Habitat - Indoor :: substrate

[Caphits]

I imagine that there is some bio-media property to the rocks, but taking them out, or cleaning, probably would not add a huge bio load.

If its gross, I'd say go for it.

[trudykurz]

I'm a new turtle owner so I can't answer for them, but I have a fish pond and I took out my river rocks. Beneficial bacteria live in the filters, and a lot of really nasty stuff hung out below the rocks that I was never able to clean with a pond vacuum.

[imderanged]

I had the big river rock in my tank for quite a while and it was impossible to get clean. It collected so much garbage underneath. I just finished all the river rocks an hour ago.

[BullDog]

On a rare occasion (maybe once a year) I take my river rocks out and give them a quick scrub if they're looking too scummy.

[theartbook35]

It's a general rule that everything your turtles touch should be cleaned. Substrates trap the most dirt and overall stuff than anything else. The river rocks you use could be rinsed in hot water every time to need to clean the tank, and every few months should be bleached (two parts water, one part bleach, make sure the rocks do not smell at all of fumes and are rinsed thoroughly after being soaked).

My rocks get slimy real fast. Mostly the ones my turtles like to sit on the most.

[marisa]

Beneficial bacteria does colonize on objects in the tank. I clean any rocks only if they get slilmy, which is rare. I even leave the green algae on most of them (it looks nice).