Habitat - Indoor :: ideal water temp

[tjurhs]

Hi guys,

I've made several significant improvements to Thor's tank, and now I'd like to optimize his water temp.

I've read tanks with temps everywhere from 72 to 82, and that seems like a pretty large range of values. So here's Thor's particulars.

Thor is almost 3 years old and a shell length of 2.5inches.

He has a Basking lamp and a UVB lamp, and a water heater that has no adjustments, plug it in and it does it's thing.

When I put my hand in the water to feed Thor it feels like "bath water" and the temperature tape strip reads both 78 and 82 colors. To me this seems very warm!

When I unplug the heater the water temp becomes closer to 75.

[VeipaCray]

75-76 for the water and the basking area should be 10-15 warmer than the water. That's where I keep mine.

Turtles live in a wide variety of conditions in nature hence why you see such a range of recommendation. Juvenile turtles need 78-79 degree water then it's fine to drop the temp a bit as they get older. I'd set the thermostat on your heater to 75 to ensure the temp doesn't drop at night or during colder months if you have any where you live.

[tjurhs]

Thanks!

I'll shoot for 75. The 80s felt too warm to me

[L.West]

Along those lines - what does the ambient/room temperature have to stay at. My house never falls below 69/70 in the winter months and 80 in the summer. My tank heater is set to keep the water at 79/80. Are my room/ambient temps fine - I don't want to cause them to get a respiratory infection.

[steve]

It almost doesn't matter what the air temps are if you have water heaters and a nice basking light. I like flood-style lights as they produce a thermal gradient that the turtle can choose to bask in.

[tjurhs]

Why not get a much larger heater than the "recommended" size for your tank size and set it at your desired temp of 75? whereas getting a smaller heater and setting it at the same temp would make it have to work a whole lot harder than the larger one, correct?

[steve]

That can be done. I always keep an extra heater or two when I need it however.

[Into_the_Mystic]

Your turtle is 3 yrs old and only 2.5 inches?! Are you sure? Mine is 2 yrs old and is about 6 inches.

[tjurhs]

Your turtle is 3 yrs old and only 2.5 inches?! Are you sure? Mine is 2 yrs old and is about 6 inches.

actually he'll be 3yrs in May, but yep, 2.5inches - I zap-glued a heavy weight atop his shell to keep him from growing

[Starscream]

Mine run 77 - 78. I am using 2 of the 300 watt jagers in my 240 and have a spare just in case. IMO over kill is the way to go. I keep the ambient temps in the house 65 - 68 tho year round.

[Turtle4Jen]

Here's a question!

How can you keep the water temperature cooler? I have a heater, it heats water to 78 and keeps it at that temp. But now I've noticed over this warm weekend (I'm in NY), that the water temp went up to 80.5 F. It's only going to get hotter this summer. The air temp climbed up to near 100F, which I can adjust by getting a smaller wattage heating bulb for the summer. But how can I keep the water cool????

*Jen*

[steve]

Best way is to keep the room the turtles are in cooler. There are also aquarium chillers but that would be the most expensive way of doing it. Frozen bottles of water could help smaller tanks. A small fan directed to the surface will also help, but will also increase evaporation. I sometimes just do a partial water change.

[Turtle4Jen]

Okay, thanks!