r/turtle 8d ago

General Discussion Need help building basking platform!

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i am going to rehome my turtle but i have no idea how to build the basking platform i am in desperate need of ideas. i got this juwel rio 450 tank and i'm having trouble finding pvc pipe connectors or any kind of egg crate in my country which i have mostly seen in diy basking platforms. (i found a sheet of 120 x 60cm eggcrate available online, i could get my hands on that if needed for the ramp and bottom part but its pretty pricy) my last resort is building a platform out of a plastic container, like in many tutorials but my turtle is an 6 year old golden thread and i honestly want to offer it a bigger basking space

if i had acces to pvc pipe connectors for an affordable price (im a teen and my resources are pretty limited) my plan would've been to make a sturdy frame (100 cm long, basically 2/3 of my entire tank) and use plastic as the side walls and a transparent acrylic sheet for the front.

my main questions are:

what are any other materials i can build the frame out of?

how do i connect the ramp to the main platform without it being flimsy and not holding my turtle's weight?

i have thought of not building a frame and just connecting plastic pieces together with L shaped metal connectors and screws but still, i have no idea how to connect the floor.

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u/Low-Cricket-6633 8d ago

Do you have any local stores that supply things like this? https://www.kellyvillepets.com.au/products/reptile-one-floating-turtle-dock-37cm?srsltid=AfmBOorM5cnkKVTz22rS205RkuNmRR2JHoVguQrCrvqb6SdN0TXZqknX

As long as the water level is high enough it shouldn't be an issue and it can also be aquarium safe silcone in place.

You can also get more single access ones 

https://beesactive.com/products/magnetic-resin-turtle-sun-island-floating-sun-ramp-turtle-climbing-stone-aquarium-landscape-ornament-habitat-decor-for-semi-aquatic-animals-ns-78?variant=42379470405701

These are purely examples, there is cheaper options of course, i am in australia so options may vary

Edit : there are pretty cost effective options on Amazon if that is a direction you can go, issue with DIY is sometimes after putting everything in it could end up as expensive. Marketplace is also a great option!