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Turtle Water Greening Very Fast. HELP!

palex134 Mar 18, 2005 10:55 AM

My turtle tank is filthy. I ll clean the cage on sunday and then the monday or tuesday it is Green. The water has no visiblilty and it is so full of green water! I have used the alegea killing products and they dont work. the tank is just too green too fast. I need some help! please tell me some tips for keeping the water clean. I have two baby RES in a ten gallon with a UVB light and Duetto 100 Filter. Please help!
-----
1. ball python
.2 anery kenayan sand boas
1.1 Adult childrens/spotted python pair
1.2 adult leopard geckos
1. SHCT
.1 Tremper Albino
.1 Albino Patternless
1. hybrid milksnake
.1 bearded dragon
1.1 red ear sliders
.1 blue tounge skink
1.1 Tangarine Honduran milks
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons
1.1 Crested Geckos

Coastal Herps

Replies (7)

honuman Mar 18, 2005 01:30 PM

Try putting some nitrate absorbing medium in the filter. This will help starve out the algae. Also - how big are your baby sliders and many hours a day do you keep the light on?

palex134 Mar 18, 2005 02:29 PM

They are the only hatchlings I have left. They are about 4 inches. I have the UVB and the heat lamp on for 12 hours a day on a timer.
-----
1. ball python
.2 anery kenayan sand boas
1.1 Adult childrens/spotted python pair
1.2 adult leopard geckos
1. SHCT
.1 Tremper Albino
.1 Albino Patternless
1. hybrid milksnake
.1 bearded dragon
1.1 red ear sliders
.1 blue tounge skink
1.1 Tangarine Honduran milks
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons
1.1 Crested Geckos

Coastal Herps

buslady Mar 21, 2005 12:18 AM

4" in a ten gallon tank! they are not hatchlings. They need a very large tank now. Poor things.

honuman Mar 21, 2005 01:10 PM

Agreed. Too much turtle for that tank. That is why the water is getting green so fast. You have lighting on 12 hours a day with 2 large (for a ten gallon tank) turtles putting out waste like mad. Your bioload must be through the roof.

I would get a larger tank or rubbermaid tub and set you guys up in that. I don't think you will ever resolve your algae problem in such a confined space with 2 4 inch turtles in it. They CAN survive in that space but it really is too cramped for them.

palex134 Mar 21, 2005 05:32 PM

I fixed the problem! my filter needed a replacment part. Also, I moved then into my 20 gallon. I made a mistake on the messuring! They are about 2 inches long. I can't belive I was that off with the mesurments.
-----
1. ball python
.2 anery kenayan sand boas
1.1 Adult childrens/spotted python pair
1.2 adult leopard geckos
1. SHCT
.1 Tremper Albino
.1 Albino Patternless
1. hybrid milksnake
.1 bearded dragon
1.1 red ear sliders
.1 blue tounge skink
1.1 Tangarine Honduran milks
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons
1.1 Crested Geckos

Coastal Herps

erico Mar 18, 2005 05:24 PM

The algae take up much of the excess nitrogen from waste products. I have kept some babies in green water for years and considered it a "plus", but then I never concern myself with appearances in my isolated herp room, only healthy animals. I must add that I still admire and encourage those who try to maintain a visually attractive setup. Try cutting down the light for a few weeks and use only dim incandescent bulbs. It will keep the algae down, but it may come back later when you use the flourescents.

buslady Mar 21, 2005 12:18 AM

Duetto does nothing. You need better filter, canisters are best like XP or Fluval. Petsmart is just starting to carry XP filters, try there.

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