Habitat - Indoor :: setting up new home

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 9:40 am   setting up new home

In the next couple of weeks, I am planning on setting up a new home for my turtles. I plan on getting a tank around the 90-100 gallon range. I am hoping that the experts here could give me a general range of the other equipment I should have with this size of tank. I do have some stuff with my 50 gallon tank, but when I upgrade, I want to be done with one shopping experience. I have a couple of stealth heaters, but not designed for this size of tank, hood lighting system, thermometer, a basking ramp, a floating log, an underwater rock, and a few plastic plants.
I am really looking for a good list so I can do this one right unlike my first set up.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Dean
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Post Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 1:38 pm   

Ooo! Lucky turtle! ;)

Well, the next biggest investment besides the tank is the filter. For a 90-100 gal, you'll want something big. I use a Fluval FX5 for my 90 gal tank, and I love it. I haven't heard anyone who's made the investment of the FX5 who's not happy with it.
Now, these are ridiculously priced in stores ($300+), but if you go on ebay, you can pick one up brand new for around $200 with shipping, or sometimes even cheaper!

There are other options for filters. The Rena XP4 would do nicely, but I haven't heard too much about it. You could also go for two smaller filters. With your 50 gal, you probably already have a decent filter, maybe even a canister filter? Depending on the GPH of your existing filter, you might be able to get away with a waterfall filter, or a "small" canister filter.

In my 90 gal, I use a 300W heater (Tetra brand, I think). That keeps the temp just fine. In fact, I just took it out because it's getting too hot for the summer.
You can use this calculator here to see the approx heater wattage you'll want. You can "add up" wattage as well, so 2 150 W heaters = 1 300 W heater, then you can put one at each end of the tank so the heat is dispersed better.

You may have to tweak your current lighting system so it fits the new tank, but that hopefully won't be too big of a deal.

Also, you may want to build an underwater resting platform. A 90-100 gal is a lot taller than a 50 gal, so you have have a small turtle, he'd appreciate it, I'm sure. Also, they love to use these to sleep on, since it's not too far to the top to get a breath.

I'm not sure if I've missed anything, but I'm sure someone will come along behind me to add it :)
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BullDog
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Post Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:33 am   new tank

Thanks for the info Bulldog. I learned the hard way and am still learning but the next purchase needs to be the last...hopefully LOL.
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Post Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 1:01 am   

About the resting platforms, a clear suction cup soap dish will work very well. They are about $2-3 at pretty much any store.

I put one in Squirts tank and he loves to sleep on it as well as take breaks.
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Post Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 11:43 am   

I have the Rena FX4 filter running on a 75 Gallon tank and it is doing great! The water is very clear.
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