General Care Discussion :: Cleaning Out Joey

[sezzyb2k7]

Heya evryone

I was just wondering how many times other people clean out thier turtle.?

I do mine every two weeks or earlier if the water looks a little murky. I take evrything out of the tank and clean everything in boiling water using a scrubing brush to get any algae off.

Is there any thing i can use in the tank to ensure that it is clean?

Am i cleaning it enough?

Any advice and guidance welcome

Thanks

[TheComputerGremlin]

I have had my 40 gallon breeder up and running for two months, I cleaned out the filter about two weeks ago and just took a paper towel and wiped the tank surfaces clean, but otherwise, the tank was clean. And I didn't do any water removal, but I'm losing about a gallon of water every two days, so I refill it about half a gallon a day. It's about equivalent to doing a 50% change once a month in terms of water volume.

Do you have a filter? A good filter will prevent the water from getting murky and allow you to go longer between full changes. Also, if you have a larger tank with more water (with the good filter) you will probably only need to do a good cleaning every 3 months or so. It's not recommended that you do a full water change a lot because you kill those helpful bacteria and anything else in the water that is helping condition the turtle's skin.

I think what you are doing is fine in terms of cleaning. If you need to use any cleaning products, you can use dilute vinegar if the turtle will be going in right away or bleach that is allowed to fully air dry if you have some time to leave the turtle out. I think a lot of people don't worry about algae buildup unless it gets excessive. I've gotten a bout of brown algae lately that needs taken care of, but the husband is not happy having to take the tubes off the tank.

[mackadocious]

when we had a small tank with an inadequate filter we had to do complete water changes every month and scrub everything down to get rid of poo, slime, algae, funk, whatever...after switching from a 50 gallon to a 135 gallon (prolly 75 gallons in the tank now) and from a crappy filter to a canister (kinda forced with a tank that size) we rinse out the filter every 4-6 weeks as recommended and i scrub slime off the glass where spray from the waterfall hits every 2-3 weeks with a fish net (it's convenient an already dedicated to aquariums, plus takes 5 minutes)...water changes???......i changed out about a quarter of the water last week for the first time since we set the tank up over 6 months ago.....an the only reason i changed some of the water was b/c the filter had been off over a week waiting for new filter components and there was a slight film on the top of the water....but it's stayed crystal clear the entire time.....way better cause we're very lazy

[sezzyb2k7]

Thanks everyone for the advice

I only have a 2fooot tank and a sponge filter which we also clean out every 2weeks.

[amsude]

I wish I had the answers. We had a 20 L and cleaned it once a month completely then our filter broke and we got a 50 gallon filter never really had to clean it. It was crystal clear. Just changed the filter media and took the dock out to scrub in the sun. Now we have 100 gallon tank half filled, with a fluval 3 plus (30 gal) and 4 plus (57 gal) Cant get it crystal clear. I think i have to use the fluval 404 but it seems such a pain to clean and take care of. Today is our day to change the media but i got to buy more and cant find any around here.

[octpusgirl8]

There's no one right answer to how often you have to clean the tank/filter, it all depends on the specifics of your setup. I have a 75 gallon tank with an XP3, and i do a partial water change every other week and clean my filter monthly. Getting a better filter will go a long way in keeping your tank clean. A sponge filter isn't really adequate for a turtle tank unless you're okay with frequent water changes.

[amsude]

I don't think i understand is what i have a sponge filter? Because that is all we use? Are sponges?

[TheComputerGremlin]

I'm not familiar with your filters, but a canister filter is very easy to clean. I have a Rena XP3, all you do is pop the top which traps the water in the lines so you don't have to re-prime the lines. Then you carry the canister to the sink/bathtub, rinse the pads out really good, replace the micro-filtration pad and/or Zorb, give the canister itself a good rinse, leave the BioStars alone, and reassemble. Then when you go back to your tank, you just put the top back on, put the lock back down, and the canister re-fills itself. Then you just turn it back on and add a gallon or so of water to make up for what went back in the canister, and you're done. The whole process took me less than 15 minutes and you only have to do it every month or so. My tank water is lovely! It's the best investment I've made for my turtle!

[marisa]

Sezzyb2k2---

How big is your turtle (shell length without the curve)?

How much water do you have in the tank?

How many gallons is the tank?

Do you have any other creatures in the tank besides your turtle?

Do you feed your turtle in the tank?


Answers to the above questions can help determine how often it needs to be cleaned.

It doesn't sound like there's a very good filter in the tank, which means the water will need changing more frequently than if you were using a more efficient filter.

A smaller tank with less water, other creatures in the tank and feeding in the tank will mean the water will get dirtier more quickly, meaning more frequent water changes.

[sezzyb2k7]

[quote="marisa"]Sezzyb2k2---

How big is your turtle (shell length without the curve)? 2-3" Approx

How much water do you have in the tank? half a 2ft tank

How many gallons is the tank? 2 gallon

Do you have any other creatures in the tank besides your turtle? No none

Do you feed your turtle in the tank? Yes, he has reptomin pelletes carrot and lettuce in the tank


The filter is a sponge canister filter which works quiet well in the tank and we just wash out every 2 weeks.

[marisa]

This must be a typo----you have a 2 gallon tank? Do you mean a 20-gallon tank? If so, there are 10 gallons of water in it?

[sezzyb2k7]

yes a typo sorry.

wasnt rele concerntratin men writing it sorry

any adivce?

[octpusgirl8]

What kind of filter is it specifically?

[marisa]

You might add a bit more water to the tank (make it 3/4 full if, at that depth, your turtle can't climb out of the tank).

You said you have sponge canister filter that works well in the tank. If the filter is actually in the tank, it's not a canister. What's the name of it?

When I had one turtle about the size of yours in a 20-gallon long tank, I would do a complete water change and cleaning every two weeks and in between (one week after the complete change) I'd do a 50% water change. I used an Aquaclear 70 filter in the tank.

[sezzyb2k7]

yeh thts wot i do. it is a canister filter and is inn the water. they may be different in the uk