Habitat - Indoor :: Pine branch for aquarium

[Laurielee]

I've heard a pine branch isn't good to setup in the tank, but I found one on the ground already dead and dried out. Does that make a difference? It's the perfect fit, and I want to put it in the tank because I know my turtle will love it, but I want to be safe. I have a floating dock, but Franklin can't seem to climb onto it.

[Jeremiah]

You'll need to scrape at it a little to check for sap/fluids, and the sterilization process will still need to be done. Keep in mind that your tank water will get pretty brown. People don't usually like to use soft woods, because they become waterlogged more easily; they may also have accelerated mold/fungus growth. If you really want a wooden basking spot, I suggest cork bark.

[steve]

How big is the tank? If the tank is not massive, then you can use a cork bark wedge like Jeremiah mentioned. They are great... natural, waterproof, good grip, don't absorb a lot of heat, and looks nice in a tank (even if algae grows on it).

[Laurielee]

Thanks for the responses! I just upgraded to a 55 gallons aquarium. I couldn't put the pine branch in the tank with my turtle, it just seemed like I was risking his life just to make his tank look natural. My bad. Right now he has a Turtle Dock, and I put a wire rack(with plastic coating on it) next to his basking area. About 2 inches below the turtle dock. Franklin likes to sit in the water with his head sticking out and I didn't want him to get chilled sitting on his Dock over night. I have his UVA and heat lamp, thermometer, and I have a Nexx canister filter for 55 gallon tanks (which I'm having trouble getting the water to run through it) I bout it yesterday. I've seen all the amazing pictures of turtle docks and decorations on this site and will built him a nice basking spot that he will be comfortable with. I will take any and all suggestions. My turtle is actually a yellow belly slider. He's 5" and is about a year old now. I got him as a baby. Thanks in advance!

[steve]

Nexx are pretty bad, any chance you can return it? Can you post a picture of your setup? People sometimes try too hard, but simple and basic is all you need. A natural look brings extra points.

[Laurielee]

Oh, bummer. I was going to get a different canister filter. but the store was out, so I got the Nexx instead. It's definately more powerful than the last filter so far. Here are pics of my tank. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[steve]

The tank looks nice. Do the filter intake hoses have the appropriate covers? I'd swap rocks for sand if you like substrate. It stays cleaner and allows more surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize. You can add a simple background to hide some of the wiring. And don't forget the cork

[Laurielee]

Thank you! I have an attachment for the output side, but the water level was lower than the cover, so I put a piece of hose on that one side. I need to go to the store to find one that fits over the hose. Is sand easy to vacuum? I heard it was tough to clean. I would love to have a background! Do you know where to find some nice ones? What size cork fits a 55 gallon tank? I saw them on Amazon. Thanks so much for the input and suggestions!!

[steve]

I'm not sure I understand the filter arrangement, but the intake needs to have some sort of strainer cover. People with sand usually just skim the surface to pick up any debris. I just use a simple background, but there are some real creative ones... textured or fabric are options too.

From front to back, how long does the tank measure? 13 inches?

[Laurielee]

The out put attachment goes on the end of the plastic tube that hangs over the edge of the tank. If I put the attachment there, where it's supposed to go, it will be above water and you could hear it splashing in the tank. Instead of putting the attachment on, I put a piece of hose in it's place so that it is below water level. Make sense? It's bad to leave it that way? My tank is 12.5" X 48"

[ljapa]

The out put attachment goes on the end of the plastic tube that hangs over the edge of the tank. If I put the attachment there, where it's supposed to go, it will be above water and you could hear it splashing in the tank. Instead of putting the attachment on, I put a piece of hose in it's place so that it is below water level. Make sense? It's bad to leave it that way? My tank is 12.5" X 48"

That makes sense and was smart. One thing to consider is creating more separation between outtake and intake.

You want your filter pulling in unfiltered aquarium water. With them that close, you are probably pulling in too much water onto the filter that's just come out of it.

[Laurielee]

Done! Thank you!

[Jeremiah]

I know this is a little off-topic, but you have a red-eared slider. Not a yellow-bellied one. Don't worry about it, though; the care is pretty similar for both species.

[Laurielee]

Frankieheadshot.jpg (75.36 KiB) Viewed 7459 times

Really? He has yellow cheeks.

[Kansasslider]

Looks like a YBS to me.