I prefer a wet/dry sump filter but most turtle owners use large canister filters. A sump filter is harder to set up but a little easier on maintenance. I can change my filter pad in about 1 minute. It is a big operation to change the filter pads in a canister. Also, as the water evaporates, the sump level drops rather than the tank level. You just add water to the sump. I use a reservoir and an automatic top off device to keep the sump topped off - great for vacations.
@Reason1717
14 жыл бұрын
In a word WOW! My hat is off to you sir... Great environs for your watery guests. I built a 8 foot desert for my Russian Tortoises. Thank you for your video sir.
@jalpern718
15 жыл бұрын
That is no doubt the best turtle habitat I have ever seen! I have seen turtle enclosures in zoos that are no where near as amazing as that!
@TurtleToob
14 жыл бұрын
this is THE nicest tank i have ever seen on my life
@HockeyBoy641
12 жыл бұрын
this is honestly the greatest tank ive ever seen i love corys and turtles man this is amazing its a turtle heaven
@Lambo6fo
15 жыл бұрын
Finaly someone who can properly take care of turtles.
@annastringfield4609
11 жыл бұрын
I've had that same problem too . At one point I had like hundreds of little fish in my little 20g tank . You have one of the nicest turtle habitats I've seen.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
Muds and musks LOVE sand. My big female mud, Muddy, eats sand once in a while, probably to aid in digestion. No harm has ever come from it.
@kyleberry5044
10 жыл бұрын
best tank i ever saw i`m gonna try to build one like that! awesomeness
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
Actually, day to day maintenance is pretty easy. It is easy to change the filter media, do that twice a week with each water change. I don't siphon the bottom at all except what collects around the overflow tubes in the back corners. Water changes are easy. I connect a hose from outside to the pump that sits in the sump (not in video). I empty the sump (30 gallons), the refill through the same hose, then turn the filter pumps back on. Now the yearly, full tank maintenance is a HUGE job.
@Erick.O.M
11 жыл бұрын
Who else thinks he sound like Dave Mustaine??? Great tank by the way
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I drain the sump twice a week using a pump and hose I keep in the sump for that purpose, then refill the sump, 30 gallons each time, takes about 15 minutes. Doesn't even disturb the turtles. I scrape away algae as needed, rearrange the Mopani wood and plastic plants as the turtles trash them, occasionally siphon the debris that collects in the two corner boxes where the plumbing comes up from the bottom. I don't siphon the bottom. Occasionally check the sand box for eggs.
@divewithRJ
11 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Your turtle habitat is one of the best i've seen on youtube. Planning on a new lighting system to use for my tank.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
It's big for an indoor habitat, 24 sq ft, but I wish I could give them much more space. Seems the more space you give a turtle, the more it will use, and the more fun they are to watch. My relatively small muds and musks can sustain top speed for a several seconds inside that tank, impossible for a large cooter, slider, or softshell in anything smaller than a spacious outdoor pond.
@DaxonizAmazin
13 жыл бұрын
woah soooo cool and pretty and big happy turtles! if i was a turtle this is where i would be livin! thumbs up to you!
@SlovakMountainMan
15 жыл бұрын
That is a very beautifull tank setup you have, its very tropical and gives the turtles a feel as if they were in the wild xD
@TikiRikiZ1
13 жыл бұрын
great looking turtle setup. I don't have a ton of plants in my own tank but after watching your vid i think i will be adding a lot more. It looks great.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
My aquarium shop made the tank for me. You'll need to call local aquarium shops in your area and ask about custom built acrylic tanks. Costs vary quite a bit. They are more expensive than glass, but much lighter.
@BauriBob
12 жыл бұрын
the stand is custom also, 8' x 3' is on add size. The filter is not complicated. I have an oversized custom built sump. The tank is drilled (one hole in each back corner). Two 700gph mag-drive pumps. The overflow tubes are made by megaflow I believe, they are adjustable so you can select the water depth.
@perpetualwandrer
15 жыл бұрын
Wow, Fantastic!! You know what you are doing friend! So great!
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
I drain/refill the sump (in the cabinet underneath the tank) once a week, about 30 gallons of water. Use a pump sitting inside the sump which is connected to a hose that runs outside the house to empty the sump. Use the same hose connected to an outdoor spigot to refill the sump. Change the filter pad and I'm done. The house water is filtered with a carbon filter to remove chloramines.
@lifentimes
15 жыл бұрын
Love the Set up And the Turtles !!!! Great Work
@iiLeahx
12 жыл бұрын
This is truley beautiful thank you for sharing
@elfpballer6
14 жыл бұрын
I have the tetra waterfall filter and river rocks on the bottom, so I have thats enough. Thanks a lot for the tips!!! Your tank is awesome and I hope to make mine as cool as it someday
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
You can try building a basking area on top of your aquarium. You'll need to build a ramp leading from the water to the platform. Make sure the turtles cannot fall off anywhere. You can use eggcrate and plastic mesh or even a rubbermaid tub of some kind. Make sure your turtles are getting adequate vitamin D3 either from basking under a UVB lamp or from sunlight or from the food they eat. Most turtle pellets and sinking wafers have vitamin D3 included.
@BauriBob
12 жыл бұрын
you can buy a sump at most aquarium shops and online. Just discuss your tank size and bio load with the store so they can match up the correct size sump. Mine was custom built to accommodate two pumps and to fit well underneath my oversized stand. I only use sand substrate, any aquatic turtle will like that fine. I use ordinary play sand you can obtain at Home Depot or Lowes.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
Both muds and musks only rarely eat plants, they are very carnivorous. They don't eat moss balls. Scallops, shrimp, salmon (especially with bones), earthworms, mealworms, Hikari wafers (they sink), most turtle pellets are good. Baby Reptomin turle pellets are good for hatchlings. Musk need to hide, so lots of tall plants that go to the surface, place to bask, UVB heat lamp. They live a very, very long time. Good luck.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
I only use sand, don't believe in bare bottom tanks. River rock traps debris, hard to clean. I use PVC pipes to build the support for my basking and shallow water areas. I place sand filled acrylic trays on top of the PVC. Moss balls/moss is great, you'll have to call some aquarium stores in your area. Anacharis, Cabomba, and Hornwort are nice too. Rooted plants need gravel filled pots to protect them from the turtles. Your tank is very small and will require more frequent cleaning.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
that's the idea. I try to make the tank look like a tiny slice of a pond or creek right in my living room. Turtles like it, I like it.
@ilovegirlygirlystuff
11 жыл бұрын
Your Turtles look so content!!! You have a wonderful tank. I appreciate you sharing it with us!!! you have given me some fabulous ideas!!! My "Norton" will thank you!
@secretariatslew
15 жыл бұрын
I am very impressed, best one I've seen on here so far. You should get more variety, maybe a mississippi mud or razorback musk too
@methos19751
14 жыл бұрын
Love your set-up MuddyBob, big fan of Common Musk and Striped Muds and once I get the room and I am going to move them from their 55 Gal to a 150 and set it up similar too yours.
@BauriBob
12 жыл бұрын
I have a drain pump sitting in the sump that is connected to a hose that runs outside. I let the water back fill into the sump by lowering the return tubes while running the pump at the same time. After about 1/3 of the water is removed, I turn off the pump and turn on the spigot. Then I turn on the tank pumps. A little timing game I have to play, but it takes only about 30 minutes to do a water change. I scrape off any algae on the sides. Don't siphon at all except in the corner boxes.
@175myles
14 жыл бұрын
I would love that tank, but as I am not a turtle person I would have the water deeper and with fish in it =) Lovely set up no matter what you have in it.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I have 3 acrylic logs on the shallow water platforms. They are heavy and do no float. You can find them in stores that sell reptile supplies. They come in various sizes. The wood on the bottom is African Mopani wood. It is very dense, sinks to the bottom, beautiful to look at, but gives off a lot of tannin for a very long time.
@MrDrdaveturbo
11 жыл бұрын
awesome tank, i just purchased a much smaller tank for my baby alligator snapper i will hopefully be able to buy a tank similar to yours someday. turtles are awesome pets. thanks for the vid :)
@bmxsoccerkid
14 жыл бұрын
this is my favorite video on youtube
@hotvws3
15 жыл бұрын
wow that turtle tank is huge!5* all the way.
@sammytheshark1
13 жыл бұрын
thx bauribob, you've inspired me 2 get a three striped mud turtle
@gothiatech
14 жыл бұрын
Cozy tank and good setup =)
@BrownDarter
14 жыл бұрын
Wow thats a zoo enclosure . How nice its something you could look at it all day. We have map turtles outside in the pond (Miami) but that is a great indoor set up. The fact that your turtles breed indoors is great. I imagine they bury the eggs in your sand bin?
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I prefer wider tanks, mine is 36" wide. If you can't go longer, at least make it 24" wide. Turtles are natural foragers and wanderers and need to be able to get away from each other. Turtle aggression will be your biggest problem. The larger the tank and the more places to hide the better. However, aggression can occur even in the largest tanks.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I think I have more live than plastic plants. The plastic are valuable though since the turtles can climb and rest in them. I don't use very bright light so the plants do eventually get replaced, but it takes a long time. The moss balls manage the low light very well and grows in my tank. Mud and musk turtles rarely eat plants, so that is not a problem for me.
@buki671
15 жыл бұрын
beautiful tank and setup.. i live on guam so musk turtles are rare and expensive.. $500.00 and there were 4 in one 5 gallon bucket.. so sad.. anyway.. glad to see you take good care of you turtles..
@Pandalove-pe1ss
8 жыл бұрын
Awesome tank it must be paradise
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@Anthonyk95 red-eared sliders are excellent swimmers including the hatchlings. My general recommendation is that any turtle tank should have both a shallow water area and a deep area. You'll be surprised how much turtles enjoy resting beneath the surface but still close enough to breath without having to swim up. Also keep tall structures like driftwood or tall plastic plants for climbing. 75 gallons is very small for a RES. I would not keep more than two in such a small tank.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I have five turtles in this tank now along with 17 Cory catfish and a few hardy ghost shrimp. Don't think there is room for more than that. I have 2 hatchlings in a separate tank. Not aware of any diseases that I have to worry about but I watch carefully for signs of ill health. Water has high oxygen levels thanks to wet/dry filter so that probably keeps many disease organisms at bay. No the turtles don't eat the catfish, but other species like Cooters probably would.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I don't recall the exact cost of my tank, but it cost plenty because it is a custom built acrylic tank. Acrylic is nice because it is lighter than glass, but its price goes up and down with the price of oil. You'd have to find an acrylic tank builder in your area, provide the dimensions of the tank you want built, and get an estimate. Make sure the builder is experienced making aquariums.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@deanwuz396 wet/dry filters are not like canister or submersible filters. The pumps are in the sump underneath the tank. Filtered water is pumped up into the tank as unfiltered water goes down the overflow tubes which are 12" high at the water's surface, not near the bottom. Any debris is trapped by the floss in the sump. With a canister filter, just keep the return line about 2" above the bottom and you should have no problems. Add a smooth stone under the return to be extra safe.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@TheATHF Most people use the word 'turtle' to describe two separate groupings. Turtles live in or near the water. Tortoises, unlike turtles, live in a mostly dry habitat. Tortoises include 'box turtles', gopher, desert, and Galapagos tortoises. Turtles like sea turtles, cooters, sliders, softshell, snappers, and musk turtles spend most of their lives in water except when basking in the sun or when the females lay their eggs. Unlike tortoises, turtles must be in the water in order to eat.
@rumpeltiezerwash
15 жыл бұрын
those turtles have a better home than i do haha
@kinglythief
13 жыл бұрын
kick ass tank nice so sweet love it
@Nekrozed
13 жыл бұрын
AWESOME!!! Good job!!!
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
I buy 1/4" plastic mesh from Aquatic Eco-Systems located in Florida (# N1170). I cut a piece of plastic eggcrate to size and then lay the mesh over the eggcrate and secure the mesh with electrical ties. The end that rests on the sand box has an extra inch or so of mesh through which I sink bronze door hinge pins into the sand. The other ends rests on the shallow water platform. You can also make ramps out of acrylic. Drill holes and secure mesh with electrical ties for grip.
@olivierserre88
13 жыл бұрын
you..... have the most incredible aquarium ever. My life long goal is too achieve this. And for some reason I can't find mud turtles anywhere... I have searched many pet stores/reptile stores but none are found. I guess its because I live in Canada.
@MarcoIsidori
5 жыл бұрын
Nice turtle tank..
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I started with a 20 gallon when I had just two hatchlings. Soon went to a 40 gallon breeder. Finally I switched to custom built acrylic since I didn't want tall tanks but more spacious ones. First a 4' x 2', then 6' x 2' and finally to what I have now, 8' x 3' which required selling the stereo to make room. Height was always 17". My only advice is, think ahead and buy the tank that will handle all your future needs even if it seems too big now. You'll save money that way.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@175myles I do have fish, about 16 Cory catfish. A few ghost shrimp as well. I chose that depth (12") because I have mud turtles and they usually inhabit shallow ponds, drainage ditches, etc. Other species like cooters and sliders would enjoy deeper water but grow too large for indoor setups in my opinion. What I do give my turtles is plenty of real estate, 24 square feet to roam, not bad for an indoor setup.
@PaNdeM0niuM
13 жыл бұрын
wow !!!! nice tank!!
@BauriBob
12 жыл бұрын
I am only familiar with a few species. Generally the male has a larger tail, females have a very petite tail. Males usually have a concave plastron and a large notch in the plastron near the tail to accommodate mating. Male sliders may have very long front toenails. These traits are not obvious in hatchlings or very young turtles, so you may not be able to determine the sex of a young turtle.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
Yes, the Coral Reef in Tampa has an aquarium builder who works with acrylic. He's done all of my tanks, all the work is excellent.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@m3kenya I have always used sand and never had any problems. Turtles love sand. Turtles in the wild live on sand, mud, gravel, etc. and they all seem to do just fine. Some folks worry about turtles injesting small gravel and getting impactions, not sure how often that actually happens. I used to use gravel, the turtles ate it once in a while, probably for roughage, and had no problems.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I don't often keep the eggs anymore, but when I do I incubate them. I am incubating 5 eggs right now but that is all I'll keep this summer.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@6emma6 thanks. Turtles are much more fun to watch in a natural setting, even if it is a bit more work. They are never bored and wander the bottom endlessly, poking in the Mopani wood and moss looking for food, occasionally interacting with each other.
@jacquesdaking
14 жыл бұрын
love it best setup i have seen yet
@CD480
14 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the reply. I think I will give sand a try also, thats what i had planned on using before i started reading all of the forums saying not to. I was either going to use sand or really small grain natural gravel once the turtles were larger.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@ShotaAzZareback don't remember. Sump filters are usually a collection of separate items. The pumps are separate as are the hoses and tubes. Filter media, bio media, all separate. The sump itself can be made out of an old aquarium or you can buy them ready made. Their cost depends on size and design.
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@Theturtletit I use the turtleforum. You can get plenty of help there with any questions that you might have. As for waste breaking down. Most waste form ammonia byproducts which in turn break down into nitrites. Both ammonia and nitrites are toxic. If your biological filtration is working, you will end up with nitrates in the end which is less toxic. Water changes will dilute the nitrates to safe levels. You can also siphon out waste as you see it, that helps as well.
@999markwalker
10 жыл бұрын
Amazing setup, you should be very proud of the care you take of your turtles.
@SternyCam
13 жыл бұрын
Wow big tank and nice vid
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@drinkin4Os no problems with odors here. Your tank is pretty small. The larger the water volume the better. And of course you need a very powerful filter system with turtles. Should be rated at twice the gallons your tank holds.
@917HELLFIRE
13 жыл бұрын
really nice tank :)
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@TheFlopaSkaters the tank is a custom built acrylic tank. I don't recall the exact cost. You should call some aquarium shops in your area to get an estimate based on the size you require. I think sliders and other fairly large aquatic turtles are best kept in outdoor setups, ponds, etc. I don't think my tank is large enough for turtles over 5" in length, but that is my personal opinion. Sliders, cooter, softshells can all swim like fish and should have adequate space.
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@tc9er Depends on how large your sand box is. I use a cup and just pour the water all over the surface. The water will slowly spread out and moisten all the sand. Make it moist, not sopping wet. The reason for this is to make digging possible. Too dry and the sand caves back into the hole as your turtle digs. Too wet and your turtle will not lay her eggs. A spray bottle takes a bit longer. How often depends on how dry the air is, you have to feel the sand with your fingers.
@BauriBob
11 жыл бұрын
Mud turtles are not big vegetarians, so they usually don't eat plants. They still can tear them up just by crawling through them. Some species do regularly eat plants. Check with the TurtleForum online for more info on that. My only experience is with mud and musk turtles.
@BauriBob
12 жыл бұрын
I have about a dozen small cory catfish and some ghost shrimp. I have lost a few catfish (and many ghost shrimp) to my mud turtles. Some turtles are more likely to eat fish than others, but it is always a risk. I lost a catfish recently because it had tried to steal food from a feeding turtle. The turtle took a swipe at it, fatally injuring it. The turtle probably had no interest in the catfish itself. Other turtles will actively eat fish.
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
Plenty! Cost will vary, this was a custom build. Check with your local aquarium shops for some estimates. Glass is cheaper but much heavier. All the plants, live and plastic, were purchased from aquarium shops in the local area.
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@VN34dstudios I use play sand that you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes, much cheaper. Just rinse thoroughly before using, add water to a bowl on top of the sand to prevent clouding. Most aquarium shops sell some kind of aquatic plants. I have used wild plants before from the river but you must rinse them very, very well. There can be mosquitor larvae and other parasites in the vegeation from rivers, streams and lakes.
@Turtles328
15 жыл бұрын
WOW! I don't know what else I could say about it. I think your are spot on replicating their natural habitat and it's obvious that your turtles are happy with their home. What upgrades did you go through? I think I recall a 75 gallon, then maybe a 225? I'd love (and I'm sure my turtles would too) to make that kind of upgrade someday, but as a poor college student in a dorm room, I don't know the odds of that. Once again, amazing tank, thanks for the video!
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@FUNTOFALL50 the tank has a wet/dry filter. The sump with pumps, heaters, etc. is under the cabinet. Two 700 gph pumps move plenty of water through the filter.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@xpistalpetex you can buy Mopani wood from aquarium shops or on the web. It leaches lots and lots of tannin for a long time, so be prepared for tea colored water. My tank is slightly under 1/2". You need to get expert advice on the thickness depending on the design of your tank. You don't want a flood!
@joe4del
14 жыл бұрын
nice setup !
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@elfpballer6 What really matters is that your ammonia and nitrite levels are zero and nitrates kept very low. Nitrates are usually controlled with partial water changes. If you can do that, then you have adequate biological filtration. You will need to buy a test kit to check for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@ac5a7bu I don't remember exactly, but plenty. Custom acrylic tanks can get expensive, especially when they are large. You would need to shop around and see what one would cost in your area. The other expense is the stand. You need a solid top stand for acrylic. My tank is an odd size at 8' x 3'. Most stands are 2' wide. Then there is the sump, pumps, plumbing, etc.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@h8hax A very controversial topic and in many cases you are absolutely correct. My turtles are all healthy, local species. There are always risks but I seriously doubt I have done any harm in their release. Compared to what we as humans are doing to the environment with pesticides, overuse of fertilizer, litter and trash, and other chemical pollutants, the release of a healthy, captive turtle into the wild would be far down on the list of concerns...in my opinion.
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@RandomBlueGu a large acrylic tank plus a custom stand can get pretty expensive, but the cost will vary with price of oil and what suppliers and builders in your area charge. Try calling a few aquarium shops and ask if they build tanks, give them the specs and get an estimate.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@elfpballer6 I believe live rock is usually used in salt water aquariums. Your filter system should have a biological filtration component. If you have a wet/dry filter, that is even better. Surface area (rocks, plants, driftwood, etc.) for the nitrifying bacteria to grow plus surface water turbulence will help with your biological filtration. Never do complete water changes, only partial, and remove chlorine/chloramines or they will kill the beneficial bacteria.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@buckshot2001 Most often my turtles lay eggs in the morning. I've seen wild mud turtles laying eggs in the middle of the day, so anytime is possible. There is no mesh under the sand. The mesh is anchored on the inside edges of the basking platform with 4" brass pins.
@BauriBob
11 жыл бұрын
no, but I have small turtles. I have made most of the scratches myself during cleaning or moving stuff around. The scratches can be buffed out but to do that properly requires emptying the tank. So I live with the scratches.
@BauriBob
13 жыл бұрын
@VN34dstudios I use eggcrate covered with 1/4" plastic mesh for my ramps. Ramps are always the most difficult part of a basking area. I don't know what your basking area looks like or is made of so it is hard to make specific suggestions. You might visit the turtle forum where many folks have above-the-tank basking areas and see how they do it.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@BlooakaTrax I have a wet/dry filter which is a very effective biological filter. Add to that the very high dissolved oxygen levels in the water that this kind of filter provides, and you have clean water. In any case, once sand settles, it shouldn't be cloudy anymore. A large water volume also helps dilute the decaying waste and food. It is very possible that your filter is simply not large enough for the bio load your critters are creating.
@TBKReptiles31
11 жыл бұрын
4 People are either SOOOOO jealous of your tank (I am but didn't dislike lol) or they missed the like button ;)
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@reptilesforlife I had a professional acrylic guy build the tank for me, so I don't know what kind of glue was used. You also need a rim all around the top of the tank and cross-bars across the top. If you don't do that the acrylic will tend to bow outwards and could eventually rupture.
@christiandadon4502
8 жыл бұрын
Really really cool
@BauriBob
15 жыл бұрын
I have enough turtles in my tank. Red eared sliders are too large for indoor tanks in my estimation. Plus they require a large area due to their exceptional swimming skills.
@msnb1966
10 жыл бұрын
wow! what a cool tank! unfortunately i have no room for that.... just amazing!
@TheATHF
14 жыл бұрын
@BauriBob Alright. Thank you a lot for the advice. :) Hope your turtles live long and turtle-y lives!
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@CD480 I've used sand for many years with no problems. Impaction can be hard to prove without xrays. Do turtles get impactions in the wild where there is plenty of sand and other substrates? I don't know, but probably not. I used to use gravel, the turtles ate it all the time, again with no problems. They may use it as roughage or if they are lacking in certain minerals. Turtles love sand, by the way. Also easy to clean.
@BauriBob
14 жыл бұрын
@elfpballer6 let me know if you find such a plant. Plants can reduce nitrate levels somewhat but you need LOTS of plants to do that. Almost any aquatic plants will work such as anacharis. But you first have to break down the ammonia and nitrites into nitrates. That requires nitrifying bacteria found in good biological filtration.
@rawegg8880
10 жыл бұрын
Really nice, but if you want it to look really natural, u shld throw out all those plastic plants and add more driftwood, then tie java fern and/or Anubias plus add some floating plants (water hyacinth water lettuce frogbit duckweed)
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