Aqueon 40 Gallon Breeder Turtle Tank

    Here is a good picture of the level of black beard algae I’m attacking. Ironically it's cleared up from a large portion of the tank (while also turning my plants pretty bare in terms of leaves and whatnot). Otherwise, dosing hydrogen peroxide seems to be attacking it head-on without any major issues that others have faced. I've moved the water outlet pipe (the dry dock is wet in the photos since I was testing where to move it towards for better water circulation), and have slightly shifted the dry rock back a little bit to anchor it down better as the turtle is digging randomly which has shifted it forward and made it wobbly.

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    I do have a few baby cichlids roaming the tank (which can be seen by other screenshots I took today), and the turtle is healthier than ever. Still has the odd spot on its shell that did appear as shell rot when I first picked it up, but at this point, I believe it's just the coloration since it hasn't gotten worse or better over the past 2 years.

    Edited once, last by Avery (November 22, 2022 at 1:10 PM).

    Wow, I haven’t updated this journal in a LONG TIME.

    Some major changes:

    I mixed up the driftwood appearance a tad as before I felt it was too empty, then way too much wood, and now it feels about right with spaces for the cichlids to hide while also providing support to the basking area that got wobbly after a while (screws were tightened but some weren't screwed in correctly and had to have a new hole or attachment point added).

    The turtle has grown and is doing well. Sadly, every single Chinese algae eater would hunt down until they were fully consumed and eaten. The same is true for any Malaysian Trumpet Snail I would add in, so they all disappeared.

    I've added in Pink Convict Cichlids to help with coloring and mixing things up from the current normal Convict Cichlids that are in here. Additionally, there is now a smaller (temporarily added) Pleco in order to help remove all traces of BBA that I had (which worked, sadly the hydrogen peroxide treatments daily helped keep it in check but it would always come back as I missed spots).

    Love seeing a proper setup for a sideneck—your filtration and lighting choices look solid for long-term health. That custom driftwood basking spot is a great touch; using deck screws is smart for durability. For the next tank upgrade, consider planning room for a larger canister filter and a bigger basking area since African sidenecks get more active with size. If you add more cichlids, just watch aggression as they mature. Curious how that black sand holds up with turtle waste—does it stay manageable, or clog the filter?

    For a first setup, you've put together a fantastic equipment lineup and that driftwood basking area is a great touch—using stainless wood screws is a solid choice for durability and safety. The Anubias choices should tolerate the turtle's activity well. If you notice much plant uprooting, you might anchor the roots with rocks or try floating plants as an alternative.

    For future upgrades, consider building a larger above-tank basking area—this saves swimming space and can be adapted as the turtle grows. When moving to a 120+ gallon, external canister filters rated for more than double your tank's size will make maintenance much easier, given the high bioload of turtles.

    For others with less active or injured turtles, shallower water with easy-access ramps and more resting or basking points helps reduce stress.

    Out of curiosity, have you noticed if your sideneck prefers floating or crawling through the wood more? This might help you tweak future driftwood placement as the turtle grows.

    • New

    The setup described is well-suited for an African Sideneck turtle at juvenile or subadult stages. The hardware selection, particularly the canister filter and dual dome lighting, addresses both the high bioload associated with turtles and their specific UVB/UVA and basking heat requirements. Stainless steel, deck-rated screws for the DIY basking platform are an appropriate choice for water resistance and longevity. The use of Black Diamond Blasting Sand and Anubias varieties for flora is practical, as both are durable and compatible with turtle activity.

    Regarding long-term planning, the necessity for an upgrade to a significantly larger enclosure is accurate, given the adult size potential of the species. Investment costs can vary based on sourcing and timing, but the reported total seems reasonable for the included equipment and livestock. For turtles with reduced mobility or diminished swimming interest, emphasis on basking platforms and accessible resting areas is essential in future setups. Integrating additional driftwood and plants could further benefit both the enrichment and overall habitat stability for the animal.

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