General Care Discussion :: What I shoudl do about poop in the tank

[cooleststan]

RIght now I have no filter, I am replacing the water every day or every 2 days.
I am going to get a filter, but I don't think that will clean the poop up!
THe poop looks really heavy and sinks to the bottom. So if I get a filter, would I still have to change the water every few days?

I just want to know wahts best for my turtle!
Thanks

[jenaero]

You could get a large turkey baster and suck it out when you see it. I did that for a while because I had a crappy filter

[urbancleopatra]

Or you could use a waste degrader like a lot of us do. It helps break down the solids into liquid which is then easily run through the filter.

[marisa]

You're right---a filter won't normally vacuum up turtle poop. I use a turkey baster for smaller poop and use a net to take out larger poop.

How often you have to change the water depends on things like how big the tank is, how much water you have in it, how good a filter you have and whether you feed your turtle in the tank. The smaller the tank, the less water in it and/or a filter that's not adequate for the size of the tank and turtle guarantees more frequent cleanings and water changes.

[cooleststan]

ok thank you marissa
what the hell is a turkey baster though? I never imagined you would need a vacuum like device for cooking turkey!
i am confused

[WyredHardware]

http://www.jacksscootershop.com/images/ ... baster.jpg

available almost everywhere.

[SpotsMama]

If you use a turkey baster for what it was designed to do, you use it to pour melted butter or broth over the turkey from time to time as it roasts to keep it moist. That's what "basting" is.

A cheap baster only costs about $2 and it does also work really well for picking up turtle poop!

[cooleststan]

lol I see now! sorry
so where can I get one of these basters? the supermarket?

[Tenodera]

Probably you can find them in the cooking utensils part.

[SpotsMama]

Yeah - they're at any grocery store. I got a couple at Walmart's neighborhood market.

[marisa]

I've gotten turkey basters at discount stores (like Dollar Stores) for $1. The cheap ones don't last, but are easily replaced. The last time a bought one, I got the baster with a neat little brush that I use to clean the tubes of small filters with for $1. Look in the section where they sell cooking supplies.

[Tenodera]

I actually bought an expensive one at a place called Zellers. It was the only kind there and it was those high quality ones...LOL

I spent like 6 dollars on two of them, 1 for Serra and the other for Padd.

[steve]

Doesn't someone use a motorized vacuum or something.. Mr. Cleaner was it?

[SpotsMama]

Yes Steve, it's called Mr. Cleaner. Here's a link to the product:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/P ... 004+113159

It's battery powered and really nice. When Spot was inside in his aquarium, I'd vacuum the bottom of the tank every morning. It was very effective.

What was equally effective were the minnows that used to live in his tank. they were great little vacuums too!

[marisa]

I have a Super Gravel Vac (looks like the Mr. Cleaner), which I used when my RES was in a smaller tank. It worked OK, but the turkey baster seemed so much quicker and easier to keep clean (and no batteries).