The quality of your pet’s enclosure will affect the quality of your pet’s life so if something goes wrong in your pet’s enclosure then you’d understandably be worried
Algae growing in your pet’s enclosure is a sign of something changing in your pet’s enclosure, this article is a look into why this may be happening
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Why is my turtle tank growing algae?
Understanding why changes in your pet’s tank are happening is an important part of raising turtles. If you’re keeping an eye on the tank then one of the things that you may be worried about is why your turtle’s tank is growing algae.
Here is why your turtle tank may be growing algae:
Food for algae:
If there is a lot of algae food in the tank then the algae will bloom, algae foods include leftover foods that the turtle didn’t eat as well as waste produced by the turtle.
If the filtration system isn’t the correct system for the tank or turtle, if the tank is too small, and if waste products become highly concentrated in the tank then this can also lead to algae growth in the tank.
What to do:
Maintaining the correct environmental conditions in the tank will keep algae growths at bay, or at least under control.
Make sure that the bank is big enough for your pet. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that the tank can hold 10 gallons, at least, of water per inch of turtle shell length.
A bigger tank is always best, you can never have too much tank, only too little tank
The filter that you use in the tank is also important. A canister filter is often recommended for aquariums with turtles because they are generally quite powerful.
Using a filter that is designed for tanks that are three or four times the size of your tank is recommended for best results.
If your pet leaves lots of food out then only feed the animal the amount of food that it can eat in 5 minutes, and you can also alternatively feed the animal only enough food that will fit in its head, if it were empty, or, you can feed the animal in a separate container from its tank
Lights:
Another reason why your pet’s tank may be growing algae may be because the lights are being left on for too long.
The lights in your pet’s enclosure should only be kept on for 10-12 hours a day. Tf the lights are left on for longer then this can cause an algae bloom in the tank.
In addition, if there are too many lights on then this can stress your pet turtle.
What to do:
Exposing your pet’s tank to only 10-12 hours of light a day at most will kelp keep algae growth in the tank at a minimum.
Make sure that your pet is getting both UVA and UVB light, just don’t give them access to too much light.
What will also help is moving your pet’s tank out of direct slight
Bacteria:
If the tank’s water quality is not optimal, if there are too many bacteria in the water, then your pet’s tank may start to grow harmful algae.
The harmful type of algae is long, stringy, and slimy, this type of algae will cause the water in your pet’s tank to become slimy.
What to do:
The solution to this algae problem is cleaning out the tank, changing the water more often, getting a stronger filter, and adding a bit of salt to the water every other week.
Salt will change the composition of the water which can help prevent algae growth.
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 Eating Rocks?, Why Does My Turtle Tank Lose Water?, Why Is My Turtle Water Slimy?, Why Does My Turtle Tank Water Look Oily?, Why Does My Turtle Like The Filter?, Why Is My Turtle Tank Slimy?