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I did a search for this question but couldn't find an answer. I live in an apartment.. I have read in books that you should not clean a turtle tank in a kitchen sink or bathroom sink because of germs. Would it be okay to clean the tank out in the tub. I am curious as to what other apartment dwellers do. I figure if I disenfect the tub after I clean the tank I should be okay. This might seem like a stupid question but I just like to make sure I am doing everything right since I have a young one at home.

the tank should be easy to clean, just remove all the water and wipe it down with diluted white vinegar. basking areas and filters would be trickier, though could you get a large plastic tub to put them in when you hose them. you should have access to a utility sink or hose garden...

definitely do not take you turtle or his things into the kitchen... bathroom would not be my choice either. disinfecting would be necessary if you did use the tub.

I live in an apartment and I use the kitchen sink. I can't move the tank because it's too big so I use the Python for cleaning. I just make sure I disinfect everything after. I've never had a problem. I wash everything down after with antibacterial dish soap, then follow with Clorox wipes.

If I've read things correctly from other posts in the forum, handling a turtle is no worse than handling raw chicken, so I'd think the same precautions would be used, am I wrong in this? I use bleach to clean out any areas that have come in contact with my turtle water or objects.

I drain mine into the tub. I just spray it down with very hot water and soap when I'm done.

Yes, you should treat your turtle like raw chicken. they use salmonella to digest food and it's passed from them in there feces. So they're water would be considered contaminated with salmonella and thus everything it touches should be considered contaminated.

Considering my tank is huge, I have to take it outside and do my cleaning there.

I use a wet/dry vac to pick up everything and dump the contents outside. Then I clean the tank with white vinegar and rinse, vacuum again and refill the tank.

i've used my sink before at the house we use scalding hot water and when i get done with the cleaning i rinse with scadling hot water and bleach and make sure the sink is germ free from the turtle and then i wash my hands really really good with anti bacerial soap

Thank you all,

Well I am going to attempt to do it today, It has been a week since I got the setup. Thanks for the great advice.....

I have a stupid question on this...why is cleaning a turtle tank any different than a fish tank???

I've NEVER drained my fish tanks 100% in over 20 years. I don't plan on draining my turtle tank either. I have a hose I use to clean the debris off the bottom of the tank, I do 25% water changes every week, and clean the filter once a month. Isn't that stressing the turtle out to totally remove him from his environment and the vinegar has to have some negative effect on the water when you refill...? Just wondering here...

I do a whole cleaning and rewatering of the tank once a week, sooner if it needs it, I don't know about fish, I have never kept them other than as turtle food, the tank just looks grungy after about a week, you can see and feel slime around the tank and the stuff in it, and I am sure that the turtle's pee does something to their health, I have two cascade type filters, I don't have one of those bigger models like most people do, so I don't know what they remove from the water, so until I do, I will keep changing the water, it's not that bad, I just run the garden hose into the tank and the other end, I put on the lawn, then just let gravity take over , oh, and watch out that your fish don't get sucked out

I'm not too sure about that question either but I do care for a 300 gallon salt water tank. To my guessing, it's because turtles are allowed in and out of water. Doing an entire tank cleaning wouldn't cause much harm.
But fish stay in the water. And for tropical freshwater or saltwater fish... they a maintained water such as ph, nitrate, nitrite, anemonia. Doing an entire fish tank cleaning will change the levels dramatically.

But that's only my guess.

I have also had many large reef tanks...this was my concern. I mean, my tank hasn't become dirty in 3 weeks, and I've only done a 25% change once a week. I know turts are messyier (is that a word?) than fich, but it just seems like a lot of people go way too overboard with maintenance when they don't need to. I mean, if you've got a good filter, and don't over-feed your animals, there's no reason to do a 100% water change once a week...

It will be best to. And best is what we want to offer.

Consider it this way. I know I will never be able to give my turtles a home like their natural habitat in the wild. No matter how big my tank can be, it will never be enough.
So why not give them the cleanest habitat we can provide?