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What do you recommend?

I found a Visi-therm 150 watt aquarium heater on ebay for cheap but wasn't sure if it was a good brand. Also, do you need to get a guard so that the turtle doesn't burn itself?

Stealth heaters are highly recommended for being consistent and durable, they're a good purchase.
You don't necessarily need a heater guard, there's no harm in having one, but heaters don't get very warm to the touch underwater.

What's a stealth heater? The long stick-looking ones, or is it a particular brand?

THanks!

It's a specific brand. Here's a link to it. CLICK HERE

It comes in 50 to 250 watts.

The Visi-therm glass heaters work well too, but when your turtle gets bigger, it will be able to crack the glass. So, I would go with the plastic Visi-therm stealth heater. It is claimed to be un-crackable.

Definatly get a STEALTH HEATER. They are really great at keeping the water at a great temperature because they have a degree from 1 degree up to like 90 or something. I am using one right now and I LOVE it!

Yes I agree!!

Visitherm stealth. It's the only brand I will buy these days. It's completely carefree, unbreakable by the BIG bulldozing turtles & holds the water temp perfect!!!

Cool. =)

As for basking docks, any recommendations? I've seen those ZooMed basking docks, but heard that turtles will try to eat it, and as the turtle gets larger, it will sink. I figure it should be ok for my two baby RES, but I have a 5.5 in Mississippi Map and I'm afraid it will sink. =/

The arcrylic sution cup ones are great, i got one oafter seeing big ol Sheba hanging out on it. This is the one lots of us have: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... &N=0&Nty=1
The zoo-med ones are allright, i used them for a long time, but i didn't like how hard it was to clean the algae off. Mine also absorbed water after about a year of use and wasn't floating quite as high anymore.

Crap, back to heaters. =)

I'm going to get some Visitherm heaters for the tanks in my room. I've heard it's best to get two smaller wattage heaters for a large tank just in case one craps out, your turtles don't freeze. Is this good advice?

(once I get them set up, I'll post pictures. One for the baby RES, one for the Mississippi Map, and one for random growing water plants and feeder fish. Yay. And a spare tank in case the RES decide they want to kill each other, which I hope they won't).

It is best to get two heaters - you can put one at each end of the tank and it will heat more evenly.

Smart idea to have a spare tank on hand in case your turtles ever go to war.

Sorry for all the questions! I keep picking up more questions as I keep researching for more things.

I don't know if I can actually afford to get those visitherm stealth heaters. Anyone know of a cheaper brand? Also, is it best to get ones that have a dial that you can fiddle with, or will one preset to 78 degrees work?

Thanks for all your help, you've all been lifesavers!

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=16756

Is this good? I'm trying to find affordable ones. =(

In the long run, it would probably be better to get a stealth. For the heater that you put in your link, it says it is glass, and maintains the temp at 78 degrees. Every tank is different so it might make the water cooler or warmer than the temp that it says. Although it looks like a good heater, stealths are better with turtles because of the plastic that is on the heater and not glass. I don't know though, maybe it will turn out to be a great heater, I have never had this kind before.