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Hey guys!
For years when I change Kate's water (which its twice a year once in March or April and once in September), I do the following: I take her filter, water heater, and basking platform out. I then empty her water using big ice cream containers until I can't, then I take Kate out and one of my brothers would have her outside for outdoor time. Her tank is a 50 gal so I need my dad or my other brother to help me take the tank out so I can rise it with our garden hose that's connected to our house and bring it back in when I'm done. Next, I use the hose and fill it with water for a while, and then I'll go use another ice cream container to put some hot water in the aquarium until the aquarium thermometer is reading 76 degrees. After I clean I put her water heater, basking platform, and filter, I put them back in but I change her filter packet with a clean one ( I change those twice or 4 times a year depending how clean or dirty she is). Lastly, I place in Reptoguard turtle health conditioner from Tetrafauna to keep her water safe and I place her back in. However, before I go to bed I place a liquid water conditioner from API turtle so chlorine and chlormines can be removed from her water.

Am I doing what's right? If not, am I forgetting something or do I have to stop doing how I change her water and find a new way? I did this for years with knock on wood no problems and Kate has been fine and not complaining lol. Deep down, I feel like I'm doing things wrong and I may be harming her without me knowing and which is why I'm asking you guys for advice and some help. Sorry for this to be long, but I really need some advice on this. Thanks!

Are you doing any partial water changes between them? I just take everything out, rinse the filter pads/bio media and replace with new carbon and regenerated purigen. Drain the tank and fill it up with cold tap. The carbon eliminates the need for any other chemicals. Bio media is the only thing you need to preserve and you can easily do that by rinsing in existing tank water and setting it aside while you do the other stuff. Turtles are usually out in an enclosed space outside or in water filled storage containers in my bath tub (I usually do it at night so they are sleeping). By morning time the tank water is warmed up.

For partial water changes, if you mean to take half of the old water out and add half new, no, I don't. I add fresh water in when her water evaporates. I do keep putting in the water conditioner from API when I do add the new water.

If thats the case, I would do more frequent partial changes. A siphon can drain the water for you (slowly) but use a small pump and hose to drain the tanks (a 90 gallon and a 120 gallon). Be very careful about putting hot water into an aquarium, depending on the volume and temperature, it might cause the glass to crack.

Well how often should I do a partial water change? Also, where can I get a siphon? I never heard of them until now and doing a quick google search to see what they look like lol. And when it comes with adding hot water in I am careful with that. I don't want the glass to crack otherwise Kate would be homeless until I get her a new aquarium.

Partial water changes depend on turtle, water volume and filter setup. There is no formula, but any amount is beneficial... something like 20% weekly.

As for siphons, if you want to buy a set, a popular one is called Python. You probably have to consider how close you are to a sink. In the end I just got clear tubing from a hardware store and used a pump to drain the tank. For filling it up, I bought some fittings so I could connect it to my faucet.

Sorry it took long to reply to you.

That's true, I can look more into partial water changes for Kate, the way she is and her setup is like I'm feeling it may take every four months to do that.

And I'll definitely look more into the Python. The closest sink I'm next to is in the kitchen, Kate's aquarium is in a room at the other side.

Thanks for your help! It's greatly appreciated!

How many feet do you think is between kitchen and tank? Also, I wouldn't recommend draining tank water into a kitchen sink... or have any turtle related things near where you prep food. Maybe there is a window closer by?

Hm, idk. I'm guessing to where her tank is from the bathroom is 10 to 14 feet while the kitchen is 5 to 9 feet? But her tank is right next to our back door and out into our backyard. I have a spot where I dump her dirty water when I'm cleaning her tank.