All Turtles Message Board

nyc76 · Level 1 Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 5

We just got 2 baby turtles about 3 weeks ago. I got this tank for them and bought something called the All Living Things Aquatic Turtle Kit which had a filter, thermometers, light, etc. etc. So I installed all that stuff and a week later the water is very cloudy. I feed them like twice a day and I do scoop up as much of the floating particles as I can but it still is cloudy. The water doesn't smell too bad and the turtles seem fine. I just want to know how I can have the water be clear as I see in some pictures here?

Any thoughts?

turtle_grl77 · Level 4 Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 985 Location: Florida

Check out this link. It should answer your questions.
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cloudywater.php

brownmc · Level 2 Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 27

You might try a bigger filter or a couple of filters for your tank. I remember looking at the turtle kits and the filters they generally sell with them are too small and not very good (most of the time they are submersible filters which I think aren't very good). I personally have three filters going in my 40 gallon tank (One 75 gallon filter, 25 gallon, and a 50 gallon) and while it may seem like overkill, it really keeps the tank clean and reduces cleaning time by a lot. My tank got super cloudy a week after I first set it up and after trying a few things I set up all those extra filters and it was crystal clear a day later.

k9ck024 · Level 2 Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 96

Change water every week and use filter

nyc76 · Level 1 Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 5

brownmc · Level 2 Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 27

I would suggest getting a filter that is for a larger tank than you have, like maybe one for 20+ gallons, for your 10 gallon tank. I personally really like the Penguin Bio Wheel (for a 10 gallon tank try a Penguin 150 Bio Wheel, I think its for 35 gallons). They really cut down the smell in the tank because of something with the wheel (that is what I have been told anyways and my tank doesn't smell anymore).

As for the chemicals, they generally just make it so you can't see or notice the waste, but its still there in some form or another. I would just get a siphon and draw out a few bucketfulls of water (if you have gravel, then mix it all around with the end of the siphon, this gets all the stuff that is collecting on the bottom). Let the filter run for a bit, getting the water pretty clear, and then clean the filters really quick. I do that about once every two weeks or so, sometimes more if its really dirty.

Also, try a bigger tank. Having a larger tank means you can have more or larger filters running because it gives you the room to have a big waterfall outflow from a large filter and still have room for the small turtles to swim around (this way they don't look like they are swimming in a washing machine).

Hope that all helps

ryanandsuzyro · Level 3 Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 207

Heh. Your baby turtles are going to outgrow that tank shortly anyways. It will probably be more cost effective in the long run to simply wait til you upgrade to get the appropriate filter, and deal with the extra water changes now.

When you upgrade, I would suggest going to above 20 gallons ( a 40 long would be a good idea, especially for two turtles - unless you have the money to buy their eventual adult home now, 100+). Then buy a Fluval 3 or even a 4 or something similar. A 40 gallon tank about 30 gallons full, we're looking at about a filter good for 60 gallons or a bit more.

I have a fluval 2, it was fine for our 10 gallon, but it doesn't quite have the gas to deal with the 20 gallon tank we got when Tucker quickly outgrew the 10. Our next tank is a 90 gallon; we're getting a Filstar XP3 (178 gallons) or an Eheim 2028 (about the same.)

Cheers.

nyc76 · Level 1 Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 5

Thanks for all the advice. I ended up getting a wateflow filter for a 35 gallon tank but I need to put a rock or something under it cuz it just makes a lot of noise from the water splashing down.

Anyway you mentioned "their eventual home." When these turtles (red eared sliders) are to their full adult size how long of a tank should I need to buy for them to be comfortable? I think you mentioned 100+? WOW! How soon would they get to be that age?