Aquatic or semi-aquatic turtles, like red-eared sliders, have specific needs to keep them healthy and prevent illness.

Turtles can develop diseases of the respiratory system, shell, skeleton, and skin when their heat, UVB light, water, and dietary needs are not being met. Here are some products to help prevent many of these problems, and get you set up for success.

1) UVB Light and Hood for your Tank: Get the largest possible tank that fits in your space and buy a UVB hood that extends the length of the tank. Make sure the UVB light does not have any glass or plastic between it and your turtle. The screen is fine. I recommend the Arcadia Reptile brand.

The Arcadia Reptile brand is a bit pricier than some of the other UVB brands, so if you have a smaller tank but are planning to upgrade to a larger tank, you can temporarily use a Reptisun/Zoomed bulb or a Zilla bulb, rated 10.0 (UV strength). These bulbs are good as well, the Arcadia is just next level quality. Be sure the bulb is labeled as UVA/UVB (not only UVA).

Some UVB bulbs also give off heat for basking, others do not, in which case you can add a ceramic bulb heat emitter (does not give off light, just heat).

Change your UVB bulb every 6 months. I find that having a post-it note on the tank saying when the bulb needs to be changed next is very handy, especially if multiple family members are involved in care. A smartphone reminder works well too.

2) Heat Emitter & Stand: We'll need a heat emitter over their basking spot. For a red-eared slider, for example, we’ll have a goal of around 90-92 degrees at the basking spot. Each species may have different requirements. I like ceramic heat emitters.

Most of these ceramic bulbs are the same, and you'll need to just see what strength gets you to the right temperature at the basking spot. The one in the above link is a 75w.

You can get one of these stands to help adjust the height, and thus the temperature at the basking spot.

Be careful with how the heat bulb is clamped or placed, I always worry about a lamp tipping over and burning the pet or causing a fire or electrocution - a real risk with any non-permanent set-up. 

3) Water Filter + UV Clarifier: Every aquatic turtle needs a water filter for their tank to filter out bacteria and algae, keeping the water clean and clear. I recommend the Fluval Aquatics 07 Series, plus their UV In-Line Clarifier add-on.

4) Submersible Aquarium Heater: You’ll need a submersible aquarium heater, like this Fluval T200, to heat the water to the right temperature for your turtle. Check the product information, to ensure you have the right one for your size tank. Some aquarium heaters display the water temperature digitally, helping you monitor that the water is at the right temperature - if not, you’ll need a separate water thermometer (see #6).

5) Water changes: You don’t necessarily need a water conditioner, and sometimes these water conditioners can cause serious irritation to the eyes. Instead, you can fill buckets and leave them overnight to allow the chlorine to naturally evaporate, then you can do your tank change. You can also do partial (e.g., 50%) changes, as this can help water quality without having to empty the entire tank every time.

6) Water Thermometer: If your submersible aquarium heater doesn’t have an integrated thermometer, you’ll need a submersible water thermometer, like this Fluval Submersible Digital Thermometer. This will help you monitor that the water temperature is not too cold or too warm for your turtle. For a red-eared slider, the water temperature should be 75-80°F.

7) Temperature Gun: A temperature gun will help you monitor the air temperature at the basking spot. This temperature can change depending on the ambient room temperature as well as the distance between the heat source and the basking spot. Read the instructions so you aim from the correct distance to get an accurate temp. This is the temperature gun I use.

8) Aquatic Turtle Pellets: A high-quality aquatic turtle pellet like Mazuri Aquatic Turtle Diet or Tetra ReptoMin Floating Food Sticks or RepCal Aquatic Turtle Food is important to ensure your turtle is getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals. However, without UVB light, turtles cannot absorb the calcium in their diet properly. So, it’s important that your bulb gets changed every 6 months. Many aquatic turtles also require additional foods like fresh leafy greens. It's important to research dietary information from a reliable source, for example, Lafebervet.com

Here’s some great information about red-eared sliders from Lafeber. Other types of aquatic turtles may have slightly different needs - find a reliable source to learn about your turtle’s care.