Clean clear water is crucial for the well-being of pretty much every animal, turtles included.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on your pet’s water, and have noticed a change in the color of the water if the water is turning brown, then you may worry for your turtle
This article looks into why your turtle’s water is brown
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Why is my turtle water brown?
Brown murky water is likely something you don’t want to see when looking at the water in your pet enclosure, but this is a sight that you can commonly see in turtles’ tanks
Here are reasons why this may be happening with your pet:
Tannins:
One common reason why the water in your turtle’s enclosure may be turning brown may be because there are tannins in the water. Tennis are released by wood like driftwood and bogwood.
The good thing is that the tannins in your pet’s water will not harm the turtle, the bad thing is that it will turn your pet’s water brown making it look dirty.
Other things like leaves, and other natural decorations may also be releasing tannins,
What to do:
You’d need to clean out your pet’s water and add new fresh water, putting this wood back into the enclosure will only turn the water brown again so you should avoid this.
If you want the wood in your pet’s enclosure then you can boil the wood and put it in a bath of water for a week before using it
Poor filtration:
Using the incorrect filter can cause your pet’s water to turn brown, incorrect filters may not remove waste, debris, and toxins from your pet’s water and this may be why the water is turning brown and filthy.
What to do:
Picking a filter that is better equipped to deal with turtles is recommended. This is especially true if the filter you are using isn’t strong enough to draw waste in
Algae:
Brown water is also commonly caused by algae in the water.
Algae grow in tanks when there is a sudden increase of sunlight in the tank, this sudden increase in sunlight causes the algae to bloom turning the water brown.
While algae may be helpful for the ecosystem if there is too much algae growth in the water then this can cause discoloration in your pet’s water.
It can also reduce oxygen levels in the water and impact water quality.
What to do:
You can keep your pets’ water clear by making sure that there is a balance of light, and nutrients and that you regularly clean your pets tank.
Overfeeding:
Overfeeding your pet may also cause the water to turn brown.
If you are feeding the animal too much then leftover food can accumulate and start to decompose in the water. This can lead to bacterial growth which could turn the water brown and cloudy.
What to do:
Only feed your pet as much food as it needs for its age and weight, this will avoid leftovers being left in the enclosure. If the animal does leave food leftover then remove this food from the enclosure.
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: Turtle Swollen Foot, Why Does My Turtle Stretch His Neck And Open His Mouth, Why Is My Turtle Weak?, Why Is My Turtle Whining, Why Is My Turtle Mean?, Why Is My Turtle Water Red?, Why Is My Turtle Water Yellow?, Why Is My Turtle Wheezing?, Why Is My Turtle Walking In Circles