Algae Growth

[Kerryann]

Crazy question.. My marginated tortoise's water dish never grows algae but my Russian's water dish grows it like crazy. I wash it out everyday and by time I get home some has regrown. Two questions, is it safe for her or should I just get her a new dish? Secondly, How do I get rid of it if I can? It is driving me slightly insane that I can't keep it cleaned out enough to kill it.

 

[wellington]

I don't know if this would help. As your tort might try eating it. But I use one of those algae/moss balls in my frogs water. Their water is a plastic dish. I have never had algae since I started using it. Keeps the water and dish very clean. It looks like this http://compare.ebay.com/like/250843581936?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
Also, if the dish is close to the light it will grow algae faster. Even some materials will faster then others.

 

[RedfootsRule]

It won't hurt them...Algea is a plant. My outdoor water bowls get algae in them all the time, and nothing bad happens. Remember that the water they drink in the wild is likely teeming with floating algae. Only certain species of algae cause harm, such as dinoflagellates. If you get red algae, then you should be worried. Regular green is harmless.
If you want to get rid of it, check your location. It's probably to close to your UVB light. Thats about the only factor that will speed up growth in an enclosure.

 

[lynnedit]

Kerryann, it may now have algae embedded in the micropores of the water dish. So getting a new one might help.
In the summer you have a couple of them, and leave one in the sun to bake for a couple of days.

Barb, that is an interesting idea. How long does one last in the water dish?

 

[wellington]

The one i got says two months. However, i have used it past that by almost a month and still was working . This is the exact one I bought http://reviews.petsmart.com/4830/4089688/exo-terra-exo-terra-moss-ball-reviews/reviews.htm
I just rinse it off when I change the water. It feels almost like a cat toy ball, the plastic kind with the little bells, then wrapped with a green furry material.
It works great though. If the tort wouldn't eat it, would be great for their water.

 

[lynnedit]

Thanks, that is well worth looking into!

 

[theelectraco]

What is your bowl made of? Ceramic ones usually grow algae faster than the resin bowls from my experience

 

[Kerryann]

What is your bowl made of? Ceramic ones usually grow algae faster than the resin bowls from my experience

It's either rock or fake rock

 

[wellington]

What is your bowl made of? Ceramic ones usually grow algae faster than the resin bowls from my experience

That's funny. I find mine to be the other way. Although, my plastic/resin one is outside for summer and will get algae in just one or two days. The inside ones are ceramic and I never get algae in them. Now of course the inside/outside probably plays a big role, even though the outside one is in more shade then sun and the inside ones are in more artificial light then shade. These are my tortoise bowls. My frogs water dish is plastic and under the light from 7-8 and with the moss ball, nothing. Not even slimy sides. I may have to try the moss ball for my tort this summer in the outside bowl.

 

[mctlong]

What is your bowl made of? Ceramic ones usually grow algae faster than the resin bowls from my experience

It's either rock or fake rock

Stone could be very porous. I'd recommend getting a new one. Maybe resin. I use ceramic, but its glazed ceramic, not the regular unglazed stuff. I haven't had any problems with ceramic when its been glazed.

 

[wellington]

I have both a glazed and unglazed. Both for inside, no problems with either.

 

[theelectraco]

The ceramic ones that are unglazed are very porous and algae gets trapped in the pores and unless you clean it thoroughly it will grow back pretty quickly. At work, the ceramic bowls we used are unglazed and they grow algae if we don't change the water out and wipe me out twice a day. The resin ones like the zoomed reptile bowls aren't porous and clean very easily and don't ever grow algae.

 

[Kerryann]

I will have to make a trip to get her a new one.

 

[theelectraco]

I was using a plastic painters tray as a soaking tub but my tortoise NEVER touched it. When I put back his little ceramic bowl, he started drinking out of it again and occasionally soaking on it.

 

[lynnedit]

They are SO picky. You just have to try one thing and another, varies from tort to tort and month to month, I think.

 

[mctlong]

I was using a plastic painters tray as a soaking tub but my tortoise NEVER touched it. When I put back his little ceramic bowl, he started drinking out of it again and occasionally soaking on it.

Mine wouldn't touch the painters tray either. Never figured out why...