As the title says, I have two RES turtles and I am looking for input on a future habitat.
This is the current setup:
I'm guessing I have about 12 gallons of water in there now, and as may be able to see they are still tiny little guys. They're both right hand side, one in the middle of the tank (Puff) and one at the back (Gryff). I think this is enough water for the moment, but I know they will grow quickly and the landscape will need to change.
First I will defend myself and say that I set this tank up quickly and on a budget ($136 for everything here including a siphon and a dozen replacement filters and 4 days to buy and put it together). The fact is I have plans for serious upgrades, read on.
Here is the current (budget) setup:
Top Left Front- Cheap Digital Termometer - This works as well as an expensive instant-read I have, so I will keep it unless I have any problems.
Front Left - TetraFauna Heater - Pre-set to 78, and while it works fine, I don't like the lack of control. I do like the green shroud, the turtles like to hang out on it.
Back Left - Tetra Decorative ReptoFilter- This is cute, but it doesn't keep the water very clear. It also takes valuable real-estate from my turts. Obviously needs to be upgraded.
Back Middle - Zilla Basking Platform - No complaints here, it gives them a spot to bask and it was easy to clean. Will need an upgrade as the water level rises in tank.
Back Top - I think this is ZooMed - Heat and UVB bulbs installed. No Complaints, but will likely change in future setup.
Bottom - River Rock - Purchased at the home-improvement store. Rinsed thoroughly, then soaked in a 10% bleach overnight. Then rinsed one handful at a time and thrown into a big bucket where it was washed until water ran clear. This took several hours and a lot of water.
Future Setup (10-12 months):
Tank
I am in the process of finding a bigger tank, but I am considering removing the rocks and filling the tank 2/3 to give them more room as they grow to give me a few months to get a new tank together.
I am currently thinking 90-120gallons will be good. Happy to take input here. I don't expect to be fortunate enough to keep the 24x24 footprint, as cool as it is, instead I expect to have something like 72x18x24.
Basking
With the new tank I will most likely be building an ATBA so they can have maximum swim-room and a luxuriously large basking area. 18x48 with a ramp on either side anyone?
I'm curious if milk crate is the way to go for the 'flooring' of the ATBA, or if there are other suggestions? I have seen tile which looks nice, but that seems like it would be slippery for turtles.
I will probably get clamp-on light fixtures to make positioning easier.
Filtration
I have already purchased a 264gph filter that I am planning to install on the 30g, will I need something bigger for the 90-120g?
Decoration
I like the look of river rocks and it seems like they give the turtles something to do during the day. I often see them 'digging' or searching between the rocks. Any suggestion either way?
I'm lost about other decorations though, I don't really like the look of plants real or fake. Any suggestions for alternatives?
Heating
I currently have a small pre-set heater. I plan to buy an eheim jager 200w or 250w. Again, I am open to suggestions.
I don't plan to change the thermometer unless someone tells me I should. I would get another to place elsewhere in the tank if that is a good idea.
Let me know what you think and if I need to make any changes/improvements.