The Zilla Floating Basking Platform looks similar to the Zoo Med Turtle Dock, particularly it’s frame, which is the part that is suction-cupped to the inside turtle tank wall and allows the basking platform to adjust its float on top of the water, regardless of the amount of water loss due to evaporation.
The platform does not have a prominent ramp like the Zoo Med turtle dock but makes up for it by having “natural-looking river rock steps” on the side of the platform.
It’s available in 2 sizes:
It’s also very light (in terms of weight) and is much lighter than the Zoo Med turtle dock. Whether that means it will float better under heavier/bigger turtles remains to be seen.
Zilla Floating Basking Platform Review
Pros
- Natural looking
- Adjusts to water level
Cons
- The “natural-looking river rock steps” looks like it will give a larger turtle a harder time to climb onto the basking platform.
- Even the largest size which is now a medium (8×4) is pretty small for a large turtle.
- The construction material looks like it will be easily chewed on and destroyed by pet turtles like he Zoo Med Turtle Dock.
Installation
Installation is simple. It’s a similar design to the Zoo med version and just uses suction cups to attach the tank glass.
The platform itself just floats up and down as the water level changes from evaporation.
Maintenance
You can clean the platform with a soft bristle brush, but as time goes on you will likely have issues with getting the algae off of it.
Conclusion
The Zilla Floating Basking Platform has many similarities with the Zoo Med version. It may make a decent intermediary between just starting out and building a better turtle tank setup later.
If I had to choose I would probably use the Zoo Med dock, though it really comes down to personal preference on the design as there are so many similarities. One other pro about the Zoo Med version is that there are 4 sizes available.
An alternate option would be to create your own basking platform for your turtle.