Hello!

We just moved into a new house and while we were sitting out on the porch in the backyard we were staring at this empty space between the deck and some plants. I couldn't help but think that a turtle pond would look great there : ) I've always wanted a turtle but I've never got one because of the space they need. We have several snakes and lizards and recently acquired a frog. I've never kept anything outside though so I'm a little hesitant about doing this. If I did it I would probably get one of those big heavy duty water troughs (the dark grey plastic ones). What would be a good size for one turtle to be comfortable in? 150 gallons? 200 gallons? More? I would of course get a good filter for it and make sure he had some good basking sites. My main concern is keeping it warm enough. This would be above ground so it will be harder to heat than an in-ground pond. I do live in Sonoma County in California so even during the winter it is usually in the 60's occasionally dropping into the 50's during the day. At night the temperature usually drops to the 40's or 50's. Is it even possible to maintain the heat in an above ground pool without driving myself broke with the utility bill? Also, how would I got about setting up a lamp for basking outside? I'm assuming there is something made for outdoor use that would be okay in the elements...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated : )

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