Other Turtle Discussion :: Red-eared slider turtle tank questions

[Dano]

I bought a new 55 gallon tank last year as a fish tank and only used it for 3 months and I now want to set up a turtle tank.

1. Can I keep two red-eared turtles in my tank
2. What kind of food is best?
3. Can I use fish chlorine remover?
4. What is the best kind of filter?
5. What kind of heat lamp is best?
6. what kind of ramp should I get?
7. What kind of heater to get to put in the water and what temp should it be set to?
8. Wat kind of light do I need to get or can i use a regular fish tank light?
9. Can I use river rock in the tank? (the bottom of the tank have a sticker where the brace is and can't remove it otherwise I would do bare bottom.


Sorry about all of the questions, Just trying to do everything right.

[MEandYouPhoto]

I bought a new 55 gallon tank last year as a fish tank and only used it for 3 months and I now want to set up a turtle tank.

1. Can I keep two red-eared turtles in my tank Yes, However follow the rule of 10 gallons of water for ever inch of turtle. So the two 2-3 inch turtles would be ok but also bear in mind that at full maturity a turtle can get up to 8-12 inches in size. So while a 55 gallon tank would work well for two small turtles it would be bad for their long term health to keep large turtles in such a small tank.
2. What kind of food is best? Turtle food made by ZooMed is designed to give your turtle most of the nutritional value it needs. However I would really recommend reading over the "Feeding and Nutrition" section of the forum especially about what to feed and not to feed your turtle. There is also a section about feeding list suggestions and Jello Shots (a fun way to feed your turtle)
3. Can I use fish chlorine remover? It is recommended that you do not add any chemical additives to your tank. However there are products like ReptiSafe that are designed for turtle tanks but they are not endorsed by the folks here.
4. What is the best kind of filter? Canister filter is the best kind you can have for your turtle a Fluval FX5 is what most people recommend here. They are about $250-$300 to get but worth it in the long run, designed for tanks up to 400 gallons and built really well.
5. What kind of heat lamp is best? I personally use a "Turtle Tuff" 75 watt bulb for my tank and a deep dome clamp lamp and its attached to a lamp stand. I also have my UVB light on there as well. You should have both types UVA and UVB and Heat (the turtle tuff provides heat and UVA ) above your basking area just make sure that the basking area is about 10 degrees warmer than the water temperature
6. what kind of ramp should I get? Turtle Dock's work pretty well however most folks here recommend an ABTA (Above Tank Basking Area)
7. What kind of heater to get to put in the water and what temp should it be set to? There are several varieties but there are 3 items you MUST have in a heater, first it needs to be FULLY SUBMERSIBLE. Second it needs to have a SHATTER PROOF covering (so the turtle cant break it with their shell). Lastly it needs to have ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE SETTINGS 76-78 degrees on average
8. Wat kind of light do I need to get or can i use a regular fish tank light? I have a ZIlla brand UVA/UVB florescent bulb laid out on a mesh screen over the other half of my tank. it provides illumination and the benefitial UV rays while he is not on the dock. I would recommend looking over the "Habitat - Indoor" second of the forum viewforum.php?f=6 for suggestions about lighting your tank. Also look over the Basking Area section as this is a great place for ideas.
9. Can I use river rock in the tank? (the bottom of the tank have a sticker where the brace is and can't remove it otherwise I would do bare bottom. It's not recommended to use River Rock as the rocks are pourous and have gaps in between the rocks where food and waste can get traped . This allows alge to grow and can also create a toxic environment for your turtle since the debris and waste can build up under the rocks. So unless you are taking all the rocks out every week and srubbing them down and vacuuming the bottom of your tank to get all the food and waste daily its really not recommended. Sand is the preferred substrate for turtles. Make sure and read the Sand F.A.Q. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=17268


Sorry about all of the questions, Just trying to do everything right.

Be prepared to spend a good amount of money on your turtle(s) to do it right. But it's completely worth it.

[VeipaCray]

A few more links:

Our Heater FAQ thread: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31234

Our Thread on filters and their setup: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145