Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When I rescued my newest turtle, the owner gave me a bag of stuff. In it was some exo-terra waste degrader and water treatment. Now, I have never used anything to treat my water I just clean the filters every week, siphon some of the water every week or two, and change all the water and clean everything every two months. However, I have recently read some posts that this is more often then some of you clean and I wondered if the reason was you treated the water.

Let me know your thoughts.
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Joshua M Guillemette

1.1.0 Children [Deven 10 & Hailey due June 1]
2.1.0 Cats [Micah, Judo, & Elizabeth]
1.0.0 Bunny [Bugs]
1.0.1 Red Belly Sliders [Bernulli & Schrödinger]
2.0.0 Yellow Belly Sliders [Maxwell & LaPlace]
0.0.2 Cumberlands [Pascal & Joule]
1.2.1 Red Ear Sliders [Kepler, Napier, Gauss, & Kelvin]

If you have a good filter there is no reason to treat the water. I change my water once a year or so, and have never treated it with anything.
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A mans got to do what a mans got to do. A woman has to do what he can't.

Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 1999
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

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sig file edited 1/29/05 [phw]

That is what I thought. I think it must be my filter that is causing me to really clean every 2 months. I have a Fluval 4 in a 90 gallon tank with about 65 gallons of water and 7 turtles. I think it just cannot keep up. Would a different filter help?
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Joshua M Guillemette

1.1.0 Children [Deven 10 & Hailey due June 1]
2.1.0 Cats [Micah, Judo, & Elizabeth]
1.0.0 Bunny [Bugs]
1.0.1 Red Belly Sliders [Bernulli & Schrödinger]
2.0.0 Yellow Belly Sliders [Maxwell & LaPlace]
0.0.2 Cumberlands [Pascal & Joule]
1.2.1 Red Ear Sliders [Kepler, Napier, Gauss, & Kelvin]

A big canister filter would help, but you really just have too many turtles. What are you going to do with them when they are the size of dinner plates? Do you have a pond?

I have a Fluval 404, and it works well, but I only have two turtles.
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A mans got to do what a mans got to do. A woman has to do what he can't.

Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 1999
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

____

sig file edited 1/29/05 [phw]

I am aware that they are going to out grow the tank sooner rather than later. Right now I am having no territorial issues, like harassment. So, with a baby on the way right now, I am planning on building them a pond late in the summer or fall. I am working on the best way to design it right now to keep the cost and the maintenance down. As, I live in Florida I figure I can keep them outside the screen porch about 11 months out of the year. Then I do not have to worry about heating or lighting. I will make sure to put a protective barrier around and over it so no animals get in for a "visit". Last, I think I will raise it off the ground and run a drain line from the bottom out into the yard so I can just hose it out when it needs to be cleaned.

Do you think this will work? Do you know of any websites that might have some diagrams/sketches/info on outside turtle ponds?
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Joshua M Guillemette

1.1.0 Children [Deven 10 & Hailey due June 1]
2.1.0 Cats [Micah, Judo, & Elizabeth]
1.0.0 Bunny [Bugs]
1.0.1 Red Belly Sliders [Bernulli & Schrödinger]
2.0.0 Yellow Belly Sliders [Maxwell & LaPlace]
0.0.2 Cumberlands [Pascal & Joule]
1.2.1 Red Ear Sliders [Kepler, Napier, Gauss, & Kelvin]

How big are your turtles?

As you are seeing, some of the problems with overcrowding turtles is not agression or territories, its waste. You cannot keep a tank that small with that many turtles in it clean. As the waste builds up it could prove detrimental to your turtles health, it could cause infections, stunted growth and other health problems.

Since you are having a baby and cannot build a pond now, depending on the size of your turtles you may want to consider giving some of them to good homes.

If you want to try and kep the tank cleaner i would get more filters. Get some canaster filters, one probably isnt going to cut it, try two, or maybe even three if the turtles are big. Buy some good test kits and keep an eye on the deadly ammonia and nitrate levels. Do partial water changes twice a week.

From my experience working in the tropical fish industry, most water treaters are no good...
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats