Cleaning day and mud turtle updates

[cdmay]

Today was cleaning day for the four aquariums in the Florida Room.
I've devised a system where I run a siphon (an old garden hose) into the tanks outside through my laundry room. Then I run a garden hose that's connected to a spigot in the same way to replenish the water the siphon removes.
Here are some images:

While the water in the aquarium is refreshing, I remove the driftwood and scrub them down outside with a stiff nylon brush and use the water that was siphoned off from the tank to rinse the driftwood. I also wipe down the aquarium glass with some paper towels during this process.
Couple more photos:
Here are the hoses going out the back door.

I like to really jet the water into the tanks to clean them as thoroughly as possible.

The filters: I have several Cascade 1000 and a single Cascade 750.

I am also running two Aquatop canisters with an internal UV light fixture. Not sure how valuable it is though after a couple of years. I break down and clean the filters about once every five or six weeks.

While this is taking place, the turtles from their respective aquariums are in the kitchen sink so they don't get too freaked out---and also so the chlorinated water doesn't burn their eyes.
NOTE: where I live we must use a chlorine/chlorimine remover before the animals go back into their tanks.
While they are in the sink I can examine them closely and get some pics too.
Three year old male red-cheek.

He's a beauty!

This is my other three year old male red-cheek. He's also really nice.

Three year old female red-cheek in her aquarium before the cleaning.

Sea Bean, my five year old female Staurotypus salvinii.

Another female red-cheek. This is Peggy. I think she is now in her sixth year and I got her the day after she hatched at Eric Holt's place.

I hope these images give you some ideas on ways to maintain more than a single aquarium.
My future plans are to invest in larger aquariums that will have more driftwood and levels of habitat. I will also be including nesting areas in the future.

 

[Yvonne G]

Nice setup, and those turtles are real beauties! But even with your fancy dancy siphoning idea, it still looks like a big, all day job.

 

[Markw84]

Love those turtles, @cdmay Those red-cheeks are gorgeous.

 

[cdmay]

Nice setup, and those turtles are real beauties! But even with your fancy dancy siphoning idea, it still looks like a big, all day job.

Nope, takes less than an hour. No kidding.

 

[Berkeley]

That is awesome, Carl. What type of wood is your driftwood, any idea?

--Berkeley

p.s.- such good looking turtles, too!

 

[cdmay]

That is awesome, Carl. What type of wood is your driftwood, any idea?

--Berkeley

p.s.- such good looking turtles, too!

Most of it is buttonwood I've collected from the beach or in the Keys.
Some is cypress from the Chipola River and the rest is random stuff that washes up on the beach at work. I think most of it is seagrape wood.

 

[tglazie]

Do you rely upon a combination of mechanical and chemical filtration for your setup, or do you incorporate a biological element? How often do you do such changes?

T.G.

 

[cdmay]

Do you rely upon a combination of mechanical and chemical filtration for your setup, or do you incorporate a biological element? How often do you do such changes?

T.G.

Good questions.
The large canister filters have three trays for various filter media. I use a fine grade floss in each level and then I also use ceramic noodles in one tray for bacterial colonization.
In another tray I have a bag of Ammo-carb...a carbon mix for aquariums.
Then in the last tray a sponge OR natural pumice stones I collect at my local beach.
I break down the filters about every 5 or 6 weeks depending on how many turtles are in the tank, or how much I've been feeding them. I usually change out the carbon at this time, or at the least, wash the bag using the hose.

I try and do the full water change once a week...but if not, then every ten days.

That's pretty much it.

Another tip is to try and feed the turtles in a sink or smaller and easy to clean tub.
They eat and poop simultaneously during this time and by sparing your filters this bioload, you are helping yourself and the turtles.

 

[terryo]

That red-cheek!!! No one told me they bite and Bob near took my finger off. It may only take you an hour, but it takes longer for me and I'm doing about the same. Bob will be going into a pond this Spring, or a new home. I have found out that the Eastern Mud is endangered. I didn't know.

 

[cdmay]

That red-cheek!!! No one told me they bite and Bob near took my finger off. It may only take you an hour, but it takes longer for me and I'm doing about the same. Bob will be going into a pond this Spring, or a new home. I have found out that the Eastern Mud is endangered. I didn't know.

OK, don't let any member of the mud or musk turtle group bite you. Yes, they have strong jaws and take the biting of human fingers quite seriously.
As for eastern mud turtles being endangered...well, not so much. Maybe on Staten Island, but not in their overall range. They are very common throughout most of the eastern seaboard.