Wanting to set up a red eared slider tank?

Question

I have a 125 gallon tank that I want to make partial land and water habitat for my red eared sliders. What would I use as a land substrate for them because I was told not to use sand because they will eat it. How deep should the water be. I now have it so it is about 9 inches deep with several high ereas so they can haul out and bask in different ereas of the tank.

Answer 1

The water level should be 1 and a half the height of the red eared sliders, they will feel less scared when in company of humans around the cage by being below water level (sumthing about avoiding stress).

For the land substrate u may take suitable kinds of pebbles (by suitable i mean a size which wont be able to be eaten, and which won't be too difficult for them to get over.. Or u may buy artificial and appropriate waterproof woodshed from a pet shop.

Also these kinds of turtles like to be in sunshine, on a sunny day, put your tank in a wide sunshine, they will be enjoying it on the land substrate (sumthing about compensating of most of their time in water). Let them be for 30 -45 minutes and feed them right away..

U must feed them with right nutrients or they will become sick sooner or later, that's their weakness, red-eared sliders..

Good, mate, hope it helps ;).

Answer 2

If you try to set up a half and half tank, you are asking for a lot of problems that can be avoided.

You are best off of you fill the tank about 1/2 way with water and create basking sites and even land areas without trying to divide the tank.

Basking sites can be pretty much anything that is safe for the turtles- piles of rocks, large clean flower pots on side, logs, ramps, platforms, etc.

I've seen plans for 'nesting sites' that are rather interesting that use a plastic tub or box that sits inside your aquarium. Just fill it part way with a sand, moss, and loam mix and use ramps to get into and out of it (don't fill it to the top or the turtles will kick dirt into the main tank). Put rocks under it to get the top of the tub above the water level if needed, and use rocks to keep it from floating.