Turtles do well in clean fresh water, but it seems that the tanks of these animals can get very dirty very fast, but why does this happen?
This article is a look into why the water in your turtle’s tank gets so dirty so fast
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Why does my turtle tank get dirty so fast?
Maintaining a clean, healthy, and overall optimal environment in your pet’s tank will help keep your turtle healthy, but what would cause this environment to get so dirty?
Here is why your turtle’s tank may get so dirty:
Size of the tank:
If your pet’s tank is too small then all the waste products that your pet releases will be concentrated in the small space and this will make your pet’s tank extra dirty.
If your pet’s tank was bigger then this would mean more dilution of the waste products in the tank and it would thus look less dirty
What to do:
Making sure that your tank is big enough to accommodate your pet, and big enough to hold and dilute waste products, is a must.
The ratio of turtle to tank should be 10 gallons of tank per inch of turtle shell length. If you can give your pet a bigger tank than this then do so, but do not get a tank that is too small for the animal.
Feeding issues:
How you feed your pet turtle can be another reason why your pet’s tank is so dirty.
These animals are messy eaters, they will rip up food when they eat. These tiny food particles will fall all over the tank and cause it to become very dirty.
What to do:
If you want to keep this from happening then consider feeding your turtle in a different container and then placing it back into its tank once it’s done eating.
If you’re feeding your pet in the tank then only feed it as much food as it needs, as much as it can eat in 5 minutes, or as much food as would fit in its head, if the head is hollow.
Remove any leftover food once the animal is done eating
Sun exposure:
If your tank is getting dirty because it is full of algae then the tank may be getting too much sun exposure. Tanks should only get 10-12 hours of sun exposure per day, more can result in algae growth
In addition, if there are a lot of bacteria in the tank, and if there is a lot of food and waste that the bacteria can eat, then algae will bloom in the tank
What to do:
Make sure that your pet’s tank is only exposed to the correct amount of light each day. Take the tank out of direct sunlight or artificial light after 10-12 hours.
Incorrect filter:
One of the most important parts of your pet’s environment is the filter, turtles are quite dirty, and using a filter that isn’t big or strong enough for the tank will result in a dirty tank
The filter that you use in your pet’s tank should be designed for a tank that is 3 or 4 times bigger than the one that you’re currently using, also, using a canister filter is recommended.
Cleaning schedule:
Another reason why your tank may be getting so dirty may be because of the cleaning schedule.
Your turtle’s tank should be cleaned regularly but you should only be doing a full tank water change every 6 months.
The other cleanings should be weekly 10 percent water changes. If you clean the tank fully, every week, then you’ll be disturbing the pH levels and other factors in the tank making it get dirty quicker.
What to do:
If this is happening in your tank then try to follow the above tank cleaning schedule.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle Filter Not Working?, Why Is My Turtle Filter Making Noise?, Why Is My Turtle Eating Less?, Why Is My Turtle Filter So Loud?, How To Keep A Turtle Tank Clean Without A Filter?, Can I Clean My Turtle Tank With Vinegar?, Why Is My Turtle Eating So Much?
