Habitat - Indoor :: Dirty Water

[Shellross82]

I have had Shelby and Jermey for almost a month now. They are only about 2 to 2 & 1/2 inches each, so I have them in a ten gallon tank. The have a floating dock, floating log, heater, and water filter. I also have some gravel on the bottom of the tank, but they have lefted it alone. Everything is going great with them. I know that they are eating good because they are pooping up the tank. It seems like the filter is not doing its job. I have the fluval 10 plus, I think. I do water changes weekly and clean out the filter, but still that doesn't seem to help. I'm not sure what to do, but I don't want them to live in all that filth. I know I need to take the gravel out, but don't them need something on the bottom of the tank. If so what else goes there? Could it be where I have the filter placed in the tank? I just don't know. Help me, help them.

[LOBO]

u dont have to have anything on the bottom of the tank. but if u want pebbles u can try ones that r bigger then their heads r ever gonna be. and your filter's gph should be atleats 3 times that of your tanks gallonage. so yours should be atleast 30 gph.

[Vtolds]

Start with a bigger filter and whole your at it you probably should just upgrade your tank.

[marisa]

Your turtles definitely need a bigger tank, at least a 40-gallon and a better filter. With a too-small tank the water gets dirty very quickly. A very weak filter (Fluval 1+, I'm assuming) can't keep up with the waste your turtles are producing.

[ashleygamergirl]

yes i would look into getting a much biggertank with a very good filter and that would help so much. check craigslist.org thats where i got my 125 gallon for only $120 i gave the guy my 29 gallon setup but was a great deal for me.

[mikee]

Ash-girl -- Larger tank and at least five times the water volume for your filter/pump w/ proper temps and lights.

[ashleygamergirl]

yes?

[TurtleGirl08]

I think you should get a bigger tank, and then i recommend using a gravel cleaner that they sell in the fish section at walmart, I use it and it works great. No one else on here said if they have tried that or not? But i recommend it.

[compas]

turtlegirl 08 is right... if you put some gravels with the right size (big one), u'll need gravel cleaner and clean your gravel at least once a week.

use a stick to move the gravel in the tank while you clean it, so the waste lays under the gravel will float above the gravel and will be easier to clean

it's a must to do this because most of turtle waste will 'hide' under the gravel and if you don't clean it...it will rise the amonia, nitrit and nitrate in your tank which can be dangerous for your turtle and even the biggest filter capacity won't be enough to clean those waste

[octpusgirl8]

compas- you shouldn't use gravel in your turtle tank, the turtle could eat it and become impacted (intestines all clogged up). Anything in the turtle tank that isn't food should be at least as big as your turtle's head.