Turtle tanks are not difficult to clean, but they do take time. Turtles are messy reptiles: they eat, drink, swim, urinate and defecate in the same water. Eventually, all this mess will lead to dirty water that can cause illness.
Dirty turtle tanks are also an eyesore in the home. Not only does it look out of place, but it also attracts bugs and bacteria. Therefore, it is important to maintain a clean aquarium so that your turtle can live in it freely and safely.
To clean the aquarium, you will need the following materials:
* water vacuum
* plastic siphon tube
* gloves
* toothbrush
* baking soda
* White vinegar
* paper towels
Once you have all the materials, you are ready to start the cleanup.
Move your turtle to another place. You can probably put it in a box or a kiddie pool. Just make sure the temperature is around 75 degrees. It is also recommended that you keep the tortoise close by so you can check on it from time to time.
Plug the plastic siphon tube into the water vac. Direct the other end of the hose toward the sink, bathtub, or window if you want to use the water for your plants.
While the vacuum empties the turtle tank’s water tank, remove decorations, accessories, and other objects from the tank. Use a toothbrush and white vinegar to clean and rinse them. If you are going to add more decorations, make sure they do not fill the tank. Also, if you collected the decorations outside, sterilize them before adding them to the tank.
For the filter and media, use water to rinse them. Make sure there is no dirt, algae or other things on the filter.
Scrub the tank walls with a toothbrush and baking soda, especially for hard water stains. Use a paper towel and white vinegar around the inside of the tank. Scrub and clean the glass thoroughly.
Once the tank is empty, remove the siphon tube from the vacuum. Rinse the tank one more time to remove vinegar and baking soda residue. Give the water time to settle before throwing them away. Do this process at least three times. Do not use glass cleaners in turtle tanks because they can cause problems for the turtle.
If you find the aquarium clean enough, you can add fresh water now. Connect the tube to the faucet and fill the tank with water. While the tank is filling, you can return the accessories back into the aquarium. This is your chance to rearrange or change the layout of the aquarium.
Changing 10% of the aquarium water once a week maintains sanitary conditions. To keep the water clean longer, remove any leftover food or debris from the tank every day. Better yet, you can move the turtle to a separate tank during feeding so it doesn’t make a big mess in its own habitat.
Turtle tanks can be cleaned every 45 days, so you won’t have to bother too often.