Make the Penn-Plax Turtle Topper FIT ANY SIZE TANK - BASKING DOCK MOD

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LYYT here! In this video I show a modification YOU can do to make the Penn-Plax Turtle Topper Above Tank Basking Platform fit any size tank! This includes wide (breeder) and large tanks that turtles need! No big power tools needed.
See the Penn Plax Turtle Topper here - amzn.to/3tztaaU
(LLYT is not sponsored, endorsed nor does it have any affiliation with Penn Plax, LLYT is however affiliated with Amazon and I get a teensy commission if you use my product links to purchase anything on Amazon at no extra cost to you!)
I reviewed this topper in my last video, see it here: • LLYT Favorite?! Penn P...
The build is simple! Wood, glue, some screws, some nails and a little DIY fun!
List of Materials Used (all from the Hardware store):
- 1/8 in. x 2-1/2 in. x 4 ft. Poplar Board
- 1 in. x 2 in. x 8 ft. Square Edge Whitewood Board
- 48” Wood Lath (found while wandering around Home Depot, could also use - 1/8 in. x 1-1/2 in. x 4 ft. Poplar Board)
- Wood Glue
- 1-1/4” wood screws
- 1” finishing nails
- Black Spray Paint (I used Rust-oleum Universal - Black - Gloss - Paint and Primer)

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Опубликовано:

9 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 82

@kaylakiss2093 Год назад

Thanks for this! Ended up only using the sheet of egg crate to cover the tank and cut holes for the ramp and hanging platform. Worked perfectly.

@jennifermueller9881 3 года назад

Great retrofit! I'll be very proud of myself if I can duplicate this. Thanks for the vids!

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

You can do it! And thanks!

@jenniferspence7092 2 года назад

Omg I am so happy I came across this video!! I have this exact topper and my tank is I think 18 inches wide. We have 2 musks and I'm just not creative in the slightest lol. This also looks fairly easy. Literally the hardest part will be scouring home depot for the wood and trying not to feel awquard while doing that because I don't really know anything about wood.... maybe I can get a guy friend to do the wood shopping lol. But for real I'm so excited now. I had all sorts of hacks I was thinking of but none of them would have been as aesthecically pleasing or safe as this one is.

@jmchugh1483 3 года назад

great video, looks good.

@johnnyzaldana4841 9 месяцев назад

Some great stuff !! Genius!!

@Psychojon23 3 года назад

This guy has got to be one of the greatest guys of all time

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Wow thanks! :)

@markmuhar9107 2 года назад

Great video! Just got this tank topper & had to use a variation of your design to get it to fit, works like a charm for very little money & only about an hour of work the ramp is a bit steep but strapping a rubber pad to it seems to be enough to get my 3 y/o red eared slider up it without issue!

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Glad it helped! I like the rubber pad idea, its a tough ramp to climb.

@randomrazr 3 года назад

i prefer ur custom build tank top. so much nier

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Agreed! Nothing like solid wood construction. But I wanted to see what I could do with existing products out there.

@kennyp1068 3 года назад

Nice video man. Keep up the great work!

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Appreciate it!

@junkyardflower 2 года назад

Wish you had this video when I bought this topper about two years ago lol its been in great use but I had to actually saw the plastic corners to properly sit on the corner of any size tank

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Alas! They are relatively cheap and you could try again? Thanks for the comment!

@kurtisdavis9526 3 года назад

I did some alterations to mine as well. I cut off the lip on the back side of the topper and used adhesive to attach egg crate to bridge the gap. Worked amazing. Wish I had photos. I no longer have it.

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

That's a great idea! The toppers are relatively useless without mods unfortunately.

@redrosecounty 9 месяцев назад

Thanks, been meaning to pick this up for my Razorback Musk (she's pretty big for a musk but much smaller than my sliders). Her tank is 18" wide which as you stated is a pretty good size for a turtle tank. I was going to Mod it but was wondering what it would look like, you've done a good job there so I think I'll take the same route with wood. Obviously isn't an option for my Yellow bellied Sliders but I made them a basking area out of acrylic and a heat gun for bending, ended up costing quite a lot as I went through various iterations and this one just looks good if I can get it to fit, so thanks again.

@daniellechapman1842 2 года назад

Thanks. I had been looking for a good ready made product for ages and finally bought this, but was worried it wouldn't fit. My tank is actually long and narrow but it's about 14-15 inches wide.

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Awesome! Hope that design works out for you!

@teddym8883 3 года назад

I just bought the penn plax topper and I didn’t pay attention to the measurements I have a 40 gal but the front lip of the tank is shorter so I’ll probably have to get a 75 gal tank but after that I’ll be able to finally have a above tank basking area thanks to your amazing video!!!

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Awesome! Glad the video helps :)

@Washingtonturtle 3 года назад

Thank you so much for this video. You have saved me alot of trouble. I guess penn plax has made plastic extension clips that will allow this to be extended up to 19 in, but they don't look too safe or stable.

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Glad it helped! And wow I just looked them up, I’ll have to do another video to review them! Thanks for the info!

@kellit7883 3 года назад

You made a great mod!! I went through this same process a few years back with the turtle topper of trying to figure out how to make it fit on my 40 gal tank. I wound up using the egg crate all the way across the whole top of the aquarium and cut a whole for the ramp to go down. My girl is an escape artist so I also had to cut a small piece of egg crate and zip tie it at the ramp so she couldn't crawl out. I'm also finding that she's almost too big for this turtle topper so am going to check out how you made your own. I'd like to give her more room - she's a big girl and 18yrs old.

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Great idea! A little simpler than mine too! Yeah I wish they made this topper for larger tanks and turtles. It’s really not meant for adult pond turtles unfortunately :/ I hope you find my other builds suit your needs or at least inspire you! Thanks for the comment!

@kellit7883 3 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle I am definitely inspired. I wish they made larger sized turtle toppers too. I think it's odd that they don't!

@randealarid 2 года назад

This was an awesome video! I’m looking at different ideas for an above the tank basking area and I really like this idea or possibly just making one with egg crate. Can you just sit the uv/heat lamp on top of it or so you think it could melt the plastic? We have the zoomed double light.

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

It will melt it. I’ve tried, even with a 50 watt heat bulb. To get around it though you can just cut a hole in the egg crate right under then light or get a stand/plant holder that holds your lamp higher up. Check out my DIY egg crate basking dock on my channel! Thanks for the comment!

@randealarid 2 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle thanks for the reply. We do have the light stand so I could leave an open top. Do you have a link for the recommended video? Just on a side note, I love Harold’s name. We have two hatchling turtles. A caigles map named Bowser and a wide striped southern painted turtle named Twizzler. I think Bowser is a female tho and will keep the name regardless. I enjoy your videos. Thanks for posting.

@milissaellan6805 3 года назад

I LOVE this idea, super helpful! I just got handed down a 45 gal bowfront-- do you have tips for accommodating the non-parallel front and back tank walls?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Thanks! That is tricky... I would suggest keeping with straight boards (don't try to curve anything as that will really complicate things). Use longer cross boards to span the larger gap near the middle due to the bow in the glass. Good luck!

@milissaellan6805 3 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle Ok we're gonne give it a try and see how it goes. Fingers crossed! My hubs really likes the plants around it that you did-- he hates the platform and finds it ugly, but is totally on board with making it look like a planter box! So double thanks!!

@joshotey2967 3 года назад

Great job on this modification! I was curios if notching the sides of the back of the base of the basking platform may work as well, so the back of the basking platform may be supported by the tank edge, being able to slide back and forth if that makes sense. Then, only a front support would have to be made, possibly. So instead of notching the back, you would notch the sides of the back.

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Good idea! I thought of that but didn’t want the back of the dock hanging over the edge of the tank. Your idea would certainly work though! Thanks for the comment!

@joshotey2967 3 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle Ended up building it very similar to your way, except used different size dimensional lumber to avoid small trim pieces, and used my Kreg pocket hole jig for the wood joints. Worked out well though. As much as you do small projects I highly recommend a Kreg jig, it works very nicely. I do appreciate your video for sure, it gave me a solid starting point. Good luck on your future endeavors, I enjoy the videos. Thanks.

@motoridesaz3729 3 года назад

Hey man I have two red ear sliders and I just ordered the Turtle Clean 75 I'm waiting for it to be delivered and I'm also trying to get that other type of filter you have on the right side if you don't mind contact me so you can answer some of the questions I have id appreciate it thank you the Magnum 350 is what I'm looking for a but I cannot seem to find it

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

I realize I just answered your questing on another post! But I will post it here too : Hi thanks for the comment. That was an old video! I highly suggest you look at my new ones. (see link at the bottom).While the turtle clean and marineland magnum 350 were OK filters for this setup. I would highly suggest a CASCADE 1200 filter (amzn.to/3me5nLo) which is a little more expensive but really powerful and has shutoff valves that make cleaning WAY easier. You also should only really need one which is inherently easier to maintain. Here's my updated tank after that one, I use a FLuval FX6 there which is very $$$ but so powerful. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oJa434Q2ghM.html ... but even since that one things have changed. So if you want more ideas checkout my channel! Good luck!

@mentalgamingpvp 3 года назад

are the dual domes by zoomed not recommended?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

No I love the dual domes, however you cannot have them sitting on the plastic top (it will melt the plastic, which it actually did) if you lift it up a bit, maybe use an egg crate layer or two, it should do the trick, just keep an eye on the temp of the actual backing area, the whole setup holds in heat very well and can get toasty.

@veronicarangelramirez4417 3 года назад

Deberías Acer un vídeo sobre tortugas bebés 🙂

@Yuohani 3 года назад

Very professionally made! Great job! What is that tool to secure wood on the cutting table called?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Thanks so much! A C-Clamp. You can find them in most hardware stores.

@tonymedina922 2 года назад

Hello 👋🏼. What kind of sand is that you have at the bottom?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Hi! I am using pool filter sand, no additives. Thanks!

@thekiaradanielle 2 года назад

They sell extender clips now!

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Yes! Thank goodness!

@guywithhats7306 3 года назад

Does the wood mold?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Not yet, I had similar wood installed over the tank for 1.5 years and the exterior paint I use provides a good amount of protection.

@TheEggGoesMoo 3 года назад

Hi! What would you recommend to put on the ramp if it’s too hard for the turtles to get on?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

Turf! Just use super glue to adhere it to the ramp.

@TheEggGoesMoo 3 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle any organic turf suggestions or is turf in general safe for turtles?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

I’d suggest using reptile turf used in terrariums. That designed to be safe for animals.

@TheEggGoesMoo 3 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle thanks!

@TheEggGoesMoo 3 года назад

@@LongLiveYourTurtle can you please reply me a link to your favorite product for the reptile turf if you have the time? It would help a lot!

@SamiDForever 3 месяца назад

From everything I've ever read, two sliders should not be housed in such a small tank. The tank is really too small for one of your sliders? It seems so cramped. What is the explanation behind this?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 месяца назад

The answer is annoying… it depends! On what? Your turtles, your living situation, and doing the best you can with what you have. I’ve since upgraded to much larger tanks and setups since making this video but the turtles were happy and healthy the whole time. Cohabitation is not recommended but I watched my turtles very closely. Hope that helps!

@littlemetaldevil 3 года назад

Please tell me this'll fit on a bowfront tank, I'm getting desperate lol

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

This design probably wouldn’t cut it but a similar design would work as long as you get the right dimensions to fit the awkward shape, you keep it straight lines, just need to think about it before you start cutting, you can do itttt!!!

@lucii1056 3 года назад

will this fit a 10 gallon tank? it’s 10 inches wide and 20 inches in length

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

The mod? No. But the topper without the mod, yes, however there will be some gaps on the sides you might want o fill in to keep it steady. BUT a 10 g tank won’t last if you have a turtle! Also, Lengthwise it will be tight; the ramp will force the turtle to slide into the side of the tank wall. But that’s a guess since I don’t have a 10g to try it on. So I hoped that helped a little? Ha... good luck!

@lucii1056 3 года назад

Long Live Your Turtle saw a DIY vid on how to make a basking area with egg crate. Prob gonna get a 20 gallon and try to find it for cheap somewhere when they get a lil bigger

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

@@lucii1056 Awesome, there are some good designs out there. Egg crate is a great easy to use DIY material! Good luck!

@lydiamauras9402 3 года назад

Can you make me one and ill buy it from you please

@williambutler2914 3 года назад

Do you build these to sell?

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

I am designing my own to sell soon. Keep an eye on my channel and I will let you know when they are available!

@mcarolivm7280 2 года назад

Our school wants to upgrade our large red-haired turtle habitat from his current 20 gallon space to a 60 gallon bow front tank. Challenge is his Penn-Plax Turtle Topper doesn't fit the new bow front! Looks like your modification would work to fit the arc of the new tank, with some carpentry finesse. Can anyone comment on the weight stress placed on the front bow of the tank from the wood modification???

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Hey, probably around 5ish pounds total, so I would conservatively assume that is the weight on the front. I my opinion though, it is overall lightweight and should work pending you succeed on the mod! Thanks for the question, maybe someone that is smarter can answer haha.

@TwistidCannon 2 года назад

Can i buy one of those from u lol

@LongLiveYourTurtle 2 года назад

Alas, I do not sell this creation. I do sell other, better versions on my Etsy store. A new model is coming out soon, stay tuned!

@nuckie_miamii 3 года назад

This will not fit any tank i had tried this for my top fin bow front tank Ad nope had to return it back to amazon

@LongLiveYourTurtle 3 года назад

This is a tricky basking platform because it is so narrow, this video gives you an idea on how to make it work for wider tanks, a bow front could be tricky, hope you find a solution that works!