Setting Up The Tank
Picking out a proper tank is not easy. Be prepared to spend at least $200 to $250 when you buy a tank and accessories. You need to consider how many turtles you are going to have, how big the turtles are going to get, and if the tank will fit in your house or apartment. After you decide how big of a tank you are buying you will need to set the tank up.
The first thing that needs to be done when you set up the tank is to get a proper set up. The rule is usually one pound of rock for every gallon of water. 29 gallon tank = 29 pounds of rock. The turtle tank is set up differently than an aquarium because in the turtle tank you have to have an area where the turtles can bask. This should be on a rock that they can climb onto and the rock should be dry. You cannot have the water level too low or the filter will not work properly and you cannot have the water level too high or the basking rock will be wet. Right now I am using a cinder block to have the rocks raised high enough for the turtles to be able to bask outside of the water. In the picture on the previous page I had a plastic container that I was using to boost up the rocks. One of the hardest things to do with the tank thus far has been to get the rocks high enough so that they are out of the water.
The next purchase that I made after buying the rocks was to get a proper type of bulb for the tank. I bought a bulb from Petco that is supposed to be good for turtles in that it gives them enough light and heat for their shells. The bulb was a standard one that fit in the hood of the tank. I also bought a type of basking lamp that set up on the tank for the turtles to get additional heat and light. When I set up the basking lamp on the tank I take the hood off of the tank and use a screened hood and rest the lamp by the hood. After about 10 or minutes the turtles will get out of the water and go to the basking lamp and soak up the rays. I would do this all of the time but Myrtle is able to push the screen off if she tries hard enough and could climb out of the tank. The screen does not go around the filter either so that is another problem that I am having.
I was able to find a turtle tank that did have a hole in the side so that you didn't have to fill the water level that high but I am not sure if my current filter we fit on the side of the tank. The tank is being offered from All-Glass Aquarium.Com. One of the most important parts to the turtle tank is the filter. You must have a very strong filter that can cycle the water and keep it clean. Scroll down for more information on picking out the filter that fits you best.
