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Is it just me or do thermometers seem a little sketchy? I mean, hw am I supposed to know whether or not they thermometer even work right, or if being outside of the glass will allow any of those sticky crystal thermometer things to read accurately?

(I started off with a small digital thermometer, but I had to trash it after it got wet.)

Do any of you use two thermometers in each area (water/basking)? Should I just get two thermometers, one digital and one of those sticky ones for each area to ensure accuracy?

(Also, and this is highly unrelated, but my turtles tank literally lacks anything beside the bare essentials: A few stalks of anarcharis floating around, water, the filter, the heater, the dock, and that's it. Should I even bother with aestetics or a 'ground' for my tank like gravel or sand? Should I put in decorations, ornaments, or plants? I just don't know where to start.)

I use two themometers, just to double check...isn't it kinda scary that they can be so unreliable? I use a sticky one on the tank and then double check it every couple of days with a digital one. For the basking area I have a cheap little plastic themometer that has a suction cup on it that I use as a double checker for the digital. Thankfully, I have never had different readings between the three. I hope nothing happens to them, because at this point I feel I can rely on them.

As for aesthetics, it's up to you and what you prefer. Do you prefer a natural looking environment, a modern environment? The classic fishtank look? I would shy away from sand, only because I have heard that it is messy and can cause issues with the filter. I use small, smooth black rocks from the craft section at walmart. They are about the size of small eggs. I also have a large piece of pvc pipe that they can swim through and hide in. I also have a couple pieces of fish tank decoration...a sunken bell, and car. The car is light enough that my turtles can push it up and down and get under it. I pile the rocks when I clean and let them dig in them. For ideas though, browse the photo section, some people have some really great set ups.

For ideas on tank interiors, you could look at the Photo Gallery.

I have a digital thermometer and regular indoor thermometer to check the basking area. For the water, I use a digital thermometer with a probe in the water and very occasionally compare it with a conventional aquarium thermometer.

okie, this sounds silly...what kind of digital thermometer do you use and can i get it any pharmacy like CVS and such? when i hear "digital thermometer," i think of the ones we, humans, use to measure our temperatures, either placed under our tongue or armpits.

The digital thermometers that are talked about on here are made with probes attached so that the probe goes in the water to take the temp. Here's an example of just one of many different kinds you can find on the market for aquariums: http://www.petdiscounters.com/product.p ... 347&page=1