redearslider.com

I recently built a new tank for my turtle and after reading here removed all the pea sized pebbles and put in silver-dollar sized river rocks. Now the whole tank is setup and really running well, but I started to think, how am I going to clean the very bottom of the tank of turtle poop?

So I guess I have two options, well I can only think of two options...

One is to take the rocks out, put down one or more of those filter grates that have a tube going up to the filter hose, and then put all the river rocks back in place, but I have no idea how well those things would work.

The other option would be to get some sort of syphon suction like thingy and "vaccum" under the rocks, but I don't know how well those things would work either.

Thanks!

Todd

Everything I've read about under gravel filters (the grate idea) is that they are not a good solution. The amount of gunk a turtle creates will clog them up quickly and you'll have to tear Dow the tank to clean underneath.

You can use a siphon vacuum when water changing to dig into your river rocks and remove lots of the waste. However, you will probably find that to get it all, you are siphoning out more than half your water. You could get half the gravel on one water change and the other half on the next.

I'd say try that for now.

I tried this method but made my own with egg crate, and it didn't work. The waste ended up building up underneath. It was too much. I even tried adding my return line underneath to "push" the waste to the outlet but it didn't end up working. Maybe if you have a real strong canister filter it might work. maybe. I ended up just getting rid of the rocks and going with sand. the waste stays on top if it settles out. Easier to clean by far.

I've had two absolutely DISASTROUS bouts with sand. I will never never never mess with sand again. I'm sticking with the river rocks.

can anyone recommend a GOOD syphoning kit?

I have sand and never had an issue with it. Cheap vac Aqueon. Expensive vac Python Cheap Python=Aqueon+waterbed drain kit+ hose.

I'd stay away from undergravel filters. Old technology with potential issues if the substrate is disturbed and gasses are released.

+1 for Sand as a turtle substrate. River rocks just trap detritus.

I have a bare tank, but if I had lots of river rock and I wanted to clean it I would: take the turtle out, force water through it, and net out as much as you can.