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Does anyone have any suggestions on type of docks for a 4" RES. I have had a couple of people say that mine my be 2 small soon. The one I have now is Called TURTLE LANDING by Conceptual Creations Pet Products. I got one to accomodate small and medium turtles...



Let me know what you think!

Hmm maybe one of those blue platform ones or a large zoo med dock with some magnetic algae scrapers under to help hold it up.

Read thru this thread because someone else had the same question:

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11317

I would normally say that too, but it looks like your dock is an L shaped dock. I tried googling your dock, but nothing came up. Can you take a pic of it from above?

I would suggest a large piece of corkbark. All three of my 5 inch turtles could be on it and they'd still have room and it doesn't sink.

Heres a nice one http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/P ... 006+113872

The dock is in a triangle shape. It fits in the coner of the tank. So from coner tip to end is /\
9" / \
/___\
12"


something like that...lol

Then it's probably bigger than it looks. Take a pic of the one you have before you go out and buy a new one.

It looks more like the weight of the turtle, not the size is the issue with the current dock. A few people have reinforced their floating docks with pieces of a second floating dock or cork to help it keep its' buoyancy.
I think for the larger turtles, the clear plastic ramps with the green strips seem to be the strongest (like the one in turboturtle's link). They can be reinforced by magnets inside and outside of the tank if they too slip under the weight of a bigger turtle.

If it's big enough to hold the turtle, then you can just add something to the underside of it to give it more buoyancy.

it is a huge dock, so I will find something to keep it afloat. I wife want the clear plastic with the green stips but with the heat lamp on it 12 or so hours a day won't that heat the water up more?

I've heard of that landing and heard it doesn't support much weight. The zoomed dock's the best in my opinion but I guess you could buy another dock and glue some pieces of it to the bottom with aquarium silicone for added buoyancy.

Tattoo wrote:it is a huge dock, so I will find something to keep it afloat. I wife want the clear plastic with the green stips but with the heat lamp on it 12 or so hours a day won't that heat the water up more?

The clear plastic with green stripes dock is the one I have for my big phat Sheba. She weighs 4 & 1/2 lbs & it holds her just fine (yes, my turtle is a CHUNK!). I put a heavy-duty wall algae cleaner underneath the suction cup area to hold it up. It's one of those 2-piece magnets & made to clean the super-thick glass of a 350-gallon tank so the magnet in it is EXTREMELY strong & hard to move.

It doesn't heat the water up at all & I have a strong heat lamp that is on for 13 hours a day. Of course, I have a 90-gallon tank filled with 60 gallons of water which would take longer to heat up, but still.....it doesn't get all that hot at all.

I have the large zoo med dock for Mr. Turtle (just upgraded a year ago from the med. size). I've had no problems with it sliding or not being able to hold his weight, and he's just under 6". The medium he used for about 3 years and I only changed because he needed a bigger one. The only problem i've found is that the bottom suction cups tend to come off the side because they are in the water and get gunky. I've found that putting a small amount of vaseline on the suction cups and attaching it to a dry area eliminates this. I also clean the bottom suction cups about once a month like someone else suggested, and i've even changed them before (using the old dock ones).

My suction cups are holding great. I think i just got a cheapt thin dock that floats like a rock..lol I plan on buying a zoo med or a plastic w/ green stipes. Thanks for all of your help!