How to Keep Your Turtle Tank Clean

Every week without fail you diligently clean the tank, siphoning out the water, scrubbing the tank clean, rinsing the filter, cleaning the rocks and refilling the whole thing with fresh water. It takes time, energy and effort. You don't want your pet living in the turtle ghetto, but it seems like every time you turn around and the tank is dirty again. Keeping a turtle tank clean is no small task.

Things You'll Need

  • Long 40-gallon tank, or bigger
  • Aquatic filter sized for an 80 to 100-gallon tank
  • Large plastic tub
  • Chemical turtle tank cleaner (see Resources)
  • Betadine
  • Methylene blue
  • Organic decomposer
  • Small snails
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get a bigger tank. The bigger the tank, the less concentrated the mess. Your turtle should be in a long tank that holds at least 40 gallons of water. As a general rule, your turtle needs 10 gallons of tank for every 1-inch in body length, measuring from the nip of her nose to the tip of her tail.

    • 2

      Get a bigger filter. Filters are designed with fish in mind. You need a filter that is sized for a tank at least twice as large as the one you have. For example, if you're using a 40-gallon tank, you'll need a pump that's labeled by an 80 to 100-gallon tank.

    • 3

      Remove the turtle from the tank to feed him. Turtles tend to eat and then poo immediately after, which is very economical of them in the biological sense, but not that nice for you. Place the turtle and his food in a small plastic tub and rinse it out once he's back home for the night.

    • 4

      Add an organic decomposer to the water formulated specifically for use with turtles. This can be found in the reptile/amphibian section of the pet store or ordered online.

    • 5

      Every day after feeding, remove approximately 25 percent of the water in the tank and replace it with clean water.

    • 6

      During the weekly tank cleaning, scrub the glass walls with a mixture of betadine and methylene blue. Be sure to rinse the tank thoroughly before re-filling with clean water or the chemicals could harm your turtle.

    • 7

      Consider adding small snails to the tank. They eat the waste products that are making your tank look dirty.