Habitat - Indoor :: Please help me decide...

[DavidY]

Ok, I'm kind of stuck on what to do for my turtle setup. I have a 90gal and a 40gal tank. I just built a stand for the 90 with room underneath for the 40. This will save me floor space but I will have to separate my turtles (they all get a long really well). I originally designed it this way so I could have more room for more animals, but as many of you know, that is not going to happen anymore.

So now I'm thinking of implementing the design that I had suggested to someone else. I can put the two tanks at a 90 degree angle to each other in the corner and then join them together with a common above tank basking platform in the corner where they join. This design will take more floor space but will allow the turtles to hang out together if they want to or to go to separate corners. I can also continue to use the same basking lights for both tanks. I think it will look better too. To do this configuration I will have to cut the legs on the stand I just built to lower the height of the 90g down to the current height of the 40g that the turtles are in right now.

Or, should I skip the 90g/40g for now and go ahead with my original plan to build the indoor pond. I have a preformed 120gal pond that will have a plywood deck around it for the turtles to climb out and bask or move around if they want.

I plan on eventually having both setups (90g/40g and 120g pond) going in order to house all 3 RES as they reach full size. The question is which setup should I build first and which configuration should I use for the 90g/40g?

I'm getting an XP3 for the new 90g tank. I'm going to get a 400gph pump for the pond that will run a homemade filtration system that will also utilize live plants in a separate pool to help filter the water.

[steve]

Would they have the ability to move between the different tanks or would it be divided?

[DavidY]

They would get from one tank to the other by way of the above tank basking platform. Other than that the water would be isolated between the two tanks.

[turboturtle8]

If that was my decision I would do the indoor pond first. It may be a bigger investment but, I think your turtles would get more enjoyment out of it.They may have more room to swim around and play in.If you are willing to do the 90/40gal setup I would do the first idea like you said it would save more floor space.Whatever you chose to do I think it will turn out great

[DavidY]

Thanks Turbo! I really want to get the pond done too, but it will require a lot more work and time which I don't have right now. And I don't want to make my turtles wait as they are too cramped in the 40g right now. That's why I quickly built the stand for the 90g. Hmmm....decisions decisions...

[turboturtle8]

Don't worry I am trying to build a new tank for my turtles and I feel so bad because it is supposed to be done in August but I am falling a little behind while they are stuck in a tiny little tank

[RunninWideOpen]

I like the shared basking area idea.....sounds very unique and interesting. I think it would look really nice also.

I wonder which turtles would choose which tank? hmmm......

[Tenodera]

Whoa that's a really awesome idea!

[SpotsMama]

With the stacked tank design, how would you handle the filters? Seems like you'd want canisters under the tanks and I can't quite envision how it would work. Either there would be no space under the tanks for the filters - in which they'd sit on the floor beside the tanks (and there goes your floor space) and they wouldn't function very well, or else they'd both fit underneath the stack but then wouldn't the top tank be too far above the filter for it to function well?

The advantage of the L shaped design, if I'm envisioning it right, would be that you'd have the space underneath the two tanks for filters and supplies. I don't know about you, but I need all that space and then some for all the junk I've acquired.

[kmichael55]

I vote L shaped, seems like the best, since you won't have the pond set up for a while, and is actually more gallons total... Plus it seems like it would be good if they wanted to separate themselves

[DavidY]

Yea, I'm leaning towards the L shaped setup too. All I need to do is cut the 4x4 leg posts down to size. I'm using carriage bolts to attach them to the frame so it shouldn't be difficult to take apart.

The stacked design allows the bottom tank to be 8 inches off the ground (on a wooden frame with wheels and another 10 inches of clearance below the upper tank, enough room for lights and the Aquaclear filters. But you're right, Scripta, it's better to have the room under the tanks for equipment and storage.

Well, I'm off right now to go sell some baby bearded dragons and some corals! cya!

[industrial_girl_2000]

I vote for the indoor pond if you are going to do all that work anyway!!!

And it isn't just because I have always wanted one....

[Lauriebeth83]

I think the L-shaped setup sounds really cool. I think it would look great and i bet the turts would really love all the new space and the option to seperate from each other whenever they want.

[DavidY]

You know, i'm curious to see how long it will take them to figure out how to get from one tank to the other. I'll start working on the stand tomorrow and clear out an area in the corner of the herp room for the new tank. By next week I should have it set up and filled. I'll let it sit for a couple of days while I wait to get the new filter (probably two weeks from now). I'll be sure to take pics.

[SpotsMama]

If you're taking odds on how long it will take the turtles to figure out how to go from tank to tank, I'd bet 1 hour.