Feeding and Nutrition :: Freeze dried crickets?

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2015 12:23 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

I do have thermometers. Right now I'm using a 5.5 inch basking lamp with a 75 watt "splash proof" bulb. But soon I will have a second 5.5 inch lamp for the UVB bulb. About how far away should the lamps be from the turtle? The tank is only about 18 1/2 inches tall.
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2015 9:55 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

The basking temp can be high 80's to low 90's. The hard water stains can be delt with by removing the minerals that are in the water with a whole home filter kit. Im not sure if a carbon filter alone will accomplish that? But to remove the stains you have you can do what joey does in this vid.
https://youtu.be/1Q_CfmosHk0
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2015 11:18 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Yes, unfortunately a carbon filter will not affect hard water.

About the best you can do is vinegar when you're changing the water.
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2015 10:36 pm   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Thanks for all the info guys!

Guess I better get a new pure filter for my faucet then! It probably won't fix everything in the water but it should help I would think!

I suppose I will put the platform about 9 inches from the basking light then? Noah is pretty big so that should put him at about 6 - 7 inches from the heat lamp. Is that too close?
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:38 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

what wattage is your UVB Bulb? Mine is 5 wts and I had to put mine about 8 inches from basking spot before Phil would bask under it. I had it too close before and he would just climb out of water walk under lamp and walk right back off basking spot into the water.. Once it was at right height he spends hours under it. If you have the 13 wt one it will need to be even further away I would think.
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:56 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Put the uvb bulb at manufacturer's recommended distance. Your heat bulb is the one you want to get at the right distance that's why you need to check the temp with a thermometer. I use what's thought to be the best mvb bulb on the market and still needed to add a heat bulb. In my case I use a 75 watt incandescent and a 100 watt mvb. Mine are10.5" from basking area with a temp of 85º. Turtles bask because they regulate their body temp with heat. They don't bask just for uvb.
1 Male Mississippi Map/Mississippi
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Post Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:18 pm   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

unclejoe wrote:what wattage is your UVB Bulb? Mine is 5 wts and I had to put mine about 8 inches from basking spot before Phil would bask under it. I had it too close before and he would just climb out of water walk under lamp and walk right back off basking spot into the water.. Once it was at right height he spends hours under it. If you have the 13 wt one it will need to be even further away I would think.


Yes, Noah's UVB bulb is 13 watt.
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Post Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:50 pm   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Kansasslider wrote:Put the uvb bulb at manufacturer's recommended distance. Your heat bulb is the one you want to get at the right distance that's why you need to check the temp with a thermometer. I use what's thought to be the best mvb bulb on the market and still needed to add a heat bulb. In my case I use a 75 watt incandescent and a 100 watt mvb. Mine are10.5" from basking area with a temp of 85º. Turtles bask because they regulate their body temp with heat. They don't bask just for uvb.


The heat bulb is 75 watt and the uvb bulb is 13 watt. The heat bulb is in a Fluker's 5.5 inch clamp lamp and the uvb bulb is in a Zoomed 5.5 inch clamp lamp with added aluminum coating (supposedly makes it reflect better uvb rays/light). Anyway, currently both lights are approximately 14 inches from the basking rock.
I think I'm going to have to move the heat lamp closer as I don't think it's warming the rock enough.

I'm still not sure about the uvb bulb. It's "All Living Things" brand and says "Provides high UVB output for tropical reptiles."
Do I need something different? Should I leave the UVB bulb at 14 inches away?
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Post Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:31 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

It's a "Desert" model, so 10-14" away is fine. I would also make sure it's not something your turtle stares into.
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Post Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:42 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Your setup sounds good. Have you actually checked the temp on the basking area?
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Post Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:38 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Thanks for all the info! So glad to have people who know a lot about turtles to help me out!

I'm happy to report that I've finally found a basking rock that I think will work perfectly for Noah!! I've now ordered it online!
I also bought a flat thermometer so that I can lay it across the new basking rock and judge which distance is best for the heat lamp!

Hmm, perhaps I should put the UVB bulb in the non-aluminum coated lamp then. Don't want to blind the poor little guy!
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Post Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:19 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Put some photos up when you have it setup!
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Post Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:00 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

Are both the lamps polished inside? If not you could just swap them though I don't think it will be a problem.
1 Male Mississippi Map/Mississippi
1 Female RES/Slidy.
1 DBT White Concentric Female/ Lucky
1 DBT Male/ Spots
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300 gallon indoor stock tank, FX6 & FX5 filters. Mega-Ray 100w UVB bulb.
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Post Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:22 am   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

No, just one lamp has the extra reflective stuff. I put the UVA bulb in it for today.

I'm looking forward to getting the new basking "rock" in the mail! Unfortunately, it may be a bit too wide. I may have to trim it or something. I think Noah will like it! Hopefully someday I can get the whole tank decorated nicely! So far I've only been able to buy the necessary stuff.
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Post Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:28 pm   Re: Freeze dried crickets?

What kind is it? Some have styrofoam in it, you don't want to have it loose in the tank.
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