turtle question?

Question

ok i have a 10 gallon tank with 2 res turtles that are like 2 inchs long and 1 musk turtle thats very little and the water gets foggy really fast and i need to upgrade i want a 55 gallon bad but no money and i was wondering if their was a place that sells 55 gallons very very cheap any answers?

Answer 1

Check your local paper, ad bulletins, craigslist, freecycle, ebay..... some pet stores will let you put stuff on layaway.

Answer 2

Check 2nd hand stores, thrift shops, flea markets, and if you're not shy go trash picking. Most people are okay w/it as long as you tell what you're doing & that you won't make a mess. A lot of people throw away perfectly good tanks & other animal supplies. If you find one & it's not water tight, buy some aquarium silicone & follow the repair instructions on the package. The stuff is cheap & you can usually get it at a hardware store.
At the size your turtles are, you have some time to think about this but, you may want to consider splitting them up. Musk turtles have somewhat different habits than RES. They like thick vegetation & slow moving water. They're usually found on the bottom of their habitats and generally prefer to bask in shallow water rather than use a typical dry basking area. They're almost strictly carnivorous prefering insects, & a variety of mollusks & crustaceans.
RES, on the other hand are gregarious baskers & prefer a dry basking area. They eat a wide variety of plant matter as well as animal/insect protein. And they are excellent swimmers, capable of inhabiting large bodies of water w/swift currents.
You will need a filter unit. Water turtles produce a lot of waste. Even in a bigger tank the water will get foggy. If you can't afford one, you'll be stuck with daily cleaning which is pain in the neck. I suggest trash picking to find one or more of these too, but you'll have to buy the filter media. Even when cleaned up, used media can harbor parasites & diseases that will harm your turtles.
Clean everything regularly, tank included, with a diluted bleach solution and give it a 2nd wipe over w/clean water to reduce the bleach smell etc. Bleach will kill any bacteria but can burn eyes & skin if it's not completely removed.
You'll also need a heating unit. 5watts per gal. of water will determine the needed heater size. 80 - 85F is a good temp for both species. Use a thermometer as heaters are not always accurate. Get a stick on, they cost under $3.00 & work well.
If you don't already have it, you'll need some UV(ultraviolet) lighting. Your turtles need both UVA & UVB light. This is something that can't wait, they need both bands of light for healthy skin & shells etc.
3%(3.0) to 5%(5.0) UVB is good for water turtles. Less than that is for insects & amphibians, but would better than nothing if it's all you can find. Higher light output is for tortoises & desert dwelling lizards. These are typically fluorescent tubes & don't produce much heat. They usually need to be replaced every 6 - 12 months b/c the amount of UV light they put out degrades w/age. So sometimes you can get old ones that people throw out. An old one may not produce the correct amount of UV, but is better than nothing. It's length & UV% is usually printed on the bulb itself, but you need good eyes to see it. Newer longer lasting bubs are being produced all the time, but are probably out of your price range. You'll need a UVA spot or basking bulb as well. Turtles bask to rest & also to kill bacteria & fungi on their shells. That's why a UV spot lamp is so important. If you can get a combo UVA & UVB bulb then you can get away with just a heat lamp for basking. But this should only be temporary. Use a black bulb as white ones or other brightly colored bulbs are harsh on the eyes. If you can find a UV plant bulb during your trash picking spree, grab it. It's not what your turtles need but it would be better than nothing.
Lastly, you'll need fixtures for the bulbs. These are things that people throw out all the time. You don't need anything special, in other words the fixtures don't have to be specifically for pets. They only need to be the same size as whatever bulb you've got & be able to withstand the heat output of a spot bulb. It's the bulb that's important not the fixture.
Hope this helps you,
Jen
http://www.universal-pet-care.com

Answer 3

That is way too small for 3 turtles, and eventually you will need larger than a 55 gal. Rule of thumb is 10 gallon for every inch of turtle, and they grow fast if well cared for. Don't forget heat lamp, basking spot, UVB bulbs, varied diet.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

Answer 4

I think you should check your newspaper in the for sale section because that will be your best bet and someone is always selling tanks.

Answer 5

Keep checking the pet stores, there is bound to be one onsale. Have you checked Petsmart? Ebay?

Answer 6

check craigslist, they always have cool stuff for cheap. you can even post what you are looking for