 watt 5.0 compact fluorescent. Available in the reptile section or (cheaper) at on-line stores. If you can't find it (and you should be able to, it's pretty popular) look for something that says on the packaging "UVB" and gives a percentage (like 5.0 or 5%). Bulbs that say "basking bulb" or "full spectrum" will not do - it has to say specifically UVB or it won't give your turtle what she needs. 10.0 is often too strong. Less than 5.0 is too weak. Less than 26 watts is probably too weak.
He does not want to get another turtle so...
