Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, when we are talking about HATCHLINS, is a 10 gallon aquarium ok, with a hood? And if so, do I get the tube light that has both UVB and UVA rays?/ Is this ok enough for basking???
Also, how full should the aquarium be?? 1/2 way, or less???
I really need some advice..any and all is MUCH appreciated!!
Thank you!!!

I have a hatchling in a 10 gal with a hood. Great setup....for a while. Mine is 3/4 full with two different basking areas. One of the basking areas allows him to hang out in shallow water or get completely out. I have a undergravel filter powered by a Whisper 1000. The guy at the store said if you use UVB you need to have nothing in between the light and the critter, not even glass. Mine sits by a window so he gets natural light in addition to the flourescent light. I have about 20 guppies and a catfish in with him, this seems to keep the tank pretty clean and interesting to watch also.
I plan on putting him in a 40gal low when he gets about 2-2.5 inches and into my 500 gal pond when he's about 4 inches.

THANK YOU!
So you are saying for a while?? How long to you think?
Also, with the lighting, is it going to be ok that it is in the hood?? Will that suffice?
And with being a baby, is he trying to eat the other fish yet???
Thank you again

Depends on how fast he grows is the obvious answer, but that depends on lots of variables. If mine keeps growing like he is, it won't be long, maybe a year.
Your lighting should be okay, keep an eye on it's eyes. If you notice some chalky white stuff around the eyes he needs more vitamin D (ie sunlight). An occasional field trip to natural sunlight is a good idea too (with the usual warnings that he be safe from predators).
It's weird, this little guy ate the guppies non-stop when I first got him. Then after a few weeks of just floating sticks he got lazy and doesn't bother them anymore.

I have 2 hatchlings that are about 1.5". Within a month of getting them, I switched from a 5-gal, to a 10-gal, and finally to a 20-gal tank. I think 20-gal is a good size for two turtles that size for probably 1-2 years, depending on how fast they grow.

If you want to use a tube light for both heat and UVA/UVB, make sure that it says so on the package. Some UVA/UVB bulbs don't give off much heat.

As for water depth, you can fill it almost to the top, leaving enough space so that your turtles can't escape. When you have deep water, still make sure that basking spot is completely raised above water, and that there are some shallow underwater spots that your turtles can rest on. Just keep in mind that they breathe air with their lungs, just like us. So they definitely appreciate some spots in the tank where they don't have to swim to keep their heads above water.

Hope this helps!

Thank you!
They should be here today, we will see how it goes!