All Turtles Message Board

turtlegal_753 · Level 2 Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 44

okay give me advise on how to change water without a whole lot of stress! cause it seems like ill start to see alot of Poop Surprised

on the bottom and need to clean it but i want to know a quick way of doing so.

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

I have a syponing tube. No need to use mouth. But somelse had posted a link the something you just connect to the sink focet...much better I think.

Storm_Rider · Level 2 Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

i think the best way to change water and not cause stress is to either take your turtle outside for some fresh air and sunshine and while he does his thing you change the water anyway you want.

if that's not convenient, then if you have a canister filter, you can put the output hose into a bucket and just add new water after you got rid of what you wanted.

if you dont have a canister filter, siphoning in a corner doesnt cause much stress if you can be super subtle about it Smile

but you wont get to vacuum around for all the dirty stuff.

tenacious donna · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject:

Also, I have found a turkey baster from a dollar store works real good for getting up the poops and water.

tenacious donna Very Happy

Fred_and_George · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject:

madged · Level 1 Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 6

This was just such a great idea! It works wonderfully. I use mine by sucking up the mess and then squirting it back into the tank through a napkin covered strainer Smile

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weeturtles · Level 1 Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 5

I change my turtles water about every three weeks. I have a 20 gal. tank with three small RES and I take them out and completly empty all the water and wash the tank with 1/4 cup of bleach and 1 cup of water. Then after scrubbing and give it a good rinse in the tub. I have never had a problem with my turtles getting stressed from a water changing. I also scrub down the basking log, filter, and everything else in the tank.
I wish I could post a picture but not sure how.[/list][/list]

Tiffany · Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:39 am Post subject:

I have a drill syphon, you hook a hose to one end and put that into the tank, then another hose to the other end out the door or window, hook a power drill to the middle and turn it on. Cost about $6 at home depot and will drain a 55 gallon tank in 5 minutes. I remove the turtle's from the tank into a colored plastic bin so they can't see out and freak, put it in a quiet place. Drain, take the tank stuff, and the tank outside and hose it down with bleach spray and water in a bottle....scrub if needed, then rinse well with the garden hose. Take it all back, fix the filter and docks etc where they belong. Then use a python hooked to the sink and fill. While one is filling the next is draining. Takes me about 2 hours every 6 months to drain 9 full water tanks and clean them all the way. And using an inside sink I can get the right temp so the turtles can go right back in. I never dechlorinate the water unless there are fish in there.
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3 sulcata,11 red ears,1 yellow belly,1 melanistic slider,1 map,1 western painted,2 3 toe boxies,1 striped mud,2 japanese pond,2 common musk,1 russian,1 ornate wood,1 FL Cooter,7 annam pond,2 back wood,1 Malayan box,1 Red belly

fishandcandy · Level 3 Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 200 Location: Indio, CA

I take the turtles out when I'm doing a full water change.
That's a great idea with the turkey baster!