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Newb to RES


fishandchips

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Right i am wanting to get a couple of RES that i can grow bigger to go into a pond in a couple of years. I have read heaps of stuff on the net, some more conflicting then others but most of it matches up.

From all i have read i know that i need:

- A proper light to provide the correct UVa and UVB levels

- A light to provide heat for basking

- A filter (canister) to filter twice/three times the water volume

- Food

- Calcium/vitamin blocks

What i am not so sure about is the tank. I have a stand that i built for a three foot tank (the tank sadly meet a unfortunate end). I can build/get built another tank for this stand but i am unsure on what size is needed for two RES. I realise that bigger is better but i would like to use that stand if possible.

I have a whole bunch of 6-7mm glass that i can use to make another tank but i need the size. I was thinking of extending the stand to accomodate a tank with the base size of 1000mmX500mm. This can be easily done but i am unsure what depth i would need. I have used the glass calculator and found that 400mm is really the max that i can go to. a few things that I need help with are:

1. Can i have a tank that is 500mm high but on fill it up to 350/400mm, would this still be like only have a tank 350/400mm high and filling it up to the top?

2. Could two RES happily live in this tank for a couple of years or should i go bigger still?

If someone could shed some light on these questions that would be great.

I want to do it right from day one so i thought i would plan first (not usually something i do ) :oops:

Cheers everyone :D

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1. Can i have a tank that is 500mm high but on fill it up to 350/400mm, would this still be like only have a tank 350/400mm high and filling it up to the top?

I'd recommend you go higher still - 800mm - and only fill it halfway up, that way you can keep your lights up out of the way and allow them space to sunbath (if you fill the tank right up, how will they get out of the water?)

2. Could two RES happily live in this tank for a couple of years or should i go bigger still?

Red ears get BIG - as big as a dinner plate - you should buy / build the biggest tank you can get if you are serious about doing this properly. Personally I think 1000mm is only just big enough for one RES.

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They are going to be located to a pond once they get to the size that they can survive.

can be housed outside after 2nd year in warmer climates, i don't know about in dunedin though, so long as they dug in for hibernation or you heated the pond they might be alright.

you could always bring them in over the colder months

when i first started introducing the res to an outside pond i built a small compost heap in enclosure, they all hibernated under this for warmth

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had 3 last year that `arrived`in my outdoor goldfish pond after natural incubation in my turtle pond nearby.Never did anything for them other than give goldfish food to the fish which they were seen to eat,as for winter just left them.Never saw them till a couple of weeks back and there are still3 healthy wild little turtles out there.They can`t get out of the pond other than sitting on lilly pads or the odd pot plant and must have wintered in the water among weeds etc.

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