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do turtles stay smaller in a smaller tank?????
I really need a quick replay, because if they don't, i'm not getting baby turtles tomorrow!!

They don't. Sorry hon. They get anywhere from 9 to 12 inches long, depending on sex. An adult female would need at least a 120 gallon tank. Glad you asked before purchasing tho..lots of people don't

Dont think keeping turtles in a small tank will keep them small. They will grow and you will need to get progressively larger tanks if you want to care for them properly. Two turtles at full size would easily occupy 100+ gallon tank. The amount of food you give them has more to do with their size. Dont buy them if you dont want to be responsible for them and also realize their lifespan of 20+ years if cared for. We are all here to help but you must first make the commitment.

It does affect their growth, but stunted growth = unhealthy turtle. My mother had a turtle back in the 1950s and kept it in a "death bowl" for 10 years. It did stay small but she was sad when I told her it was from malnutrition/cramped quarters and it was probably miserable

If you keep a turtle in too small a space with adequate nutrition (but many people overfeed), light, warmth, etc., it will grow no matter what. It will, however, not have enough space to swim/exercise and is likely to become fat (obviously not healthy for it). If you keep a turtle in too small a space but don't give it what it needs to grow, it will stay a small but sickly turtle. Either way, the turtle will have a less than happy life (and more than likely a shortened one).

i have a question about the tank and stuff like that what can happen to turtles if they don't have the light they use to bask with? two girls in the dorm where i live has two turltes and they had them since way eariler in the summer and they are still small can they die if not taken care of proply?

Without the correct lighting, they cannot metabolize the calcium in their diet and will eventually develop metabolic bone disease (soft shell).

don't they get this gooey layer on top of their shell?

I think that the "gooey layer" could actually be the turtles shell if it was bad enough

I brush my turts shells with a soft toothbrush when they start to feel slimy. I think it's a water quality issue. Some turts even grow algae on their shells. It's not from improper care

Algae on the shell will be green. If the shell feels slimy but you don't see anything, it's most likely a thin layer of bacteria that needs to wiped off. (I've used a towel.)

Proper lighting (UVB and heat lamp) does not make for a gooey shell. If anything, basking under correct lighting will allow the shell to dry off and help prevent the goo from forming (as will keeping the water clean).