sterilizer for green water

[finfayce]

hi
i bought a sterilizer for my 55 gallon (1) RES tank. i haven't put it in yet because i wanted to check with one of you as to whether that light can hurt a turtle especially the eyes.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

I found this online about how to keep your turtle tank from getting cloudy - it specifically talks about using UV sterilizers:

3. Add Bacteria Supplements and/or UV Sterilizers
Water Conditioners / Bacteria Supplements

If your turtle tank gets cloudy, adding a water conditioner is one of the best things you can do to get your tank balanced. You can pick them up very inexpensively at your local pet store.

These are tablets that dissolve in your tank and remove chlorine, so if you use tap water, these are a must. Some of them also remove ammonia.

Some of them also contain starter cultures of beneficial bacteria, which can really boost the bacteria balance in your tank.

These are good to use immediately after cleaning your tank filter or when doing a complete or half water change. You should use them while your turtle is in the tank, as the bacteria needs to consume your turtle’s waste in order to remain alive.

UV Sterilizers

Opposite to bacteria supplements and water conditioners, UV sterilizers are better at keeping your water clean, rather than doing the work of the initial tank cycle period.

These work by killing and damaging the reproductive ability of bad bacteria, algae, viruses and more than passes through the UV light that is produced, which is usually somewhere around the water flow. A lot of canister filters these days have them, such as the Sun Sun line.

 

[Essjay]

If you mean a UV steriliser, yes, UV light will harm all animals' eyes. For use in a tank containing animals there should be a sleeve around the light and the water should pass inside the sleeve next to the UV light.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I don't know who wrote the article referenced, but it sure looks like the author is uninformed. First, what we refer to as water conditioners neutralize chlorine/chloramine and in some cases heavy metals. They do not contain beneficial biology and will do little to resolve cloudy water (from either a bacterial bloom or green water algae). Adding a "bacteria in a bottle" product may indirectly to help clear up a bacterial bloom, but not any real help for green water and usually is not the answer.
I am not aware of any UV Sterilizers that would present any harmful issue to fish or turtles - if they did, they'd never be sold! To be effective, the UV light is inside a chamber that water is slowly pumped through to kill bacteria, algae, and pathogens.
I like to solve problems at the root cause rather than external compensation.
The root cause of green water algae is excess nutrients and excess light. Cloudy water that is not green is due to excess waste resulting in a bacterial bloom - most often from over feeding and/or fish (or turtles) that produce a lot of waste. So in both cases, the resolution is to reduce nutrients and light.
Higher quality food at reduced amounts and less light would likely resolve the problem at the root cause...but the UV sterilizer will not hurt the turtles as long as the light is contained within the unit as it should be.

 

[finfayce]

I found this online about how to keep your turtle tank from getting cloudy - it specifically talks about using UV sterilizers:
thank you for all the information. i use repti-safe water additive to remove chlorine and chloramines, turtle sludge remover and sometimes
fluval biological cleaner. my turtle. is nearly 8 years old, the size of a cup saucer so she can dirty a tank pretty fast. i'll try to upload a picture of my uv sterilizer it appears to cover the lighted bulb.

3. Add Bacteria Supplements and/or UV Sterilizers
Water Conditioners / Bacteria Supplements

If your turtle tank gets cloudy, adding a water conditioner is one of the best things you can do to get your tank balanced. You can pick them up very inexpensively at your local pet store.

These are tablets that dissolve in your tank and remove chlorine, so if you use tap water, these are a must. Some of them also remove ammonia.

Some of them also contain starter cultures of beneficial bacteria, which can really boost the bacteria balance in your tank.

These are good to use immediately after cleaning your tank filter or when doing a complete or half water change. You should use them while your turtle is in the tank, as the bacteria needs to consume your turtle’s waste in order to remain alive.

UV Sterilizers

Opposite to bacteria supplements and water conditioners, UV sterilizers are better at keeping your water clean, rather than doing the work of the initial tank cycle period.

These work by killing and damaging the reproductive ability of bad bacteria, algae, viruses and more than passes through the UV light that is produced, which is usually somewhere around the water flow. A lot of canister filters these days have them, such as the Sun Sun line.

 

[seangee]

It won't hurt the turtle but TBH its not going to do a whole lot of good. There really is no substitute for a regular supply of clean fresh water. If the tank is outdoors it may help with unicellular algae (green water), but then again it may not.

 

[finfayce]

It won't hurt the turtle but TBH its not going to do a whole lot of good. There really is no substitute for a regular supply of clean fresh water. If the tank is outdoors it may help with unicellular algae (green water), but then again it may not.

thank you.
i realize the importance of water changes. it's just that at age 69 my body is feeling old especially my sore hip. it's hard to carry water buckets back and forth. i have a plan where i might buy a clean
garden hose to siphon and replace water. i can save some steps. what i don't understand is why after almost 8 years i have this green water problem?

 

[AbbeysDad]

thank you.
i realize the importance of water changes. it's just that at age 69 my body is feeling old especially my sore hip. it's hard to carry water buckets back and forth. i have a plan where i might buy a clean
garden hose to siphon and replace water. i can save some steps. what i don't understand is why after almost 8 years i have this green water problem?

"Stuff" happens! Perhaps some minor change promoted the water borne green algae. On the upside, it's merely unsightly - the turtle(s) probably love it.
As to water changes, you can get a hose and a faucet adapter or a Python/Aqueon type device for water changes. I use an inexpensive (Eco Plus 396) submersible pump to efficiently remove water from tanks, then either a faucet adapter or the same pump to put water back (more efficient than any siphoning).

 

[finfayce]

I don't know who wrote the article referenced, but it sure looks like the author is uninformed. First, what we refer to as water conditioners neutralize chlorine/chloramine and in some cases heavy metals. They do not contain beneficial biology and will do little to resolve cloudy water (from either a bacterial bloom or green water algae). Adding a "bacteria in a bottle" product may indirectly to help clear up a bacterial bloom, but not any real help for green water and usually is not the answer.
I am not aware of any UV Sterilizers that would present any harmful issue to fish or turtles - if they did, they'd never be sold! To be effective, the UV light is inside a chamber that water is slowly pumped through to kill bacteria, algae, and pathogens.
I like to solve problems at the root cause rather than external compensation.
The root cause of green water algae is excess nutrients and excess light. Cloudy water that is not green is due to excess waste resulting in a bacterial bloom - most often from over feeding and/or fish (or turtles) that produce a lot of waste. So in both cases, the resolution is to reduce nutrients and light.
Higher quality food at reduced amounts and less light would likely resolve the problem at the root cause...but the UV sterilizer will not hurt the turtles as long as the light is contained within the unit as it should be.

m
thank you.
i have reduced the light period. i have a UVA/UVB bulb for daylight (7) hours and a red basking bulb for night. do you think 7 hours is too much?
i do use Fluval biological cleaner at every water change. i agree that turtles are great pets - just a little messy

 

[finfayce]

hi again
i recently bought a Python clean and fill system
it has made water changes so much easier!
no more hauling heavy buckets of water. in addition my uv sterilizer needed a new bulb and now the light indicating it's working is on and i have finally gotten clear water in my turtle tank.
between those two additional accessories my green water problem in my RES turtle tank is fixed. yay.

 

[Retired Viking]

thank you.
i realize the importance of water changes. it's just that at age 69 my body is feeling old especially my sore hip. it's hard to carry water buckets back and forth. i have a plan where i might buy a clean
garden hose to siphon and replace water. i can save some steps. what i don't understand is why after almost 8 years i have this green water problem?

I have had turtles since 1986 and like you I am getting old. I use an aquarium vacuum with a long hose to siphon the water out thought a nearby window to the outside and in warm weather a garden hose to fill the tank back through the window. In winter I bucket the water like you but still empty the water out the window. I do a full water change and use a brush to clean the algae off. At one time I had several turtles in 3 tanks but now I'm down to two 24-25 year old red ear sliders in a 40 gallon tank.

 

[finfayce]

I have had turtles since 1986 and like you I am getting old. I use an aquarium vacuum with a long hose to siphon the water out thought a nearby window to the outside and in warm weather a garden hose to fill the tank back through the window. In winter I bucket the water like you but still empty the water out the window. I do a full water change and use a brush to clean the algae off. At one time I had several turtles in 3 tanks but now I'm down to two 24-25 year old red ear sliders in a 40 gallon tank.

thanks Retired Viking- we love our turtles don't we ? my turtle is foing to 8 years old next spring. when i found out it's a female i named her Maxine. but she is used to her first name - turtle!
thanks for sharing and i wish the best for you and your turtle friends.