# Big Plastic Tubs



## Tom (Mar 7, 2010)

I need some 3'x6' big plastic tubs. I'm going to build a triple or quadruple decker tortoise table and I'd really like to find some bigs tubs to slide into a framework instead of messing with plastic liners and staples. Since I'm now a huge fan of humidity, it will be quite wet.

Anyone know where to find plastic tubs this size?


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## t_mclellan (Mar 8, 2010)

Hi Roachman26;
You have most likely found this your self.
Its a list of manufacturers.

http://www.iqsdirectory.com/plastic-containers/plastic-tubs/

I know exactly the type of tub / bin your thinking of & I have seen them, But I have no idea who makes them.

Tom


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## tomn (Mar 8, 2010)

Try these links

vision tubs

http://www.visionproducts.us/htm7/tubs.html

large mixing tubs

http://www.tufftubs.com/htdocs/mixingtub.htm

hope this helps


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## Tom (Mar 8, 2010)

tomn said:


> Try these links
> 
> vision tubs
> 
> ...



PERFECT! Thank you. Either of these will work. I also found this one, if anyone else is interested: http://www.waterlandtubs.com/About_Me.html


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## dreadyA (Mar 8, 2010)

lllreptile has the waterland tubs the cheapest, tom.


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## Tom (Mar 8, 2010)

dreadyA said:


> lllreptile has the waterland tubs the cheapest, tom.



Thanks. I love LLL.


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## dreadyA (Mar 16, 2010)

so, hows the triple/quad decker tort table coming along?


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## Stephanie Logan (Mar 16, 2010)

Well, _*I'm*_ not going to be the one breathing down your neck. 

I have complete faith that you'll post the photos once the project is complete. You're addicted to all the attention and compliments you get here...admit it!


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## Tom (Mar 16, 2010)

dreadyA said:


> so, hows the triple/quad decker tort table coming along?



I'm still waiting for the Tuff Tub people to get back to me with a price. I think they will be the cheapest and I like their tubs the best anyway. Customer service does not seem to be their strong point.



Stephanie Logan said:


> Well, _*I'm*_ not going to be the one breathing down your neck.
> 
> I have complete faith that you'll post the photos once the project is complete. You're addicted to all the attention and compliments you get here...admit it!



I can't put my finger on exactly what part is so addictive, but it most certainly is. I thinks its just enthralling that there are so many people all in one place that are as obsessed with chelonians as I am.

Most of my stuff is built to be practical and functional, so when its done, it won't be very pretty. It will be sturdy and functional, though. Don't worry. I'll still post the photos for you.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 17, 2010)

I have a Tuff Tub that I bought at a local feed store. I keep my rescued RES in it. Its a great product. Have you gone around to the local feed dealers to see if they have what you need?


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## ChiKat (Mar 23, 2010)

I love the idea of putting the tub inside of the enclosure so you don't have to mess with a liner. Smart!
Can't wait to see pics


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## Tom (Mar 23, 2010)

ChiKat said:


> I love the idea of putting the tub inside of the enclosure so you don't have to mess with a liner. Smart!
> Can't wait to see pics



The tub won't be inside the enclosure. The tub will BE the enclosure. I'm going to build a rack out of two by fours to hold the three tubs. I'm trying to get the tubs right now, but everyone in the supply chain is making it difficult. Tuff tubs has 60x36x12" tubs for about $90, but I'm getting the run-around from everybody.


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## spikethebest (Mar 23, 2010)

what about eBay?


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## ChiKat (Mar 23, 2010)

Tom said:


> ChiKat said:
> 
> 
> > I love the idea of putting the tub inside of the enclosure so you don't have to mess with a liner. Smart!
> ...



Just kidding...we'll pretend I didn't say that.


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## Stephanie Logan (Mar 23, 2010)

I know I promised, but...any tubs yet?


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## Tom (Mar 23, 2010)

Finally got things sorted out today. I'll be picking up the tubs tomorrow afternoon. I went ahead and bought three extra since they were so hard to get and half the price of the other two I was looking at. 60x36x12" for just under a hundred bucks each. Once I get them, I'll get some measurements and go get the lumber. I'll post you some pics of the building process and the finished product.


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## Jacqui (Mar 24, 2010)

Sounds exactly like what we did. We have four stands like that.





Excuse the messy shot, but this is the only picture I have that even sorta shows what we did. The white spot on the side, is where they glued the price to it...would have cleaned it, if I knew I was gonna be showing this to folks. Under the tub you can see we made each shelf with several support beams, rather then a solid shelf. We used 2 by 4s for all of it (to hold any possible weight). We also used heavy duty coasters, so we could easily move them around.


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## Stephanie Logan (Mar 24, 2010)

Hard-core tort keepers...my secret fantasy.


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## Tom (Mar 24, 2010)

Got the tubs today. Didn't have the camera for pics, but you can see them here:
http://www.tufftubs.com/htdocs/mixingtub.htm

The sides on the far ends are pretty slanted, reducing the "footprint" of floor space. It should still be around 12-13 sq. ft. of floor space. Plenty of room for hatchlings, which is what I intend to put in it. If my 7 sulcata eggs are not fertile, my friend is going to give me a handful of his sulcata eggs to hatch out. Then, I'll be able to keep them super humid, literally from the day they hatch and see how smooth they grow up. Either way I'm getting closer to answering the pyramiding question. At least for myself.

Jacqui, thanks for the caster idea. I hadn't thought of that, but its a great idea. I will definitely be incorporating that into the design. Man, I love this forum!!!


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## Jacqui (Mar 24, 2010)

Tom said:


> The sides on the far ends are pretty slanted, reducing the "footprint" of floor space.



That's why we went with the sheep stock tanks. Plus we can either have two small ones on one shelf or one large one. High enough sides nobody can climb out, yet not too deep.


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## Tom (Mar 26, 2010)

Jacqui said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > The sides on the far ends are pretty slanted, reducing the "footprint" of floor space.
> ...



Well why didn't you mention the sheep stock tanks when I first posted this back on March 8th? Jeez!


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## Tom (Mar 29, 2010)

Photos of the progress so far. I'm waiting to put in the top tub until I verify that I've got the distance between tubs just right. I'm going to need a step stool to see into the top one as it is. Not happy about that, but I need it high enough to allow some distance from the lower tub for the basking light and the upper tub for heat coming off of the lower basking lamp.


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## dreadyA (Mar 29, 2010)

Awesome progress. What are you going to keep in them??(dont remember seeing you mention it..)


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## ChiKat (Mar 29, 2010)

I could barely build a simple tort table, so how you're doing this is beyond me 
Very cool!! Nice progress.


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## dreadyA (Mar 29, 2010)

Sulcatas, of course!


I ca't believe i asked that... 


Stephanie Logan said:


> Hard-core tort keepers...my secret fantasy.


ummm....hahahaha. Oh my, steph.

How much for shipping??


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## Tom (Mar 29, 2010)

dreadyA said:


> Awesome progress. What are you going to keep in them??(dont remember seeing you mention it..)



Daisy, my little sulcata, is in one. South African Leopard hatchlings will go in another in another, and, one way or another, I'm going to hatch out some sulcata babies and keep them very humid, from literally day 1, to test out my humidity theories in the third tub. If my eggs aren't fertile (I'm pretty sure they are not), my friend is going to give me some of his eggs to hatch out.

Of course, this leaves Daisy's old enclosure empty now... maybe some pancakes at the next show... maybe some Burmese Blacks, if I can find someone who'll agree to take them when they get big enough to live outside year round...


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## Jacqui (Mar 30, 2010)

Tom said:


> Jacqui said:
> 
> 
> > Tom said:
> ...



I do on any thread I see dealing with them, but life has been hectic so I don't get much computer time these days...sorry I just never noticed the thread until the other day.


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## TylerStewart (Mar 30, 2010)

Tom - that's just about exactly how I use my Waterland Tubs. I have a bunch of the small land tubs, but instead of them sitting on a flat platform, I basically wrapped 2x4s around them just under the lip, so they're being held up by the top edge and put the verticals in just like you have them. I have them stacked 4 high, with the top one high enough that I need a step stool to get in there (it's always used for the lower-maintenance tortoises). It's probably at about 7 feet to the top edge of it. They lift right out, and the whole rack is on wheels, so I mounted all the lights to the wall behind it, then can pull the whole rack out and the individual tubs lift right out without having to move the lights. I'm all about automation, and to me, anything indoors is a lot of work, but this system seemed to work the best.


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## spikethebest (Mar 30, 2010)

that looks so awesome! you know you will have to build one for me right?  lol jk


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## Tom (Mar 31, 2010)

TylerStewart said:


> Tom - that's just about exactly how I use my Waterland Tubs. I have a bunch of the small land tubs, but instead of them sitting on a flat platform, I basically wrapped 2x4s around them just under the lip, so they're being held up by the top edge and put the verticals in just like you have them. I have them stacked 4 high, with the top one high enough that I need a step stool to get in there (it's always used for the lower-maintenance tortoises). It's probably at about 7 feet to the top edge of it. They lift right out, and the whole rack is on wheels, so I mounted all the lights to the wall behind it, then can pull the whole rack out and the individual tubs lift right out without having to move the lights. I'm all about automation, and to me, anything indoors is a lot of work, but this system seemed to work the best.



I almost got the Waterland tubs instead, but these were much cheaper and suited my purposes just fine. The Waterland tubs are a little bigger and probably lighter too.



spikethebest said:


> that looks so awesome! you know you will have to build one for me right?  lol jk



I'd love to HELP YOU build one. They have to be built in place as they wont fit through any door ways.


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## Stephanie Logan (Apr 1, 2010)

Tom said:


> I'd love to HELP YOU build one. They have to be built in place as *they wont fit through any door ways.*



So how will you evacuate the tortoises in an emergency? Dump them on the floor and tell them to run?

I _hope_ you have a plan...


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## Tom (Apr 1, 2010)

Stephanie Logan said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > I'd love to HELP YOU build one. They have to be built in place as *they wont fit through any door ways.*
> ...



Did you forget I'm a trainer?! I'll simply hold open a large back pack and tell them all "JUMP!". Then I'll just pack 'em out on my back.


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## Stephanie Logan (Apr 1, 2010)

I hope your back is strong.


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## Tom (Apr 3, 2010)

Construction is all done. Daisy is already moved in on the bottom floor. Now I just have to set up the other two tubs and get something to put in them.


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## Yvonne G (Apr 3, 2010)

Looking good!


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## Stephanie Logan (Apr 4, 2010)

Sharp.

I hope you're planning on painting some nice murals on the side for them. 

I am sure they will love residing in their exclusive, gated high-rise.


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## DeanS (May 6, 2010)

These tubs are GREAT...the 45 degree angle may reduce the footprint but will drastically reduce (if not eliminate) any chance of flipping torts...they climb...they slide back down...EXCELLENT!


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## Tom (May 7, 2010)

DeanS said:


> These tubs are GREAT...the 45 degree angle may reduce the footprint but will drastically reduce (if not eliminate) any chance of flipping torts...they climb...they slide back down...EXCELLENT!



In hindsight, I'd have to say that I wish I'd gone with the more expensive, larger Waterland Tubs or Vision Tubs. I do want the larger footprint and I'm not 100% sure yet that a smaller, lighter turtle or tortoise couldn't climb out because of that slope. Daisy can't get out at all, but...

These were half the price, but if an animal climbs out, it will not have been worth it. I'm got half the tub covered (for humidity AND escape prevention) and I'm working on corner covers for the side with the light.


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## Kristina (May 7, 2010)

Just curious, how far apart are the tubs, and what wattage lamp are you using for Daisy? What are your hot temps right under the light?

I am building something similar, and trying to get an idea of how tall to make it.

Oh, and I found these...

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=98


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