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I just thought i'd post some pictures and info of my tanks as examples. I know I found the pictures on this site very helpful when I created my setups.

40 Gallon long tank with cutout on one side for a Penn Plax Cascade 150 hanging filter. Filter media used is bio sponge and activated carbon. Basking area frame made out of PVC pipe with a plexiglass floor and ramp with a tile laying on top. ViaAqua 100watt titanium heater with external control for adusting temperature. Mesh top with Heat lamp and UVA/UVB fluorescent light. Thermometer is an external stick on thermometer by Tetra.
http://www.designqueue.com/photos/turtle/oldtank01.JPG
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90 Gallon tank with Rena Filstar XP3 canister filter. Above tank basking area made out of wood with top and one side covered in wire mesh. Basking area floor is wood covered with kitchen cabinet shelving cover with tile on top. Ramp is sealed plywood attached with metal braces to the basking area floor. Ramp is also covered with cabinet shelf cover to give the turtle something to grip. ViaAqua 100watt titanium heater with external control for adusting temperature. Heat lamp and UVA/UVB fluorescent light sit on top of above tank basking area on the wire mesh. Right side top of tank covered with a glass top with a hinged lid. Thermometer is an external Penn Plax stick on thermometer. I put a plastic crate I bought from WalMart in the tank which can be used in many ways. Right now it is standing on end and the turtle loves to sit on it and sleep. He is close enough to the top of the water so he can stick his head out when he wants to breathe. (Spoiled rotten turtle). The crate could also be layed down and you could cut out the ends and it becomes a neat turtle tunnel/hiding area but you can see in if you need to with all the holes.

Tank View
http://www.designqueue.com/photos/turtle/P1010014.JPG
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Basking Area
http://www.designqueue.com/photos/turtle/P1010028.JPG
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http://www.designqueue.com/photos/turtle/P1010001.JPG
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http://www.designqueue.com/photos/turtle/P1010003.JPG
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Some very clever setups there i really like the basking area setup on 90 gal, thinking of doing something like that for my 30 gal cause i cant fill it full with floating dock because Puff gets out way too easily

The basking areas remind me of saunas!

Very nice, I've noticed the out-of-tank basking area's are getting popular!

what kind of tile did you use?? I want to make a out of tank basking platform too but I dont know what to use, i tried looking for rocks but then i always think of him getting his head stuck somewhere I also heard that ceramic tiles work too but i dont even know where to get that stuff out here. ANy help would be appreciated.

You can find them at Lowes or Home Depot. I just used a slate tile. Something like this:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

That basking area is awesome! I'm jealous!

The current one is a little different than the one in the original pics in the first post. This thread is old. The photos in my gallery in my signature are most current. I replaced the wooden ramp with a longer plexiglass one and added a third bracket. I also created a large turtle cave and other miscellaneous changes.

I've been using 12" ceramic tiles. I'm thinking about getting them trimmed to reduce the weight.

why do you have glass over the other end of the tank, is it just b/c the water is so high you dont want him to escape?

TNTurtles wrote:why do you have glass over the other end of the tank, is it just b/c the water is so high you dont want him to escape?

Yes in order to have the water level that high I needed to put the cover on it. The folding glass cover came with the tank. It also helps to keep the temperature in the tank constant because it slows the heat dissipation. Also I needed a place to lay the flourescent light.

How much did all this cost?

samandnelly wrote:How much did all this cost?

The whole setup?

whats sealed plywood? did you seal it yourself?

Andrew7769 wrote:whats sealed plywood? did you seal it yourself?

I used sealant that you would use for say an outside wooden deck around your house.