General Care Discussion :: confused about water

[Desertwife]

When I first rescued my slider I was here often and learned everything I know about sliders from you! Thank you. Now, her indoor pond is about 300 gallons. A pond filter that circulates about 2 1/2 times per hour. The PH is 8.3, never has been below 8. our water is very hard, builds the hard stuff everywhere. It actually has built up on the submersed pump not allowing the pump to start when I shut it off to clean the pond. I have to scrape it off the heaters and the propeller! This could not be good for "Toytee" even though I brush her shell gently with a soft toothbrush often. I've considered peat but I'm at a loss as to put it right in the filter, or stuff it in there in mesh bags. Mostly...how much peat to use? Any help or advise would be much appreciated.

[jay2487]

Well you have the right idea, in that your not thinking of using any chemicals. I actually had or have the same problem. My water comes out of the well at 8.2 PH. One way you've already mentioned to lower it is peat. You can just shove the peat floss in your filter where water will constantly flow over it. This will accomplish more than just putting it in a bag in the tank. Also, you may not like the look, but a big piece of driftwood will lower PH. It secretes tannins or tannic acid which will lower PH but it also looks like it sounds, like a tan pigment that will spread throughout the water. You can cure the driftwood and it won't turn your water colors anymore but at the same time your curing out what lowers the PH. So you want to find a happy medium or let it cloud over because it won't hurt any life in the tank. Theres also coconut shell filter inserts that do the same thing as peat just better. Dried Oak leaves are also said to work but I've never tried that. I'm not sure how much PH and hard water really effect turtles. I do know that down here RES's YBS's AST's and cooters all live in and around the everglades and you can find them a few yards upstream from mangrove trees so they can live and thrive in that type of hard water, upstream from where the fresh hits the brackish water is about as hard as it gets. For most fish, it's more important to keep a constant PH even if it's high. The fish will get used to a constant high PH but will get stressed and die from a fluctuating near neutral PH. I hope that helps

[jay2487]

Well you have the right idea, in that your not thinking of using any chemicals. I actually had or have the same problem. My water comes out of the well at 8.2 PH. One way you've already mentioned to lower it is peat. You can just shove the peat floss in your filter where water will constantly flow over it. This will accomplish more than just putting it in a bag in the tank. Also, you may not like the look, but a big piece of driftwood will lower PH. It secretes tannins or tannic acid which will lower PH but it also looks like it sounds, like a tan pigment that will spread throughout the water. You can cure the driftwood and it won't turn your water colors anymore but at the same time your curing out what lowers the PH. So you want to find a happy medium or let it cloud over because it won't hurt any life in the tank. Theres also coconut shell filter inserts that do the same thing as peat just better. Dried Oak leaves are also said to work but I've never tried that. I'm not sure how much PH and hard water really effect turtles. I do know that down here RES's YBS's AST's and cooters all live in and around the everglades and you can find them a few yards upstream from mangrove trees so they can live and thrive in that type of hard water, upstream from where the fresh hits the brackish water is about as hard as it gets. For most fish, it's more important to keep a constant PH even if it's high. The fish will get used to a constant high PH but will get stressed and die from a fluctuating near neutral PH. I hope that helps

[Desertwife]

thanks for the info. I think she'd enjoy drift wood. First I'll start with the peat and do as you suggest, put it in the filter. I wouldn't mind the dark water from the driftwood as it is a pond. I suppose if I order a big piece that's clean and approved for ponds or aquariums it would be safe for her. Thanks again!

[jay2487]

yes but the big one you order for the pond will probably be pre-treated, if you could possibly find your own, that would be awesome, I see your name implys your in a desert so that might not be too easy, definitely try to find some around a lake because beach driftwood will just raise PH more. If you could find a piece at a beach that has washed up would be fantastic. Oh, and by dark I mean, if you put an untreated big piece in there, for a couple weeks, it will be like sweet tea dark. No joke, it will be quite dark until it seeps out for a while, you might treat for a little while before adding it to your pond. The darker it is the lower your PH goes though so it's a give and take.