Habitat - Indoor :: Tank Upgrade ... any help would be appreciated!

[TheComputerGremlin]

So, I have a RES that is probably around a 2" shell length now. I got him about 2 month ago in one of those itty-bitty glass bowls at a street fair. After the shock of finding out what taking care of a turtle entails, I love him and plan to keep him for as many years as I can. Anyhow, we quickly upgraded him to a 3 gallon tank (I know, it should have been larger) and I was following the care sheet that came with him. The sheet said he should only have the length of his shell's depth of water, which he always has had. However, all of the pictures and posts seem to show RES having lots and lots of water. But when I try to give him more water, he just sits at the bottom of the tank and sticks his neck out. I don't think he wants more water. Anyways, enough about my baby. On to my tank upgrade questions:

1) I'm looking into a 30 gallon breeder tank. I like the dimensions and I think this size will last my turtle until his final upgrade at my future house in about two years. I hope to then get him a nice little indoor pond set up. I really liked this one setup at an aquarium store near here, so I'm hoping I can find someone to replicate it at my house. Since he doesn't seem to like a lot of water, I'm wanting to try an inclined setup using PVC pipe. I saw the little foam floating platforms in the pet stores, but I just don't like the idea of putting foam in the water. What if he doesn't end up wanting more water, is it okay to keep just enough water in there as I've been doing?

2) Lighting. I am so completely lost with lighting. Right now he just has an aquarium light (I know, I'm a bad turtle mommy, but I wanted to make sure he was a surviver before investing hundreds of dollars in tanks), I know he needs UVA and UVB light. At Pet Smart, they have all sorts of bulbs and lamps and lots of numbers (like different watts and whatnot). The big problem that I'm foreseeing is that I have two cats (one of them is in love with the turtle, she sits there meowing at him, and I think he squeaks back at her), so I have to have kitty-safe lighting and the tank has to be closed off so the cats don't end up inside. I'm thinking a metal screen top, but do the lamps get really hot? I figure the cat will only burn her nose once before she learns not to touch, but I'd like to prevent that too. Does anyone have any suggestions for lighting?

3) Filtration. I don't quite understand the filters. There are only about a million of them in Pet Smart, but they all seem to be fish-related. What should I look for in a good filter?

I have a tank heater already, I think it will continue working in a bigger tank. Why does it seem like I never see the water heaters in pictures of turtle tanks? Do people commonly have them or use another source of heating?

I think that's everything I can think of right now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm a cat person, so getting a turtle was a big step, but I look forward to keeping him for many many years. I might even get him some friends as soon as I'm sure of his gender (since he's so small, I think he's a boy) but I want to be sure before I end up with babies ...

Thanks!!
JAX

[Ty13]

1) in two years a healthy turtle kept in proper comditions should be 5-6 inches, so if you're going by 10 gallons of water per 1 inch of shell then a 30 gallon would be too small.

2)My cat has never bothered with my turtle......I would suggest trying it without a screen and watching the cat closely for a while to prevent any accidents.

3)The best filters are canister filters. Here's a topic on why they are: http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13650

Most people do use a water heater its just cleverly hidden or something you just don't notice.

[octpusgirl8]

Try reading through all this to start with: http://www.redearslider.com/index_habitat.html

On the water level issue, you need to give him lots of room for swimming. It might take him a bit to get used to it but he does need it to be healthy and happy. Try raising the water level slowly if you're worried about his swimming ability, and give him lots of plants and resting spots.

[mikee]

T Com Grim -- I think you can catch up on the uvb, uva, temperatures, water quality, etc. Just keep in mind that if you keep him you will be buying all these things again, but larger. Buy as large as you can afford and can take care of. Now!!, The filter should be able to exchange the water at least 5 times per hour (gph). The canister filter pump is the better as it usually pumps more and filters better and most importantly, it is easy to clean and take care of. The bigger the better, just don't make it a blender. When you get a chance, take a look at biological filtration. There is plenty of help here, just ask.

[megcornell]

It's good you're doing your research before upgrading again. Useless upgrades can be expensive and disheartening.
A 30 gallon breeder tank would be a squeeze, but it would be better if you provide an above tank basking area so you can utilize all of the tank for water. I'd personally go for a 40 gallon breeder or a 55 gallon tank, as that will be perfect for the time span you're looking to keep it for.
As for the cat situation, you could either get a tube UVB light (I'm not sure if UVA could be bought that way too), or some people use an actual base lamp with adjustable heads to hold the light bulbs, that seems to be much sturdier than clamp lights so you wouldn't have to worry about the cats knocking them over. If you screen off the top to keep curious paws away from the turtle keep in mind you'll need a larger gauge of screening so you don't block out the benefit of the UVB rays.
As for filters, if you can afford it, buy a canister filter to start with. They are above and beyond the best option for turtles. I find the hanging filters just aren't strong enough for turtles, especially when they get larger. Ideally you want a filter rated for 2-3x the size of your tank.
The water heater's efficiency in a larger tank will depend on how many watts it is. You'll have to check that, there are usually helpful charts on the boxes to let you know how many watts you'll need for how many gallons.
Take a look at the habitat and lighting sections on the main site, that should also help clear up what your turtle needs in terms of space and lights.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Thanks for all of the help so far. Now I just need to get some money to buy all of the stuff ...

So far I think I have decided on a 30 or 40 gallon breeder tank. I like the width dimensions of it, I just need to find out price (because I think I'd like the taller one to give more basking space. I really like the Kordon Turtle Ramps, so I think I will get that, I think the medium will suffice for now. My reason for sticking with a smaller tank is first, this is only a middle of the road upgrade, I really hope to set up a small pond for him when we get a house and second, looking at the weight of the tanks, I'm in an apartment and I don't think they'd like me putting too much weight on the floors here.

I have also been convinced by everyone to spend the money and get the canister pump. The Rena FilStar's aren't too badly priced and everyone seems to love them. However, can anyone explain where the actual pump part goes? I've read people saying it has to be lower than the tank, but I'm not sure if I'm following the pump setup.

And my last major hurdle, lighting. Can people give me suggestions on lighting the tank? I am trying to find the recommendations on the main RES page, but I don't understand it. I'd like as much of an all-purpose light as I can get to maximize space, but people give me advice on this?

Thanks!!
JAX

[octpusgirl8]

If you get a 40 gallon breeder tank (nothing smaller) you can get a mercury vapor bulb, they are the only "all in one" option. They're too powerful for smaller tanks, and you have to be sure to set the up properly, but they're really great bulbs. Turtles really seem to enjoy basking under them too. I know lighting can be a confusing issue at first, feel free to ask any questions!

[SpotsMama]

MVBs are very good and they make for a simpler setup. The two major appropriate types are (1) Powersun 100 watt flood and (2) T Rex 100 watt flood. One of these bulbs will need a good cermic fixture rated for at least 100 watts.