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Hello everyone! My girlfriend and I moved in recently and she brought her RES Gussy (figured it would make a good user name lol) with her. I love having the turtle here but he's in a tank that's just WAY to small. I call it his prison cell. He's got about a 7-8 inch shell and is currently in a 40gal tank. I've been using this site and forum to read up on what's exactly needed for the little guy and wanted to ask a few questions before spending a lot of money on the wrong stuff. I would love some feed back on the habitat I'm planning on setting up.

Tank
I plan on getting a 120 gal tank to avoid having to buy anything bigger in the future. The main question I have here is, is it recommended to get a tank with a bottom brace? The new tanks I see have bottom braces while the older used tank generally don't. Also, any suggested brands or features (I read overflows and sumps are not really that good for turtles)?

Filter
From what I read on here the best filter is the Fluval Fx6 Aquarium Canister Filter http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Fx6-Aquarium-Canister-Filter/dp/B00BJQ50HC. Is this correct? Is there another brand/model I should look at?

Heater
I haven't done a lot of researching on this matter yet. Is the heater a separate link in the chain or can it be used in the filter? Right now Gussy's water is room temp which I'm positive is not good. I'm guessing that there's a heater I can buy and put it between the FX6 and the tank? Any links or suggestions to good ones I'd really appreciate it.

Basking Area
What would be the best setup for the 120gal tank? Do I fill it all the way to the top with water and then build a basking area on top of that? I've seen a lot of cool ideas on the site but most of them have been for smaller RES. Or is it best to have the basking area contained within the tank?

I want to say thanks ahead of time for the help and please correct me on any information I may have incorrect. I'm a new turtle parent trying to learn

Welcome to the forum! Are you sure Gussy is a male? If so, you can get away with a smaller tank. They're cheaper and easier to find.

Steve is right, if a male, you can get away with a smaller tank.

However, larger is always better, both for swimming space and because more water means more water to dilute waste. Which is why I would go with an above tank basking area with whatever tank you end up with. It means more water for your turtle and for dealing with waste.

The FX6 is a great filter for a 90'gallon tank or a 120.

I would want a bottom brace. Right now, I have a 55 gallon, and it comes with a bottom brace.

As to heaters, you want enough for your tank. If your turtle is aggressive with stuff in the tank, you may want a shield or a heater that is protected.

Well I was always going on Gussy was a male based on my girlfriend calling him a male. But I just checked out the FAQ and it seems gussy is a female based on the front claw length. They're all about the same size and maybe an inch long.

I went ahead and ordered the fx6 this morning but am still looking for a tank and stand. I'll probably have to buy a new one because almost all of the used ones I've seen are without the brace. And I'm with you ljapa, the brace will give me a little extra piece of mind.

I'll see how creative i can get with the basking area and post pictures once I get everything bought and setup.

Thanks for the replies!

Inch long claws I'd lean towards male.

steve wrote:Inch long claws I'd lean towards male.

I would also say male. A picture would help with identification. A fat tail is also a good indicator its a male.

I'll get some pictures when I get home from work and post them. Maybe i'm just bad with measurement guessing lol

You may not need to always run the heater. Ideal temperature is about 75 degrees F. So that is room temperature much of the year in many climates. Do you have thermometers in the tank for both the basking area and the rest of the tank? I haven't been ambitious enough to build an ATBA yet for my 100 gallon tank. I just have a basking rock in the tank and my turtle does fine with that.