New tank- musk turtles

[Rita Rysyte]

Hi everyone,

I am new and urgently need your hep. So I have decided to get musk turtles and have done all the necessary research for the right set up and to make sure I have done everything correctly. I have fully set up my tank and filled with water. I added a water conditioner to it to make tap water safe and also Fluval bacterial enhancer. Last night I have noticed that the water has gone really cloudy. I'm guessing because of the bacteria? I was meant to get my turtles yesterday but couldn't, so will be purchasing them on Sunday. Could you please please help me and advise me on what to do with this water and how to fix it?? Would it be safe to put my turtles in it on Sunday? Or would I have to change the water? Please help

Thank you

 

[meadoughlark]

What substrate have you used? It's normal to get some cloudiness from new substrate, especially if you didn't rinse it before adding to the tank. If it is just from the substrate, it should settle and clear in 1 or 2 days.

 

[Rita Rysyte]

What substrate have you used? It's normal to get some cloudiness from new substrate, especially if you didn't rinse it before adding to the tank. If it is just from the substrate, it should settle and clear in 1 or 2 days.

I have used stones and gravel. I have washed it very thoroughly so I doubt it’s that. The water was clear on the first day

 

[Essjay]

It is probably a bacterial bloom which is common in newly set up tanks. But not the species of bacteria we want to grow. The bloom bacteria feed on organic matter in the water, they live free floating in the water and they multiply very quickly. We see these bacteria as the cloudiness. Once they have exhausted their food supply they will die off and the water will clear, but it impossible to say how long that will take as every tank is different.

I have never researched turtles but I presume they have the same needs as fish when it comes to them producing ammonia and the need for bacteria to remove this ammonia?
The Fluval bacterial enhancer used to be called Cycle, and it did not have a very good reputation. Dr Tim's One and Only and Tetra Safe Start have a better reputation.

 

[Rita Rysyte]

It is probably a bacterial bloom which is common in newly set up tanks. But not the species of bacteria we want to grow. The bloom bacteria feed on organic matter in the water, they live free floating in the water and they multiply very quickly. We see these bacteria as the cloudiness. Once they have exhausted their food supply they will die off and the water will clear, but it impossible to say how long that will take as every tank is different.

I have never researched turtles but I presume they have the same needs as fish when it comes to them producing ammonia and the need for bacteria to remove this ammonia?
The Fluval bacterial enhancer used to be called Cycle, and it did not have a very good reputation. Dr Tim's One and Only and Tetra Safe Start have a better reputation.

Okay, thank you. I will purchase the Tetra Safe Start instead. So should I empty and clean the tank and start again?

Also at what point are you meant to add the Safe Start? When adding the turtles/fish or before?

 

[Essjay]

You would need to read the instructions. You'll also need testers for ammonia and nitrite and test daily. If either of them show more than zero you need to do a water change.
You don't need to empty the tank. But the cloudiness will continue until the bacteria die off. Yes, you can add fish or turtles while the water is cloudy but you won't be able to see them clearly to judge is anything is wrong. Something you could do is a fishless cycle following this method https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ and Tetra Safe Start while waiting for the water to clear - if the TSS works as they claim, the tank should be be cycled before it clears.

 

[Byron]

It has been many years (three decades in fact) since I kept a tank with turtles, but some things never change. I would not worry about cycling. I would use a dechlorinator but nothing beyond this.

Unlike fish, turtles breathe air, and do not use water for their oxygen as do fish. They will excrete ammonia in their waste of course, so keeping the tank very clean is important. A gravel (pea gravel is ideal here) substrate is beneficial as it provides more surface for the various bacteria. Clean into the gravel at each water change, and I would do a once weekly substantial water change. You could change all of the water, just use a dechlorinator so the chlorine doesn't burn the turtles eyes.

Water depth is important; the turtles should be able to stand on the substrate with their hind legs and the head bee above the surface so they can breathe this way, with no active swimming to keep afloat. And they need a basking area, even though musk turtles apparently do not climb out as much as some do; my red ear sliders I had for years were more often out of the water than in, and this is important for their shells.

I agree the initial cloudiness is likely a bacterial bloom or the substrate, neither being critical.