Habitat - Indoor :: Somethings growing in my tank that shouldnt be!!!

[1hotmama]

I have 3 RES and they are in a 55 gal tank. They are fairly new to me! I do a partial water change once a week. I've had them about 3 months and all of a sudden something is growning on there resting area and now that I looked closely its on their shell also!! I think its algae maybe?!? Just looking for some suggestions! I know I should scrub it off the rocks but what do I do about their shell??? Thanks for any suggestions!

[lotsofpets]

You can take a new, soft toothbrush and gently clean it off of thier shells also. How big are your turtles?

[DavidY]

What kind of filter do you have on your turtle tank? Also what are you using for lighting/basking? Excess nutrients in the water and exposure to daylight through a nearby window will all contribute to algae growth.

[1hotmama]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have a regular filter that came with the tank. I looked into getting a better the one and several people talked me out of it for varies reasons. I think the problem is exposure to sunlight but the tank has been in the same spot for 3 months and this just started??? My turtles are appox 5-6" in length. I dont think I have the correct lighting for their basking area either! Thanks for all the help!!

[WyredHardware]

you have 3 res in a 55gal tank? Each RES measured 5-6"?

[octpusgirl8]

Hmm you should really be upgrading thier habitat. Algae thrives on excess nutrients from uneaten food and turtle waste, so having that much turtle in such a small amount of water is definitely causing the algal bloom. You might want to look into getting one or more stock tanks if the price of a big aquarium is too much to handle, they're a lot cheaper. Look over all the care and housing info on the main site, it's really helpful and easy to understand and navigate (thanks Steve!). And of course, we'll all be here to answer questions if you're confused! Good luck

[Tenodera]

lol I actually WANT more algae in my tank.

[1hotmama]

Well maybe I measured wrong??? There seems to be plenty of room for them! And thats what the place told me where I got the tank! I dunno? Well I guess my next question is it harmful for them? Should I remove it or not?

[steve]

More space is better for them since they have more room to swim and maneuver (which hopefully cuts down any aggression problems and makes it less stressful) and the more space you have means more water (which means less frequent water changes and better water quality).

Algae is usually not harmful and has different rates of growth. I would scrub it from the turtles shell (though some people who keep they RES outdoors leave it) and the rest is up to you.