Dang!! Just realized I didn't read chumzhujun's previous post propery -- I only saw the footer. My apologies.
chumzhujun: How old/big are they? Don't give up on giving them veg... mine are not too fond of lettuce either. But, I leave some in the tank for them... usually, it would be gone/chewed up after a day. Think they will still eat it when they get hungry.
hi nyxx..i keep RES last time, have a look at my 2 terrapins tank here's the link..http://www.google.com.sg/m/url?clien...udJeay_MVuwhuQ
black ace: that's quite a deep tank you got there!! didn't really see basking area for them in the tank though. how do you keep the tank clean?
oh im sorry nyxx..i gave u wrong link..im using undergravel jets to blow all the dirt im using 3000l/h powerhead and i used 2000l/h canister filter and inside my canister is all filter wool and a bit of ceramic rings..here's the link again..http://www.google.com.sg/m/url?clien...CpJkZXoU89UEeQ
Just did another WC and internal filter cleaning today. The internals of the tank walls or any objects that is submerged underwater(filters, pipes, hoses, clips, suction caps, etc) will always produce a slimy texture after a couple of days. This is even so when the water is clear. A slight rub with the fingers and they will quickly come off and mix with the water. Unless the slime becomes visually obvious(algae like), otherwise I leave them as they are, or do not make it a point to remove the slime.
For slimes on removable objects like the internal filter or basking stand that stands as an eye sore, I will take it out of the tank and give it a rub down to remove visually obvious slime. Otherwise you may give it a rubdown prior to a water change to dilute the slime. However I've had the need to rub down the entire internals as the slime doesn't interfere with my viewing pleasure.
Do take note nor to remove all the water should you choose to perform a complete rub down, you might have to cycle your BB again, or risk a bacteria bloom with the new de-chlorinated water. A short term cloudiness after water change is normal and should go away after 3-6 hours.
As for the RES themselves, mine has not felt slimy on their shells with proper filtration and them regularly visiting of the basking area to dry out. I've not had the need to scrub their shells with a toothbrush.
Hi Black Ace,
What external canister are you running? Are you running only fine wool, or do you also have coarser mechanical sponges in place? Finally, what is the maintenance frequency in your experience for the canister filter, and do you wash out the wool(and say replace at the next maintenance) or replace the wool with every maintenance?
Care to share your experience with WC % and frequencies on your 3 footer? Thanks
banana:im using e-jet canister filter 3388 model,everytime im going to clean my filter i also change the water maybe around 60-70% every 3wks..i syphon
the debris on the floor of the tank,and im using both coarse and fine wool,my canister got 4 layer basket on the first basket i used coarse pad and then second basket and third one,and the lastly ceramic rings on top with fine wool again on top of it..
Black Ace, so I assume you change out all the fine wool in your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th baskets every 3 weeks? or do change them only every other time you clean the filter?
I'm trying to get an idea of filter media consumption with turtles since my canister is only into it's 2nd week of running and there's only 2 pieces of fine white wool and 2 pieces of sponge in there. Thanks!
when i clean my filter i change all the fine wool..dont feed so much your RES bcoz they were grow up so fast..use a powerful canister 10x or more than the volume of your tank water so that your water stays clean..i forgot to tell you that im using also activated carbon to take out the smell of the water..
Regarding feeding... I am afraid I would underfeed them. But since they so greedy... I have no way of telling if they are full!!!!! About... 20 pellets a day for each slider (2 inches -- shell length only, without head or tail)? Or should I feed lesser?
Each time they see me approaching, they get excited and start clawing at the tank.
It would be better if you can place your turtle housing by the window and exposed to some amount of sunlight. This is better than using a UVB bulb.
What i learnt from the experts on the web, is to feed an amount of food the size of the turtle's head per serving. Slightly more is ok as well.
lifeisfullofemptypromisesandbrokendreams
Hypancistrus and Tanganyikan cichlids breeding
RES like snails and it is a source of calcium for them. I always removed them to a basin to feed them. They need to be fed 3 times per week. I used commercial trout pellets.
BillD, does your RES also finish up the snail shells?
BillD: What kind of snails do you feed your sliders? Your typical garden snail??
I am not too sure if snails are good -- search for "snail" here (http://www.redearslider.com/prey.html)
Hi guys,
A very timely thread. I have 2 RES, been washing their tank regularly since I was a kid for close to 15 years.
Intending to buy a filter to reduce my cleaning time as I am getting more and more busy. The tank measures 60 (L) X 30 (B) X 37 (H) cm
In addition to the advise in the previous posts, do you guys have any more advice on what type of filter to get and stuff? I'm quite clueless
Thanks!
Originally Posted by tangjyd
Wow it was 3+ years since the last post, glad to say my RES is still alive and begging. I have the same sized tank as you and my water level is filled to the 20cm height mark.
I have been using the same configuration in the Atman DF-1300 (refer to post #3) during all this time and glad to say it works well and I'm satisfied. I've only done filter replacement and/or cleaning after every 9-12 months. I did them not because the water became visibly dirty, but rather that I thought it had been quite a while. Therefore filter replacement and/or cleaning really could be an annual affair.
My water replacement regime is to drain all of the tank's water, leaving only whatever water is left in the Atman external canister filter after every 3 months or so. Again, I do water replacement only because I thought the water was becoming too yellowish for my liking. I used to add anti-chloramine to the tap water whenever I change or top up water, but for the past one year, I've tried just adding tap water neat without any additives and there was no material change to the turtle's health or noticeable water quality differences.
I don't use the rain bar function on the filter's outlet, instead the outlet is introduced underneath the water surface(at approx 10cm mark from the bottom of tank) so that it makes no water noise on the inflow.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pet-Fish-Aqu...item51c515a5e5
Finally, I highly recommend you use a surface skimmer hooked up to your filter's intake. The link above is exactly what I am using, it should cost you around SGD10 or the low $10's. Minor modifications were required, since I run my water level at the 20cm mark, I had to saw off about say an inch off the skimmer's black and clear section (the part where the 2 parts meet), such that it could function even when my water level evaporates down to say 16-18cm mark. The turtle sheds skin quite frequently and this together with other floating fine opaque bits that floats on the surface cannot be removed without the surface skimmer functioning. This is the best and only tool you will need to ensure water clarity - the external canister alone is not good enough, you will want both working in conjunction. Just remember to turn off the filter during feeding time and back on after they are done eating.
The Atman DF-1300 was purchased at NA, this is their FB page https://www.facebook.com/nanatureaqu...?tab=page_info
Not certain whether this is still an ongoing production model, or whether the $95 pricetag remains, but I would still stick to the same brand as it has been great value for money and would go with an identical sized unit currently offered as the DF-1300 assuming it has been phased out.
Hi banana55, so sorry for the late reply, am overseas.
Thank you so so much for this very informative postI'll be back in SG soon and will follow your set up and update how it goes here.
It's incredible that you only need to change the filter annually and do a water change once every 3 months, sounds really really good
I just hope they still sell the Atman DF-1300!
Btw why do you have to turn off the filter during feeding?
Thank you so much once again!
Yeah but if you have 2 turtles, the filter change frequency might double in theory. A similarly sized cannister filter should still do the trick even if the DF-1300 is not available anymore.
With the surface skimmer, any debris or floating food pellets on the water surface will very quickly get sucked into the filter. It is better to turn off the filter to prevent uneaten food from going to waste or compromising filter & water quality unnecessarily.
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