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Hi ! New to this forum but not turtles. Kept RES's over thirty years until 2005 Hurricane Katrina , lost all my friends (5-RES) but one 9" male (Mickey) and one 11" female (Minnie) in a 4000 gallon outdoor pond . Also had two 150 gallon indoor ponds. New home in 2007 ,no pond , had to rehome the female and that took awhile to do. Local Aquatic gardens took her. Small house nowhere for several hundred gallons. I could only keep one. My better half now told me that Mickey had to go...tired of his attitude/getting out the tank. 150 gallons with a land area was just to much for her and not as big as I wanted Mickey to have. Found a neighbor while riding my bike five miles away that had a outdoor pond. Talked about two weeks and they took him. They think they seen a turtle in there pond but was not put in by them. Today Mickey looks OK in his new home and yes there was a small local mud turtle already there. I have seen both swimming together. All good !

Five days ago I was told I could have another turtle if small. Already had a map turtle in mind , males only 5" . Best of my knowledge a map and sliders are almost the same set up , just a little different with temp and need a better range of water. RES's could take anything I found over the years. Much wider range of everything. Map's not so much. Here's a link to a short video on my first attempt. Open for any ideas as long as it don't take more space. Already have a 3'x5' area and my better half will not give up anymore. Thank's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BQnmC8zgQ

Hi litefoot! Overall, I really enjoyed your video and your setup! It doesn't look like you need to do anything. Sand seems to work better as a substrate, and is a bit easier to clean. How did you attach the dock to the cinderblock?

Thanks' Steve. Used clear monofilament fishing leader attached at both ends to keep dock stable. Always done that over the years with other homemade docks and never gave me or any turtle trouble. This zoo med floating dock was the smallest I had and seems to be a size that should work when he's an adult. If larger (she) will have several DIY I've made over the years. I'm a pack rat , keep everything... Really hoping its a male so to keep everything on the smaller size. At my age just can't have several hundred gallons and not alone anymore. Coast was to give my better half a sewing room... just for one turtle. If the Maps a male name will be Chopsley from the Doctor Morgus show . Yes stuck on names from the fifty's , Mickey Mouse show , Sid Noels Morgus and so on. Had a good looking adult female RES before Hurricane Katrina named Annette.

Great names! Sorry to hear that you had lost some, but I do understand the reluctance of acquiring more.

What are you using to hold up the lights?

Being a pack-rat paid off here. My old adjustable reading task floor lamp , think we got it at wayfair. Trying to keep up with the grandkids now a days. Gone from reading hard copy's to using a tablet so I sacrificed the oem light for my mini dome.

Very clever, it looks pretty cool as well.