Habitat - Indoor :: Advise on new tank

[Joanne519]

I have two RES Gin who is a little under 3 inches and Juice who is about 2. I was given a tank that is approx 60gal. I cleaned the tank with aquarium approved cleaner and rinsed it well. I filled it with water, cleaned the filter and put a few rosie's in it. Within an hour the rosie's were dead. I used the stress coat water conditioner and added more rosie's, they seem to be doing ok. I want to make sure everything is ok before I add Gin and Juice.... any advise?

[steve]

What was the "aquarium approved cleaner" you used? What was the water temp when you placed the first rosies in? I would think that it's safe, though you may want to give it another rinse if you are uneasy about it.

[Joanne519]

The cleaner is called safe and easy aquarium cleaner. The water was fairly chilly when I put the rosies in.

[steve]

Haven't heard of safe and easy aquarium cleaner, though I would like to believe it was temperature shock that did those rosies in. I've only used water/vinegar to clean my tank and that has worked out well.

Was the tank used for something else previously?

[marisa]

The fish would be more sensitive than turtles to the water (turtles breathe air like humans). And I would think a cleaner that bills itself as safe for fish would also be safe for turtles. A sharp difference in temp, though, would cause shock to fish and could also shock hatchlings. Do you have a submersible water heater for the tank? Although your turts aren't recently hatched, a water heater would eliminate future water temp problems (let it sit in the water for 15 minutes before you turn it on, and do the same before you remove it for cleaning).

[Joanne519]

Thanks for the help. Gin & Juice have adjusted just fine. It must have been the water temp.