I need a list of what I need to buy to go with my 10 gallon tank. I'm a first time red eared slider turtle mommy, well, soon to be. I want to get his/her home setup first. There are just so many brands, and I'm a little confused about all the various types of filters. HELP!!! I am also on a slight budget.
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Tank setup for new baby
Bradford3803
Sep 10, 2003 01:48 PM
Replies (2)
Engloid
Sep 10, 2003 10:57 PM
the 10 gal tank will be fine for a while.
As for a filter, you should get one that will be good for a much larger tank. For example, if you buy a filter that is good for a 10 gallon tank, you'll spend $25-40. Then later when you get a larger tank, you'll have to get a bigger one...thus spending money twice.
Just get a good filter...one that will be ok to filter about 100 gallons per hour. Many can be "tuned" down a bit for your smaller tank.
A canister filter is nice and quiet. If you want cheap, the types like an AquaClear that hang over the back have the best flow rate for the money, but will be noisy due to the waterfall they create.
kiwiturtle
Sep 11, 2003 03:15 AM
These are the bare essentials:
- a filter that filters at least 3 times your tank volume per hour (I use Aquaclear 300 (300 gallons per hour) for my 20-gallon long tank. It may seem too powerful for my tank, but believe me, it's just right. Turtles make lots of waste. You can probably go for a smaller Aquaclear model.)
- basking spot ramp if necessary
- heat lamp over basking spot
- UVB lamp over basking spot
- theromometer
- heater if your water temperature sometimes drops below 75F
- baby turtle pellets (easiest kind of food to get them started on; I use Reptomin brand)
- as much water as possible, provided that some shallow areas/resting spots are made available.
A good website that has background info on these topics is
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/
I second another responder's suggestion that you'll be better off in the long run to start with a 20 gallon long tank. My 2 turtles have doubled in size (from 1 inch to 2 inches) in a couple of months. Besides, once you put in all the stuff mentioned above, your 10 gallon tank will probably be pretty crowded.
Good luck!
