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Is it safe to use a stainless steel pan in your tank? I was using a plastic tray with sand in it, in a pvc frame, for them to rest in. The plastic tray wasn't as stable as I would like, so I got a stainless steel steam table pan. It works fine, but now I'm reading that even stainless steel shouldn't be used in an aquarium. Thanks in advance!

I think there are several factors to consider... like the grade of the steel, any coatings or how it will be in contact with the water. Can you post a picture of how it looks?

It is steam table pan. I think it is 18/8. I will check asap. I have it in a pvc frame underwater with sand in it. I tried adding a pic but it says the file is too big. Will have to figure out how to reduce the size of the file.

I was able to upload a picture....waiting for help to take topper off to see if there are more details on bottom of pan. I'm sure it is 18/8 stainless steel. It is food quality for a steam table.

I hope you get an answer about the steel however I wanted to ask about your setup. did you make the ATBA?

No, after several failed attempts I had a carpenter build it for me. I attached a picture looking through one end towards the basking area. I would love to decorate, but Jasmine will eat anything and everything.

The whole tank looks pretty cool. I'd look for any rust or discoloration for now. It should probably be safe from what I'm reading. Those digital thermometers are also not known to be very accurate, I'd have a second type as backup.

Thanks Steve! I will watch for any discoloration. My only regret with the tank is that I should have gotten 8' x 3' x 2'. This tank is 6' x 2' x 2', and seems crowded when trying to construct anything. I have 2 strip thermometers, one on each side. I really don't trust those. I have two digital that I compare. Is there another type you suggest? Jasmine is very destructive, so I would worry about a glass one. I've enclosed the heaters in PVC, so she can't peck on those. I plan on having a cabinet built to attach to the tank that will have a nesting pan for her, and adding another filter. I have a fluval fx5, but after a couple weeks I can 'smell' the tank...can't hurt to add another one. Thanks again for your help with the stainless steel. They really enjoy their sand bed. I will add a background, and would love to put plants in the basking area, but one of them has passed leaves from a plant that was in their tank in Italy so I'm not taking any chances. I don't know how it took so long to go through their system, but they haven't been exposed to any plants of any kind since they've been in the States. I'm just glad they went through, and hope they don't have anymore to pass. Thanks again...this site has been very helpful from the beginning...it's hard to believe they were about the size of a half dollar when my niece brought them home!

I'm glad to be of help! Would your floor be able to support an 8ft tank? I like to use an infrared heat gun as my main thermometer. You point, click and it's get you a reading in a second. There are also fancy thermometers with alarms and such. Was the plant real or fake? Have the heater guards been effective? I wonder if you need more holes in them. Are you using VeipaCrays media layout recommendations?

Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. The holidays are always hectic..lol. The tank is set up in the finished basement on the concrete foundation. I bought an infrared heat gun from Lowes. I'm beginning to trust it...it's hard for me to let go of the idea of not having something physically touch the water...lol...Does that make sense?... The heater guards have been great. Jasmine is so destructive. She would have shattered them by now. I have two Aqueon 300 heaters and run them at 72° to maintain 77° through out the tank. Don't know how that works out, but I had to keep lowering them until it finally dropped to 77°. Thanks for directing me to VeipaCrays media layout. I was using Carbon in the top...Zeolite in the middle...bio in the bottom. I have ordered the blue filter pads and bought more bio media, so I can set it up properly when I change in out next week. I also bought a second Fluval FX....may not need it with the proper media set up, but it's always nice to have a back up. The plants were fake. We had had them in the old tank since there were itty bitty and never noticed them touching them as they grew up. I was in the States from October until June when they arrived here. One of them had to have started eating them. My husband was so busy he wouldn't have noticed. I'm not sure which one passed them, but I hope all that was eaten has passed. I don't understand how it could take a week, much less a month, for something to pass, but they haven't had access to any plants whatsoever in this tank. I even had my husband send me a pic of the leaves from the old tank. Needless to say, they will never have any plastic plants again.

Turtles, like most reptiles, have extremely slow digestive systems. That is why they only need a small amount of food every 2 days. Not that they won't eat more if you give it to them though, and they will grow accordingly, this is the root of most peoples problems with their turtles. Feeding too much leads to fast growth which leads to shell problems and a lot more waste to deal with in the tank, which could lead to more unhealthy conditions.

Just throwing this in, the stainless steel should be fine. heck pots and pans are made out of them. Also if anyone ever had to have an iv of any kind put into them. The metal tip is stainless steel.

SS comes in different grades. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades

Common cookware that is 18/8 SS is 304. 304 SS will eventually corrode in saltwater but is OK in freshwater. The impeller shaft on your filter's pump is either 316 SS or ceramic.

Thanks regarding the stainless steel question/answers that gives me peace of mind. I will be adding 2nd fluval fx in a few days with new media layout. Tank wise I think things are coming together.