RES tank?

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DAC8671

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We are going to upgrade Gunther's tank. She is just growing at an amazing speed. Currently she is in a 55 gal aquarium filled with about 45 gallons of water. We were thinking of getting a 75 gal tank. It's the same length and height, but 5 inches deeper. We are also considering a patio pond this summer (finances....we can't afford it right now).

Do you think a 75gal will be sufficient? We will be getting a canister filter this weekend suitable for 100 gal. We will be using it in the 55 gal until we upgrade. Will this be sufficient? We currently have 2 submersable filters suitable for 40 gal each, but the water gets so murky very quickly. We want something that we aren't changing the water so often. Does anyone have pics of their water turtle setups? We want to have a permanent dry area for her. Right now she just has a floating dock attatched with suction cups to the side of the tank. She, for the most part, always has one part of herself touching the water.

I know NOTHING about pond keeping and keeping a turtle in a pond. What are some good references you can point me to? The pond will also have to be above the ground and portable if needed. We live in military housing so nothing can be permanent.
 

Macheteslaststep

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I don't know about ponds, but I just upgraded to a 150 gallon Rubbermaid Stock Tank. I got it from Agway and it was only $190 tax included. That's cheaper than what I paid for my 75 gallon glass tank and stand. You really should get a filter that's rated 2-3 times the gallonage of the tank. Especially for a female RES (I have the Fluval FX5 on mine) The other thing that I like about the Rubbermaid is that I can lift it by myself when it's empty so it's easy to move and extremely durable. Here are some pics, it's still in the cycling stage so the water's cloudy. It's beginning tp clear up though.

Sara

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Oogie

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a 75g is just fine (if you fill it to the top and make an above tank basking area, it will be even better)...i don't know her size, but the usual "rule of thumb" is 10g of actual swimming water per inch of shell-length. the minimum you want to go is 5g per inch of shell length. so, let's say she's 8"...the MINIMUM amount of water she "should" be in is 40 gallons.

we have had a few above ground ponds...here is a pic of one of them
it's not pretty...but...
DSCF0001.jpg


we used a preformed pond-liner from Lowe's...the one in this pic is 50g. it was considered the "nesting pond". in the distance, is a planter pot filled with nesting soil. it's extremely important to make your pond predator and escape-proof. above-ground ponds have a tendency to get hot much faster...all the plants help keep the water cool...we also had the pond under a retractable awning that we'd extend on really hot days.
we had a fluval 404 filter in there (note, to use canister filters, the filter needs to be well below the surface of the water...so we elevated the pond on a table), a submersible heater, and the red heat-lamp for cooler days.

check your local Lowe's or Home Depot...you can get preformed pondliners up to 150gallons for very cheap! recently, they were selling the 65g for only $29 at HD. prices are usually much cheaper at the store than online.
and yes, these are VERY portable!!

DAC8671 said:
Do you think a 75gal will be sufficient? We will be getting a canister filter this weekend suitable for 100 gal. We will be using it in the 55 gal until we upgrade. Will this be sufficient? We currently have 2 submersable filters suitable for 40 gal each, but the water gets so murky very quickly. We want something that we aren't changing the water so often. Does anyone have pics of their water turtle setups? We want to have a permanent dry area for her. Right now she just has a floating dock attatched with suction cups to the side of the tank. She, for the most part, always has one part of herself touching the water.

I know NOTHING about pond keeping and keeping a turtle in a pond. What are some good references you can point me to? The pond will also have to be above the ground and portable if needed. We live in military housing so nothing can be permanent.
 

Yvonne G

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Melissa: You're just so creative! You went to a lot of work to make your only water turtle happy. Pond looks great.

Yvonne
 

Oogie

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thanks =) she is quite spoiled since my hubby only allows me 1 water turtle now. i rescued her from deplorable conditions...she had only ever been in water 2" deep (and was 7"cl when we got her), without a filter/lights/heater. she was fed 3 pellets every 2 days. she did have a rock to sit on. when we got her, she had severe shell-rot and septicemia. after months of treatment, we got her healthy =)

we actually don't use the nesting pond for her because this RES has yet to lay eggs with us! she also HATES being outside and in large enclosures (got rid of a 125g pond that she would stay hidden under a pot and never come up to bask)...she prefers the 40gallon she was raised in...but it is now filled with water with above tank basking. it also took her a few months to become a good swimmer. we tried to upgrade the tank, but even after a few months, she was unhappy...so back to the 40g. we do force her to get real sun in a small pond when it's a really sunny day out, but she usually gives us attitude for the remainder of the day.

she is specifically why i no longer push the 10g/1" rule...some turts (depending on how they are raised) just prefer smaller enclosures (but that's no excuse to at least not give them the opportunity for a larger tank/pond).


emysemys said:
Melissa: You're just so creative! You went to a lot of work to make your only water turtle happy. Pond looks great.

Yvonne
 
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