How to Prepare a Turtle Tank

Turtles are popular pets for children and adults alike. They are also easy to care for and do not require a lot of time or money. The best environment for a pet turtle is a large tank, such as a fish aquarium, that is large enough to allow plenty of room to roam. Setting up a turtle tank is not difficult, and it is easy to maintain once it is done.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • Light
  • Sand
  • Rocks
  • Water
  • Filter
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose an aquarium that is at least 20 gallons or larger. Even tiny turtles will grow fast and need ample room to travel. A longer tank with less height is preferable to a taller, deep tank.

    • 2

      Place sand and rocks in one section of the tank to provide a resting area. The area does not need to be large; less than a half of the tank is fine. An ideal setup is to place the rocks against the sand as a barrier to limit the amount of sand that will seep into the water.

    • 3

      Use rocks or other decorations to form an area where the turtle is able to hide. Make sure that the area is stable and will not collapse and injure the turtle.

    • 4

      Fill the remaining area of the tank with clean water. Do not use water that contains chlorine or other chemicals. Measure the width of your turtle and make sure that the water is deeper than the turtle is wide. This will enable the turtle to flip over if he somehow ends up on his back. The water will also need to be deep enough to allow the turtle to climb onto the dry area.

    • 5

      Place a strong aquarium filter in the tank. Use a filter that is designated for a tank that is larger than the one you are using, because turtles are messy and the water will need a lot of filtering to stay clean.

    • 6

      Place a lid over the tank. The tank needs to contain a light that is less than 90 watts. This will keep the tank area warm for the turtle and provide light if sunlight is not available.