Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:12 am
For the hang-on filter (AquaClear 110), look into small privately owned shops, oftentimes they specialize in equipment, and have prices off the roof, or up to 50% cheaper from the average large pet chain retailer (PetSmart for example). If you want to save money in the long run, AND you have a big tank/bin (the high rated canister filters are too powerful for small spaces), buy a canister filter, Rena FilStar xP4 (I highly recommend, easy to clean, reliable IMO), or something rated for a high capacity (Such as Fluval FX5). However, Canister Filters don't come cheap, the two I mentioned above exceed 200(Up to 400) dollars CDN.
Well most of the time, pet shops that specialize or just have a reptile section should come with UVB compact bulbs alongside the average long fluorescent bulbs that you mentioned. PetSmart should carry them for real. If not, try another pet superstore such as Petland or PetCetera (Are they in Ontario?). I bought mine at a smaller shop, but not all small shops have them. UVB Compact Bulbs function exactly like a normal UVB fluorescent tube, except they're smaller, shaped like a bulb, and they fit into a normal lamp like a regular incandescent bulb, this is what you're asking for. The most commonly used UVB Compact is the ReptiSun 10.0 Compact, however I looked all over the city and couldn't find it for some reason, so I use the Exo-Terra UVB 10.0 instead (I found this bulb everywhere in my city). The packaging for the Exo-Terra UVB 10.0 says recommended for Desert Terraniums, but it works great for turtles.
Though it's not that healthy, yes, your turtles will be fine 2 weeks or so without UVB, unless they're really young, there may be a risk to it, or they're already sick. Before I found this site and before I had internet 7 years ago, I had a turtle that lived for about 8 years, and it never had a UVB light source (though it did go out to the backyard on warm summer days).
If I can recall how much my set-up cost (prices do not include GST):
I used a heavy duty steel rack reinforced with additional steel and wood supports, I didn't pay for the rack, it was unused in the garage, but a new one would cost about 80-120 CDN, extra materials for support, ~15 CDN.
Exo Terra UVB 10.0: 22 CDN (I bought at a smaller shop, My PetSmart sold for 26-30 CDN).
A cheap clamp on study lamp from Rona: 8 CDN (You really need two lamps, but I had an old one already for the UVA bulb).
Rena FilStar xP4: 200 CDN (After looking around in 5 shops, PetSmart included. The PetSmart here priced it at 350 CDN, so I saved 150 CDN just for driving to a few more pet shops, another small pet store had it at 340 CDN).
90 Gallon Tank, New: 200 CDN (Again, after looking around 4-5 pet stores around town, I found this in a small shop. Another small shop had it at 250 CDN, and my PetSmary didn't even have a 90 Gallon Tank, just an 80 Gallon at 300 CDN).
Zoo-Med Turtle Dock, Large: 45 CDN (Now I think this price was outrageous, but since in my Province, the sale of aquatic turtles is not allowed, so turtle-specific items are low in demand, and low in stock, most pet shops didn't have it at all, except the large pet chains. My PetSmart had some, but they didn't have any Large Size, only Medium and below. So I drove around town to this one independent large Pet Store and they had one in stock, one. And it looked it like was there for a long time too, since the box was banged up and stuff).
250w Marineland Visi-Therm Stealth Heater: 49 CDN (Again, for some reason, only the large pet chains had this specific type of heater for sale, so I was forced to make a purchase at PetSmart). It's a good recommended heater by the way, it's encased in plastic, so no worries of broken glass (since turtles are pretty rowdy in the water).
A 250 mL or so of ReptiSafe Water Conditioner: 11 CDN (Again, not found in small shops, bought at PetSmart).
Stick-On Thermometer: 3 CDN (From Pet section, Wal-Mart).
Large Cuttlebone: 3 CDN (PetSmart brand, bought from PetSmart).
The large can of ReptoMin turtle food: 21 CDN (From PetSmart, other shops only had it in small cans).
Background, 12 CDN (Bought by the foot, 4 feet at PetSmart. Works out to be 3 CDN per foot. This isn't necessary, but I thought it would look better than having your wall as the background, it looks great).
Filter Media for my Canister Filter: 70 CDN (Two boxes of Rena brand ceramic rings, and 1 pouch of Carbon, bought at a small shop after browsing around, my PetSmart didn't even carry these items, and the next shop had them at about 40% higher price). You won't need to worry about Filter Media for a hang-on filter, you only need a little or none (depending on brand of filter), so it's cheap.
Hey hey hey.
