General Care Discussion

Hello Everyone

So, i've been running about all day after going through those ATBA pictures, rearranging my tank and making it more...
awesome o.o
Poor Georgia got so tired of being in a box

so i though i'd show the improvements

(and to fit in this category, below are some questions i have about the heater, water improvements, turtle's shell, Light, and filter...lol)
But first, the tank (:
Before:
http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv17 ... CN1248.jpg
After w/o ATBA:
http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv17 ... CN1267.jpg
And now with:
http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv17 ... CN1323.jpg
woot woot!

I haven't got a decent ramp yet, (hopefully tomorrow) but for now she climbs up the black thingy and then the rock, onto the basking area. which is very, very bare right now o.o
http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv17 ... CN1324.jpg
Suggestions to liven it up?
& what should i use for the bottom? Fake grass?

Okay, now to questions haha.
First, i don't have a heater. My turtle is still acting normal and all, and my room stays a pretty constant temp. anyway, but i want to get a new one. (the old one cracked open and boiled the water.... my turtle managed to climb ontop of the hood of the tank, and thats where i found her a couple weeks ago.. shes fine except a bit less friendly, hisses when shes scared,a dn i think it may have messed up her vision a bit. Glad she got out though :shock:

)
Anywho, i want to get the right one. I have a 55 gallon, and am considering this one:
http://www.freshmarine.com/eh-jager-heater-200watt.html
thoughts?

Also, i use Stress Zyme and Stress Coat in my turtles tank, just like with my fish tanks. It keeps the turtle, (and fishes) slime coat healthy and.. well, slimy. and Stress Zyme helps with biological filtration. So far as i know these are fine to use with Turts, but incase anyone has heard otherwise, that'd be great to know (:
Next, lol, my turtles shell. The people before me tried giving me some story about how Georgia was hit (twice) by a shotgun, and that is what the smudges on her shell were from. (is that even possible?)
But, i think they were just trying to cover up that she may not have been an insanely healthy turtle. (They had her in a 20 gallon long, with no basking light, and shes 6 inches and 1/4

)
So, heres a pic of that, can anyone tell me what it is? The spots are circled.
http://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv17 ... CN1275.jpg
Also, is her shell very.. washed out/ not colorful compared to most?

Okay, heres the bad part...
I don't have a UVB light, but i've read some of them are bad to get so if someone would just point me to the one i actually need, i'll have it in a jiffy :shock:

I assume, since the last owner didn't have one, that shes been without her whole life. So this is currently highest priority.

Okay last but not least, filter. I have a 55, and i have one of these:
http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com ... 878253.jpg
Not sure which one, cause Turtle came with it.
I'm thinking its a 30 gallon? maybe a bit more?
But it seems to do the job well if i clean off the filter a few times a week. But still, if i was going to upgrade,
and get a in-the-tank filter, what would you guys suggest?

okay haha thanks if you've stuck around this long

any and all fed back is greatly appreciated!

-Faith

Tank looks good. In the first pic, I know it's not the setup right now but the screen would be blocking any UVB rays. I know you don't have the light yet, just so ya know. The Jager heater I think is the most liked one on this board, so that's good. Don't know anything about stresszyme or stresscoat, so I dunno. The white bits on the shell looks like bone to me.. This could be from not having UVB its whole life. I'm not 100% on this though. UVB is important for the turtle to process calcium. You need to get that light. I would also make sure your feeding it right, and maybe a vitamin dusting on its food would be good right now. Unfortunately the filter is not gonna be good for a 55 gal Turtle tank. I would check out Rena XP3, it's a canister filter and probably the best quality for the price you'll find. I hope this helps. Someone else should be able give a better comment on what's going on with the shell. But I think with the correct setup and a few sheds will be looking like new :mrgreen:

Oh the rays are thay touchy? its only a cloth screen... not wire... that would of blocked it out? Crazyness.
Yea that thing was only on top of their cause turtle figured out how to climb on top of the thing i had originally held the long light up with, so i knew she could climb out, and didn't want to come how one day with her fallen to her death

And i didnt have a top so that was the next best thing : P

Yea i got that about the Jager, but also i've heard that it shatters easily... That its really only meant for small fish...
Anyone ever had problems with it shattering?

Yes, that light is high in my to-get list. I've only had her 2 months.
Can anyone tell me roughly what age they thing she is?
She 6 1/4"
They told me she had been a wild turtle, rescued after someone shot her with a shotgun... but i dunno. She seems far too tame.. And i think being shot with a shotgun would do more damage but maybe not..

Thats a pretty spendy filter.. :shock:

I was hoping for something that would be at the most $50... and sits inside the tank. But if i have to compromise on this i can do my best to save up.

Thank you so much for replying ^^ It's nice to get some feed back

Yes anything that goes between UVB bulb and the turtle will block rays. Heaters will shatter if you have them on outside the water. It needs to be unplugged and left in the water for about 15 mins before you bring it out. I use an Aqueon heater, but people here like the Jager the best. A female turtle that's 6 inches probably has a little more growing to do so you can only estimate the age. Under 8 years probably? Yeah, the filter is the priciest part. An inside tank filter won't do the job on a 55 gallon. Your gonna be changing water everyday to keep it clean. They say to get a filter that's rated 3x the tank size for turtles. That's why I mentioned the XP3, it's rated for 175 gallons. Also, I think you should try to keep the water as clean as possible right now with those white patches. It looks like it's something that needs to heal.

Oh i think when they were talking about the heater they just meant that eh glass is really thin, or something to that effect. like, the turtle might be too rough for it.
I posted this about the filter:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29315
So i might be getting that, he said it goes at 365 gallons per hour.

yes, will do o.o

and i just got the ramp on for my ATBA, do you think it is too steep for her to climb up onto?
http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv17 ... CN1331.jpg

Ramp looks good. As long as there's something on there for traction, she shouldn't have a problem. My best advice would be to research the hell out of anything you buy. Google it, search it on forums. Or just ask us. Also, you might wanna make a post in urgent care or general care with your turtle's shell condition in the topic. I dunno if everyone's seeing it, I think it might be something that you want to get looked at.

hmm well i asked Steve to look at it since he seems to know a lot about fungus & whatnot... hopefully he will post&reply.
And i havent seen her go up it yet, but hoping she is when im not around..

I just replied, however your question was in the introduction forums. Basically, there does look like some fungus on the shell and the area circled looks like something else - possibly shell rot. Does it have a different texture than the rest of the shell?

Oh yea, i saw & replied.
Should i have made a new thread in care?
sorry : (

It's okay.. Have you had a chance to take Steve's advice and look?

Yea, i've been talking to him. It does sound like fungus, sadly. :[

General Care Discussion :: So much newb-ness. Specification on many things, please (:

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