# Aquatic Turtle Tank



## Cornputer

Hi everyone,
Just sharing some pics of my turtles and their setup. Let know what you think.

Tank Stats:

2 male mississippi map turtles
1 male razorback musk turtle
20 gallan tank
Mesh topping
Aquaclear 50 powerhead filter
Stealth 200w Heater
Gravel (from the lake)
2x Heating dome lamps (day/night) on timer
2x Floating dock


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## Kerohime

Too cute! I love this setup. 

Do you have a fluorescent UVB lamp as well?

And I think you might need to upgrade for the Missippi Map turtles, they get pretty big from what I remember.


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## pat3612

Very nice your turtles look very happy very bright eyes . Nice job


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## Ciddian

Yea I wasnt sure if you went with a Merc vapor bulb or not.

Adorable!!!


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## Cornputer

Kerohime said:


> Too cute! I love this setup.
> 
> Do you have a fluorescent UVB lamp as well?
> 
> And I think you might need to upgrade for the Missippi Map turtles, they get pretty big from what I remember.





Ciddian said:


> Yea I wasnt sure if you went with a Merc vapor bulb or not.
> 
> Adorable!!!


Hmmm come to think of it...I don't have a UVB lamp. So far they seem ok without one. Had them almost a year now. I'm using a 75W Swamp Glo (Day/Basking)(don't think is UVB) and 50W Night Glo (Night) from Exo Terra.

I'm hoping the mississippi maps get to about 6 inches max which is the usual size for a male. Females get larger. Or so I've read.



pat3612 said:


> Very nice your turtles look very happy very bright eyes . Nice job


Thanks. They watch my every move whenever I'm around. Mostly wanting food


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## shark

nice maps man, they look cool small. I have a huge map she always ripping up meh tank.


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## Jorg

Nice set-up. I really want some baby map turtles but they are near impossible to find around here.


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## Cornputer

shark said:


> nice maps man, they look cool small. I have a huge map she always ripping up meh tank.


How many inches is she ?



Jorg said:


> Nice set-up. I really want some baby map turtles but they are near impossible to find around here.


Thanks. Maps are almost readily found here in GTA.


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## camboy012406

I really like turtles but I never had one since I was a kid maybe I wil get one in the future. btw what do turtles eat?


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## Jackson

Nice set up 

If they are all males you might run I to trouble once they are fully mature. Especially with the musk turtles. They can be very aggressive and can beat or kill bigger turtles.


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## Cornputer

camboy012406 said:


> I really like turtles but I never had one since I was a kid maybe I wil get one in the future. btw what do turtles eat?


I feed them a regular diet alternating between ReptoMin sticks and ReptoTreat suprema (krill). Dried gammarus as a snack if you like. I also have feed them zuchini and watermelon slices before . Try not to overfeed them to avoid growth spurts.



Jackson said:


> Nice set up
> 
> If they are all males you might run I to trouble once they are fully mature. Especially with the musk turtles. They can be very aggressive and can beat or kill bigger turtles.


Yea. My bro had some red-ear slicers they fought more as they matured. But I'm hoping these can get along. They have been doing well from hatchlings. I'll keep an eye on them for now.


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## shark

She about 8


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## ajdelosr

Nice to see more turtle postings on here, I should post my setup I have for my RES. You might not have noticed them doing fine without UVB lights because it's more of an internal thing for them. UVB when absorbed helps speed up their metabolism and digestion and breaking down food and what not. Although my cousin has a 2 year old RES now and he stopped using the light too so I'm sure they'll be fine, they just won't be living in the life of luxury.


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## Jackson

Heat is what speeds up metabolism.

UV rays is important it helps produce vitamin D3, which is necessary for calcium metabolism. Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin with exposure to UV light. It is what helps with the shell and skin. 
I use them with my turtles and in the summer they go outside in tubs for at least 8 hrs of sun. 
Vitamin d3 supplements don't do the same and will not work as well as it should without UV rays.

They don't cost much the flo sun bulbs are what I use. Just buy a cheap 24" fixture from Canadian tire. If you buy the flo bulb just get the ones with the highest uv rating. They last about 6 months.


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## ajdelosr

Jackson said:


> Heat is what speeds up metabolism.
> 
> UV rays is important it helps produce vitamin D3, which is necessary for calcium metabolism. Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin with exposure to UV light. It is what helps with the shell and skin.
> I use them with my turtles and in the summer they go outside in tubs for at least 8 hrs of sun.
> Vitamin d3 supplements don't do the same and will not work as well as it should without UV rays.
> 
> They don't cost much the flo sun bulbs are what I use. Just buy a cheap 24" fixture from Canadian tire. If you buy the flo bulb just get the ones with the highest uv rating. They last about 6 months.


That's what it was, I thought it was one or the other. And without the vitamin d3 I believe that's what causes shell and bone deformation or soft shell.


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## Jackson

ajdelosr said:


> That's what it was, I thought it was one or the other. And without the vitamin d3 I believe that's what causes shell and bone deformation or soft shell.


Yup you are correct 

Not a pretty site and they suffer really bad when that happens.


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## Ciddian

I would take the time and invest in a light. I have a male who has a wonky shell since I didn't realize the light wasn't the right amount of UV. 

I love the different personalities all turtles seem to have.. I just met mine at the door today. Got out again.. LOL


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## ajdelosr

Ciddian said:


> I would take the time and invest in a light. I have a male who has a wonky shell since I didn't realize the light wasn't the right amount of UV.
> 
> I love the different personalities all turtles seem to have.. I just met mine at the door today. Got out again.. LOL


I know what you mean, my new RES is terrified when I first come in the room. And then he realizes I'm the one that brings him food and begs by the closest wall I'm near.


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## Cornputer

I'm gonna swap out my night glo for a repti glo 5.0 or 10.0. Any suggestions on which is more suitable for my setup? (see above pics). Also, 13w or 26w bulb?

Thanks.


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## carmenh

There aren't any turtles that top out at 4-5" MAX, are there?


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## Jackson

Cornputer said:


> I'm gonna swap out my night glo for a repti glo 5.0 or 10.0. Any suggestions on which is more suitable for my setup? (see above pics). Also, 13w or 26w bulb?
> 
> Thanks.


I only use the 10.0

Watts I don't know because I use the flo bulbs and the watts depends on the size of the bulb. It might be the same with those type of fixtures you have. Buggers bulbs higher watts I guess.


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## Jackson

carmenh said:


> There aren't any turtles that top out at 4-5" MAX, are there?


They are not easy to find here but you can if you look around. Stripe neck musk turtles. So cool and aggressive. I had a group of them two years ago but sold them after I bought my FRT. Luckys is were I bought them. It was a one time thing when they had them. Reptile shows might have a guy or two who can get them or are breeding them.


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## Cornputer

Jackson said:


> I only use the 10.0
> 
> Watts I don't know because I use the flo bulbs and the watts depends on the size of the bulb. It might be the same with those type of fixtures you have. Buggers bulbs higher watts I guess.


Yeah I'm leaning towards the 10.0 too. Basking area is at 6" from the bulb. The 26Watt bulb just passes the bottom of my fluker's mini dome which is 5.5inch deep and will be touching the mesh screen...so I think I'll settle for the lower watt bulb with the higher uvb output. How does this sound?


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## Jackson

Cornputer said:


> Yeah I'm leaning towards the 10.0 too. Basking area is at 6" from the bulb. The 26Watt bulb just passes the bottom of my fluker's mini dome which is 5.5inch deep and will be touching the mesh screen...so I think I'll settle for the lower watt bulb with the higher uvb output. How does this sound?


Its pretty much the same then. Just bigger bulb meaning it needs more power to work and maybe even provide the uv rays at a further distance from the basking area.
The uv output is the same and 6" is pretty good. These bulbs don't do much past 11-12" in the 12-15 watt range from what I remember. Its been a while lol


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