Well I FINALLY got an upgrade for Franklin!
Here is the old setup
75 gallon tank (a steal for $134 brand new) and the Fluval FX5! I recycled the biomax that was in the Fluval 406 and put it into the new FX5. It's amazing how much wider the tank is! Franklin used to have to squeeze in between the tank wall and log to get by. How he glides by it without even having to turn in the slightest.
After washing it out and making sure it was squeaky clean I started in on the task of getting the cling on the back of the tank. Let me tell you it is SO MUCH EASIER to put that thing on when the tank is empty and on its side! LOL Next the tank went on the stand and the light stands in place underneath the tank. I upgraded from two clamp lamps to a the large dual deep dome setup and moved one of the old clamp lamps to the other side so that I had even lighting across the tank. I got the intake and output set up and measured so that they were at their furthest points in the tank and placed the heater close to the intake.
Next I got the log back in place the air disk and air wall centered and then placed my stacking stones in the tank to fill in the spaces. (I had 4 packs of the stones and even purchased a 5th one and there STILL was a ton of left over room) Lamps in place and all of the wires fed where I wanted them
Time for some Water!
Add one VERY Happy Turtle!
I wanted to take a moment and again thank the countless people who have posted and replied on these forums about the FX5 and all of the needs and how to care for our turtles. My little guy would still be in this if I hadn't come across this site