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I just set up a 55 gallon tank for "Sheba", and needing a basking ramp. I got the Zoo Med ramp from PetSmart, and will end up taking it back. It sure seems flimsey. All they had was a small, and the other pet stores around me didn't have any. If anyone has pix of what they have constructed on their own, I'd love to see it. I was reading on some posts some ideas people had for ramps, and the one with PVC sounded interesting.I really need to see a picture. Also, the store had a RES about 4 inches in a tank with just enough water to cover her. I went to the manager and told him that is not enough water for an RES. He was very appreciative of the info and said he would take care of it. We'll see......the turt looks very healthy, and the environment was quite clean, but way too little water. She looked frustrated. I sure was tempted to buy her....but can't. I have one and a 55 gal. tank is just for her, she's not yet 5" big.

Look at back posts in the photo gallery. I think there are some of basking areas using PVC pipes there.

I found a couple of good ideas, not the pvc pipe ones, but somthing made out of wood and makeshift ramp, and another that has a platform with a ramp and outdoor type carpet. They're attached to a tank like mine, too. I can't wait to try and make them. Thanks for the suggestion of going to the photo gallery.

Here you go.

I used bricks from the hardware store (cleaned and baked) and then got a piece of couple of peices of slate. $10 maximum and the turts like the cave it makes





The top pick was mid cleaning so the water level is usualy higher

Love the pic of your two RES! In the picture, the one on the right has such big eyes.

Those pictures are cool, I like how are they are laying together like that.

Thank you.

I owe my wife for that pic. They stay like that when I'm in the room, but as soon as I get the camera the little one bolts for the water.

My Wife on the other hand will get them to pose all day long.

Hello gammeragirl, I seen a wooden basking area on another turtle website (I found out that the website had some things that should not be on a turtle forum) Anyway, I built one and posted some pic's on this picture gallery, If you need any help on an "out of the tank" design to save precious tank space, please feel free to ask me if your are interested in the design we built, I would be glad to give you the dimensions and what not. Also, on how our res liked their new basking area.

woa!! you have a BIG tank. How many gallons does it hold? How much did you pay for it and where did you get it?? Just curious...

It's a 55 gal. We were so lucky, A local resturant had the tank and stand for sale.

TinySlider, that's the picture I got off the photo gallery!! and gave to my husband and told him to make me one, if he can. He said he could. I also like BigCT's set up. What is that ramp made from? I just got a 55 gallon tank from Petsmart. I checked in the newspaper for people selling aquariums, thinking I could get a good deal, just for the tank, but people want a fortune, at least around here (Orlando area). So, I ended up with the new one with a nice double power filter, heater, and lamps from Petsmart for $160. (Sounds like a lot, I know, but it's really nice.) I also have an underwater fluval, which I think works great.

gammeragirl, if you got all that stuff for $160, then you got a great deal! I seen a pic of the wooden doc and I thought that that it would be neat to make one like it and save some space in the tank. I made the wooden dock and it took a few days for them to get use to it. But im not really satisfied on the results after the past month. We had a floating dock before and our turts seemed to love it, they would bask all the time, the floating dock was in the tank so they could see "us". With the wooden dock they can't see us and they don't go all the way up to the basking light, I think that they like to keep an eye on us as well. Anyway, looking at the pic of our wooden dock, I think that I am going to cut a square in the side of it and put Plexiglas so they can see out. I think that they will feel more comfortable. Oh yea, I made the ramp out of a plastic "top" from a container and then I put down some green rubber matting on top of the ramp. I used plastic because it will not rot in the water.

nice big tank. thats a great idea for the basking dock. however do you have anyproblems with them climbing over and around it? have they ever escaped?

yeah glam that is a great price they run about 270 in the area I live in. I was looking at up grading around the time my husband is getting back from Iraq, but they are so expensive!!

I too am thinking about changing over to plexi glass. I am looking for new ideas everyday. I think Plexiglass is the cleaniest and the best for Neptune.

We haven't had any problems with them crawling out, the sides are 6 inches high so they can't reach the top, the sides extend out past the ramp so they can't reach out there either.