Sand or gravel for turtles?

Kinection · 12-28-2012, 02:14 AM

I guess I'll go bare bottom. Wouldn't look
as good, but meh. Easier cleaning

AVN · 12-28-2012, 02:37 AM

I have kept a mating pair of southern map turtles for 14 years now, and in all my experiences with them I have to say I prefer bare tanks just because it is easy to clean.

However, I agree with the others in this thread that recommended sand, it may be a bit harder to clean, but it looks much nicer aesthetically, and you can hide worms and snails for your turtle to hunt for. They love it, and prefer to hunt on their own as opposed to eat from my hand.

River rocks are the in-between, it is easy to clean (you just siphon the waste out from all the cracks) and your turtles will move the rocks around "exploring" and looking for critters you can hide.

As for plants, don't even try. I have tried DOZENS of different plants and all have been devoured. My only success with plants are plants that outnumber the turtle's appetite, like duckweed or dwarf water lettuce. Everything else gets devoured within the week.

Kinection · 12-28-2012, 03:34 AM

I think my turt is at the "maturity" age, he is
trying to kill my guppies. Good thing I just
got a 55 gal just for him!

Bear Sage · 12-28-2012, 03:48 AM

Plants are snacks to my res. Everything I put in his 90 he eats. And he just started eating his tankmates. Friends became food, nothing is safe!!

theshadybird · 12-28-2012, 03:49 AM

A simple and aesthetically pleasing alternative to bare-bottom is some stone tile from a hardware store. Looks way more natural, and has all the benefits of bare glass. I have it this way for my RES :]

Kinection · 12-28-2012, 06:10 AM

Oh that's a great idea! I got a
a few of those tiles in my backyard,
it's going to be hard putting them
in since the tank is deep and there
is water filled though. :/

Kitty_Kitsch · 12-28-2012, 07:46 PM

If you have somewhere to hold the turtles for a day or so I'd say dump it and silicone some on! That would be neat!

newbieplanter · 01-19-2013, 03:22 PM

I got three tanks one has play sand and big rocks with one piece of driftwood the only problem I have with that one is filling the water back up after a water change but I put down a plate an it's fine cleaning and everything else is cool I'm tryin to do a moss carpet in there now so we will see how it goes my turtles don't eat the moss or sand but the java fern was done the second day. My other tank I have gravel the only trouble there is the turtle moves it and piles it a little bit which is fine u just move it back flat or leave it if it looks good the way the turtle moves it also got a few bigger rocks with moss on them I haven't had a problem in that tank either as far as the turt eatin rocks and some of them are small enough for him to eat. My last tank has five babies in there an its a 20gal. So the water turned green from their waste but anyway I have big boulders in there with a few small ones other than the tank bein crowded there are no problems. I just figured I would tell u a little about what I got set up so u don't get discouraged the only big problem I got with my tanks is that I wanna change the tankscape every few weeks or so meaning other rocks or sand, plants, add fish, do a top tank baskin area or leave it in the tank u know stuff like that anyway good luck either way u go!

12-28-2012, 02:37 AM	#17
AVN Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,065	I have kept a mating pair of southern map turtles for 14 years now, and in all my experiences with them I have to say I prefer bare tanks just because it is easy to clean. However, I agree with the others in this thread that recommended sand, it may be a bit harder to clean, but it looks much nicer aesthetically, and you can hide worms and snails for your turtle to hunt for. They love it, and prefer to hunt on their own as opposed to eat from my hand. River rocks are the in-between, it is easy to clean (you just siphon the waste out from all the cracks) and your turtles will move the rocks around "exploring" and looking for critters you can hide. As for plants, don't even try. I have tried DOZENS of different plants and all have been devoured. My only success with plants are plants that outnumber the turtle's appetite, like duckweed or dwarf water lettuce. Everything else gets devoured within the week. __________________ [Secret Entrance]

12-28-2012, 03:48 AM	#19
Bear Sage Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Antonio,TX Posts: 285	Plants are snacks to my res. Everything I put in his 90 he eats. And he just started eating his tankmates. Friends became food, nothing is safe!! __________________

12-28-2012, 03:49 AM	#20
theshadybird Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: KY, USA Posts: 197	A simple and aesthetically pleasing alternative to bare-bottom is some stone tile from a hardware store. Looks way more natural, and has all the benefits of bare glass. I have it this way for my RES :] __________________ "Less bad" does not equal "good".

12-28-2012, 07:46 PM	#22
Kitty_Kitsch Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: West Covina, CA Posts: 472	If you have somewhere to hold the turtles for a day or so I'd say dump it and silicone some on! That would be neat! __________________ 36 Bowfront LowTech Angels, Rainbows and Kuhlis Fluval Ebi Pimp #28 Cherries! Weeeee! Assassin snails I think I love you

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12-28-2012, 02:14 AM	#16
Kinection Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 929	I guess I'll go bare bottom. Wouldn't look as good, but meh. Easier cleaning

12-28-2012, 03:34 AM	#18
Kinection Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 929	I think my turt is at the "maturity" age, he is trying to kill my guppies. Good thing I just got a 55 gal just for him!

12-28-2012, 06:10 AM	#21
Kinection Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 929	Oh that's a great idea! I got a a few of those tiles in my backyard, it's going to be hard putting them in since the tank is deep and there is water filled though. :/

01-19-2013, 03:22 PM	#23
newbieplanter Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Boston ma Posts: 256	I got three tanks one has play sand and big rocks with one piece of driftwood the only problem I have with that one is filling the water back up after a water change but I put down a plate an it's fine cleaning and everything else is cool I'm tryin to do a moss carpet in there now so we will see how it goes my turtles don't eat the moss or sand but the java fern was done the second day. My other tank I have gravel the only trouble there is the turtle moves it and piles it a little bit which is fine u just move it back flat or leave it if it looks good the way the turtle moves it also got a few bigger rocks with moss on them I haven't had a problem in that tank either as far as the turt eatin rocks and some of them are small enough for him to eat. My last tank has five babies in there an its a 20gal. So the water turned green from their waste but anyway I have big boulders in there with a few small ones other than the tank bein crowded there are no problems. I just figured I would tell u a little about what I got set up so u don't get discouraged the only big problem I got with my tanks is that I wanna change the tankscape every few weeks or so meaning other rocks or sand, plants, add fish, do a top tank baskin area or leave it in the tank u know stuff like that anyway good luck either way u go!