I am out of ideas!

[Yellow Turtle01]

I am so out of ideas!
Almost a week after my big sliders ammonia was gone, IT CAME BACK. With a vengeance. It smelled five times worse, looked five times worse, and was just WORSE!
And, thank you everyone, who helped me, I tried the Aqua-planting in hongonback filters, I had three, filled with watercress, water lettuces, I bought some duckweed, even, but it didn't even make a dent??? I tried 25-50% water changes, before SCREW IT, they moved back outside!
(BTW, that python siphon really did change my life )
AND I DON'T GET IT! They are in a SMALLER space outside than inside, with a TINY filter, no chemical treatments, no plants, nothing but water and a basking spot. And it's cleaner. CLEANER. It has been, I dunno, a couple weeks, and they are freaking crystal clear?? I don't understand!
What do I need to make them clean inside? I could hibernate them, but there is a chance my girls haven't layed all their eggs Because I know they come in clutches, and so far, there's only been one!
Do I just need to dig a big pond, fill it with water, and let them run the place? I have made a lifetime commitment to these turtles by adopting them, so I need to figure something out before all this ammonia eventually kills them, or this moving around stresses them to the point of death!

 

[mike taylor]

I would build a outdoor pond . If you have the room . It's the easier way to go.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I do have the space for a good sized pond for them, but would that solve my problem?
I think eventually they end up stinking again, or they decided to take a jolly hop into the river, and byebye, turtles

 

[wellington]

You fence it (pond) off so they can't get out. So sorry about the aquarium. How often did you do water changes? I need a memory refresh Do you feed them in the same aquarium they are living in? How big is the aquarium and how many turtles in it?
If you haven't yet, feed them in a separate tank. If you have tried that, then do once a week water changes, if you have done that, then I would have too guess, it's just not big enough for the number of turtles.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

You fence it (pond) off so they can't get out. So sorry about the aquarium. How often did you do water changes? I need a memory refresh Do you feed them in the same aquarium they are living in? How big is the aquarium and how many turtles in it?
If you haven't yet, feed them in a separate tank. If you have tried that, then do once a week water changes, if you have done that, then I would have too guess, it's just not big enough for the number of turtles.

I am very disappointed in it.
I had three 8'' sliders in a 125 gallon tank. I moved out my male when my girls started laying eggs. I got them a 180 gallon tank, and he stayed in the old one.
His tank remained clear, whilest my girls tank clouded over repeatedly over a month or two. I did water changes every week, and then every day when I was helpfully informed I had ammonia. I decided to drain the whole thing. I filled it up again, and it stayed clear for a just few days before the brown, cloudy ammonia came back So my girls are outside right now... which needs to be fixed, because it's going to get cold soon...
I did, but I don't anymore (they are outside, and it's STILL clear) because you suggested it might help. It did work for the crumbs, but not the ammonia
I'm pretty sure I've tried just about everything! It just doesn't work, I don't know why! Anyway, I've decided that if (in a broad sense) THIS is going to happen, I'll keep them all together (all three turtle back together) in the outdoor sunning tub right now, so I'll be moving my male back out with my girls, because right now, a big freaking pond seems like the way to go

 

[wellington]

I'm thinking because the turtles are so big, and the males stayed clean when he was by himself, that you will need at least a 120 gallon per turtle. If you think about it. 120-180 gallon is a big tank for fish, but not really that big for turtles. If you have the room, get another large aquarium and house them separate. It sounds like that is the only way an aquarium stayed ammonia free.
Sorry, I don't know what else to suggest. 120-180 doesn't really sound big enough for three large turtles. Or, do water changes more then once a week, like every other to every third day.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I'm thinking because the turtles are so big, and the males stayed clean when he was by himself, that you will need at least a 120 gallon per turtle. If you think about it. 120-180 gallon is a big tank for fish, but not really that big for turtles. If you have the room, get another large aquarium and house them separate. It sounds like that is the only way an aquarium stayed ammonia free.
Sorry, I don't know what else to suggest. 120-180 doesn't really sound big enough for three large turtles. Or, do water changes more then once a week, like every other to every third day.

Thanks, wellington
They are big turtles. Which means a lot of dirty yuck. Well, no, not right now.
I could build a pond for them, but that would then mean hibernating them Haha, I understand why there is a large surplus of adult turtles/torts now, people don't want to be bothered
I could get started now, digging and such, but then there are racoons and possums to think about, and there a few stray cats running around, along with hawks and such... It seems to dangerous! I don't want them to get eaten, but I want them to have clean, large amounts of space to swim and be happy... Do you have any turtle ponds?

 

[wellington]

I used too at my old place, before I built the tort shed. I had Koi and one RES. I only had the RES for a few months and them she died. I only got her because she was not being taken care of properly buy the pet store she was dumped at.
My pond though, was some where between 700 and 1000 gallons. I'v wanted to do a turtle pond at my new place, but that is one reason why I haven't, they can be so dirty. If I do decide to do one, it will be for one turtle.
Btw, how do you have an aquarium set up for egg laying? Would love to see pics.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

That's big, does it need a filter?? I'm sorry about your turtle. I bet she had fun in her big pond, though!
I bought two ZOOmed plain tubs for both my females, and set them up with a sandy-dirt like basking area with an MVB each (They are okay, but I still like tube lights better!) that I set on a large metal cookie sheet.
It's not a lot of water in them, but they only took a little over a week combined to lay their eggs, so it wasn't very long for them...
Pics!
Basking/laying area.... it goes down abut a foot.

The tub in all it's glory! So anyway, they each had one... My RES layed her eggs first, she had 5. So she graduated back to the big tank first.
My YBS layed her eggs three days after her, 6... I left each of them in there for a few days extra to make sure they weren't planning on digging more nests...
I know they were small, and not IDEAL, but I'm am NOT planning on breeding, and this was a one time thing (I Hope) to get them to lay safetly....

 

[leigti]

I admit I know nothing about aquatic turtles but I did have a thought. Feel free to ignore it if you want to there was a thread called stock tanks that had different set ups for turtles, maybe in the winter you could put a very large stock tank in your house or garage and then keep them outside in the summer. Just some advice from a clueless person.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I admit I know nothing about aquatic turtles but I did have a thought. Feel free to ignore it if you want to there was a thread called stock tanks that had different set ups for turtles, maybe in the winter you could put a very large stock tank in your house or garage and then keep them outside in the summer. Just some advice from a clueless person.

That's exactly what I used to have. 4, 200 gallon dumspter bottoms, (clean of course.) I had all different species in it together. It was so cool.
Do you have a pleco? That will help with your problem some. Also, not meaning any disrespect, it sound's like you may have too many animals in too small of a container...

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Ammonia is a huge problem for fish. That's why there are ammonia specific filter media. It's colorless, though, so your smelly brown stuff has another cause.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I admit I know nothing about aquatic turtles but I did have a thought. Feel free to ignore it if you want to there was a thread called stock tanks that had different set ups for turtles, maybe in the winter you could put a very large stock tank in your house or garage and then keep them outside in the summer. Just some advice from a clueless person.

I have read about stock tanks, and it's sounds like it could also be a great bottom for a pond!

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

That's exactly what I used to have. 4, 200 gallon dumspter bottoms, (clean of course.) I had all different species in it together. It was so cool.
Do you have a pleco? That will help with your problem some. Also, not meaning any disrespect, it sound's like you may have too many animals in too small of a container...

No bother Well, I thought is would be big enough! And with such a powerful filter....
I don't have one in with my big turtles, but my small turtles have two. They don't bother them, but both if the fishes have outgrown the turtles, soooo.... maybe that's why!
Do you know where I could get one?

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Ammonia is a huge problem for fish. That's why there are ammonia specific filter media. It's colorless, though, so your smelly brown stuff has another cause.

I do have those bags of ammonia chips since my last problem, I bought a few... so then what's this??

 

[Yvonne G]

(I think Maggie is mis-remembering, or else she made a typo. Those dumpster bottoms were about 400 gallons)

 

[stojanovski92113]

Oh man...I'm sorry!! I really don't know too much about this issue except I hope things work out for you & the turtles before it gets too cold!!! Maybe separating them to see if one is causing issues?! I'm not sure if that would work or not?! I know you said you got big turtles. And not sure if you have room for the tanks or the $$. Or if you could borrow tanks from anyone? I hope this works out for you!!!!

 

[Millerlite]

Bigger filter you will for sure need, then a bigger enclosure. The filter needs to have a lot more surface area for bacteria colonies to grow on. I built my filter out of a 5 gallon bucket. New filter will help, but you should really think of a new enclosure or few enclosure with each one being filtered.

Kyle

 

[Maggie Cummings]

As to where I got the dumpster bottoms...I got'em from my sister so let's ask her where to get them. Buy a dumpster and cut it off? I also had a big Fluval filter next to each container. I know I had too many turtles and fish in each container but those Fluval's and 1/2 water changes kept that water clean enough you could drink it...
I always have a pleco in with water turtles, they grow really big on turtle poop...

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Oh man...I'm sorry!! I really don't know too much about this issue except I hope things work out for you & the turtles before it gets too cold!!! Maybe separating them to see if one is causing issues?! I'm not sure if that would work or not?! I know you said you got big turtles. And not sure if you have room for the tanks or the $$. Or if you could borrow tanks from anyone? I hope this works out for you!!!!

No, I really don't have the room for another 100+ gallon tank which, from what I'm reading, isn't that big at all!
Well, hold on here, everyone, it's just one causing issues, because now that they are outdoors in a smaller tub with a tiny filter, there is NO AMMONIA AT ALL! No color. No odor. I don't even have fish in there!