The needs of a turtle tank

Rainwater · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 12:44 PM

Obviously you need a water pump but what do you do about heating?

amylou123 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 12:53 PM

Get a heater for it and something to protect the animal from touching it i think

Rainwater · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 12:54 PM

what sort of heater though?

felix93 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 03:16 PM

I only use basking and UVB lights and the water in the tank is warm enough already. But I know people use fish tank thermostat heater to heat the water up.

bosshogg · #5 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 03:37 PM

what kind of terrapin is it, for ones like red ears, sliders, cooters you don't need to heat the water, you neeed a very good filter, external ones are the best. basking light, UV.

Bernie · #6 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 10:07 PM

Yep, same here, we just have UV and a basking lamp, no heater for the water, and thats for a Red Eared slider.

Graham · #7 (**permalink**) 09-09-2007, 09:10 AM

You only need a water heater for small hatchlings and tropical species, any of the temperate species can do without a heater after 6 months or so, although it's best to turn it down gradually over a few weeks then remove it.
If the tank is in a room at normal room temperature, and you have an adequate basking spotlamp, these should keep the water at around 20°C which is fine. A drop in temperature overnight when the lights are off is OK, a good size tank loses surprisingly little heat in 8 hours.