Habitat - Indoor :: 55 gallon tank setup

[mike1988]

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting here and I wanted to show off my tank!

The setup:
- 55 gallon tank filled to the top
- 20 gallon tank w/ bottom taken out for ATBA
- ATBA is built on the center brace to maximize room (made of acrylic sheet and 3D background from DesignsbyNature.net)
- 2x 5.0 reptisun UVB lights
- 150 watt basking light
- 75 watt infrared night light
- blue submersible LED light (nighttime under ATBA)
- white submersible LED light (daytime under ATBA)
- Fluval 106 canister filter
- Odysea CFS500 canister filter (like a Fluval FX5 knock off)
- 2x 100 watt water heaters (never used since I live in PHX and water stays high 70's year round)
- Chiclid Stones for fish and shrimp to hide in (ceramic rocks made for nocturnal fish)
- CaribSea Instant Aquarium Tahitian Moon Gravel
- 4x Fluval moss balls

The Turtle:
- His name is Turbo
- 6-7 year old RES from Rocky Point, Mexico. I've had him since 3 or 4 weeks.
- He enjoys eating his fish mates

The Future:
- More fish mates, thinking of a fresh water lobster or loaches, something nocturnal.
- Live plants but he eats that too, maybe bamboo.

Here's Turbo



The Setup




Night time view with my dog (blue submersible light and infrared bulb for basking)

Here is the knock off FX5


Thanks for looking. Constructive criticism and critiquing welcomed.

[devilduck]

That's a really nicely designed setup. I love the black sand contrasting against the light colored rockpiles. Where did you get the submersible LEDs?

[mike1988]

I bought them on ebay. The blue one is 6 inches and about 10$ and the white one is 18 inches and 15$. At ebay type in submersible led, look for the bar style, if I find the link again I'll post it. Pond lights would work to but I think they would be too bright for anything smaller than a 75 gallon.

The downer on the submersible LED is that they came with cheap suction cups and a large plugin, but I ordered some Fluval suction cups to replace the cheap suction cups and it holds great now.
The good thing about them is that they are bright, come in multiple colors, and cheap.

[steve]

Looks good! I would not rely on those digital probe thermometers. You also have a female RES. How intense are those LED lights?

[mike1988]

Looks good! I would not rely on those digital probe thermometers. You also have a female RES. How intense are those LED lights?

Thanks. I knew she was a female since she doesn't have the long nails like males do but I've been calling her "him" since she was tiny, force of habit I guess. And I do not know how intense the LED's are but the white light is bright enough during the day and the blue is not super bright and it lets me keep and eye on the turtle during night time. I have a secondry thermometer that is not pictured.

[steve]

Thanks for the clarification!

[mealto]

You also have a female RES.

How do you tell if they are male or female?

[steve]

http://www.redearslider.com/determining_sex.html

[Mart396]

Nice ATBA

[mike1988]

@steve
Thanks and now I'm thinking of changing her name from Turbo to Turbina hahaha just kidding

@Mart396
Thank you

[andrew45]

55 gallon is good standard size for different turtles. It can be decorated with small stones and some sand in it.