Habitat - Indoor :: Lencho's New Home!

[Vynzent]

Hi all,
I just thought I'd post a picture of Lencho's new home. He was living in a reptile tank 30"x12"x12" with at most half a foot of water and his cave taking up a lot. He also had a shallow-water filter, no UVB bulb, no heater, and gravel.

Now he's in this

I got an Aqueon Pro heater, uvb lamp, aquarium sand, and a Sunsun canister filter.
I love how well the Sunsun works! I took the photo with a bad setting on a phone camera, the water is a very lite green tint and very clear. Also, I once accidentally drank a bit when siphoning the sand (luckily didn't get sick) and it tasted like plain old tap water
Gonna get an automatic cleaner when I can.

The tank is 24"x48"x12" It remains a bit narrow, but was the best I could do for now and a huge upgrade to his previous living condition. If he insists on living another decade (he's turning 10) he will surely see a very large tank someday.

I really want to make the ground more green, but Lencho loves destroying things. I have a little plant inside that prism decoration but Lencho's head fits inside the gaps so... half of the plant is left. I am working on ideas to install plants as well as protection around them in ways that won't significantly reduce Lencho's swimming space. I'm also raising the water level since there is still good space beneath the basking platform.


I'd also like to have little critters to feed on leftover debris/waste and I'm sure they'll find the protected zones a good safe living space. Nothing that will grow large, of course. I'm thinking very, very small critters. Anyone know good cleaner critters that stay small?

[steve]

Great job, everything looks amazing. I'm not sure from the pic, but you'd want both the basking light and UVB over his basking area. You might want to get a background if you want to make it look more natural or something. As for any critters... aside from fish, I'm not sure what would help you with waste. Snails don't move fast and they might not help much with the usual stuff turtles eat.

[Vynzent]

Thanks Steve.

I had the UV light toward the water just while finding out why Lencho wouldn't bask (water was warm). I fixed the heater dial down.

I think I'd like to install a simple black background behind the tank. I think it would be nice to have it make things in the tank really pop with contrast.

Thanks. Today I bought a bunch of tiny feeder minnows and a few ghost shrimp. I am expecting them gone quick, but at least they're not expensive.

I also got driftwood bits and piece of lava rock. I picked out things with spaces like little caves so the little guys can hide as long as they can.
Setting up Lencho's tank has been a fun project thus far, even if he does insist on moving everything out of place

[steve]

I'm not sure if you want to try it, but you can spray paint it black, or spray it with something that is easier to remove (Plastidip?). They also have background gels but I hear it's a messy way to apply.

Be careful with any small caves. They like to hide but also squeeze and turn around in them, so you want to make sure they can easily get in and out. They're growing fast too, so you want to regularly check.

[Vynzent]

Spraying the back of the tank with paint sounds interesting, I may try that with a small spare tank before deciding if I should do that with the big tank. Would be a good permanent background.

Here is what the tank looks like now:

I moved the lights again to take the picture.

Here is a close-up of the little cave space I made on the far left of the tank:

It's well secured. Lencho knows the fish are there and has tried fitting his head in there all day with no success. The orange rock blocks him off.
There is another little cave on the far right made with the driftwood piece. Some of the larger ghost shrimp hide out in that one.

Almost done with my setup.
I want two more (small)wood pieces in the middle and/or two more plants. Tomorrow I'll finish-finish his basking dock. Its floor right now is a plastic-covered clipboard because his claws get badly stuck on the aluminum mesh that is the actual base. The ramp had the same problem but I super-glued slate rock tiles on it. No problem since. Gonna cover the dock with tiles now.

[litefoot]

Hi , in the first picture look's like a cave on top of basking area so Lencho has a hiding spot and feel more comfortable ? That's nice but the turtle needs the direct light from the UV and UVB bulbs. The UVB light is blocked by a lot of material even glass tops. If you keep it there make another basking area not blocking the light waves... one to warm up on and the other if he just wants to dry out on. May not have room for that so simply say put that cave in the water . If he doesn't feel safe on it once cave is moved use cardboard on the outside so he thinks he's safe. He needs the light waves for good health.

Setup looking great! !

[Vynzent]

Hi , in the first picture look's like a cave on top of basking area so Lencho has a hiding spot and feel more comfortable ? That's nice but the turtle needs the direct light from the UV and UVB bulbs. The UVB light is blocked by a lot of material even glass tops. If you keep it there make another basking area not blocking the light waves... one to warm up on and the other if he just wants to dry out on. May not have room for that so simply say put that cave in the water . If he doesn't feel safe on it once cave is moved use cardboard on the outside so he thinks he's safe. He needs the light waves for good health.
Setup looking great! !

You're very right. The cave was mostly a measure to keep him from escaping, and I also didn't know what to do with it. I thought about tossing it.

I went ahead and returned it underwater though, and because the new tank is long and tall it doesn't take up too much space. I have an old tank cover I can use for anti-escape, I'll just have to move the filter intake tube out of the way. Thanks for the comment and important suggestion

The cave did cover a good amount of the sand I wanted to decorate.

[litefoot]

In the past caves that took up to much room on bottom , wedged them against the back glass and then decorate as needed. Wall cave ? Gives them a different hiding / sleeping place , you could make it high or low , both works. I had one high so they could use it as a resting spot in the water , others out the water as a dry dock also. My friends/kids/turtles loved it.

[Vynzent]

Here is Lencho's home 90+% finished. Just a couple moss balls on their way but I am finally done for a while


Couldn't get rid of all the reflection.
The cave is down there now on the right. Also, it is now "burping" cave! I have near the bubble stone, which slowly fills a big bubble on its ceiling. Every few minutes or so it burps it out toward the entrance
The minnows have also made themselves at home, they're not scared of Lencho anymore.

[litefoot]

Looking Good ! look's like Lencho has you trained to be a good parent.

[Vynzent]

Looking Good ! look's like Lencho has you trained to be a good parent.

Indeed!
and thanks