General Care Discussion :: Adding Water

Taking care of your turtle's overall health.

Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:22 pm   Adding Water

Okay so everyone has to replace the water in the aquarium, because it 'magically dissapears', or evaporates, should I worry about taking me turtle out of the aquarium? She loves to get right infront of the hose and take in the cholirne, that looks like gasoline in the water.

Thanks!
Walnut- Pet for Five Years; Age Uknown; 3 1/4 Inches; Female
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IshMaster
 
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:35 pm   

I'm confused--your turtle likes to take in (as in drink) the chlorine in the water, and the chlorine looks like gasoline in the water? If your water is treated with chlorine, it would be better to dechlorinate it before adding it to the tank. How much water do you have to replace and how often do you do it?

I add water to my tanks with the turtles in them, but the water is not chlorinated, and the amount added isn't that much.
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marisa
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:47 pm   

I replace about 3-5 gallons twice a week, I have to keep my water level pretty far up because our filter is old. The water is treated with cholirine and I do dechlorinate it, but I can't dechlorinate the water as soon as it leaves the faucet. After the water is added I add 1 or 2 drops of some water purifing stuff, but never take my turtle out.

She is attracted to the flowing water and sticks her head infront of it, my question is, should I remove her from the aquarium when I put the extra water in?

Edit: I don't actually KNOW that it is chlorine that makes the strange gasoline affect, but I am just assuming it is.
Walnut- Pet for Five Years; Age Uknown; 3 1/4 Inches; Female
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IshMaster
 
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:17 pm   

I don't think the chlorine should do that...? I've never seen that before.
You're adding 6-10 gallons a week? That seems like a lot. Maybe you could put the water in a bucket first and dechlorinate it.
fishandcandy
 
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:31 pm   

I have to add about an extra 5-gallons a week due to evaporation. I use a small plastic container to hold the water as I add dechlorinator. I also let the water temperature warm up to room temp before I add it into the tank.

I'm also a bit confused about the "gasoline effect"
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steve
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:55 pm   

i have one of those tall 70 gallon waste bin (about a meter to two meter high) that i keep water in and let it sit for a day or so in my basement so all the chlorine dissolves and i add water from there, im not sure if chlorine would harm a turtle because it can kill fishies..
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Turtleboy
 
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:55 pm   

I think what he's seeing is what I see when the water temp is warmer than the temperature of the water in the tank.. I sometimes see the same thing from the water heater when it's on. I actually thought once that the water heater was broken and leaking something in my tank.. then I realized it was just the warmer water. :)
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cam722
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:16 pm   

Thanks everyone, the gasoline affect I was talking about are like wavy little lines, like gasoline fumes. I really don't have anything large enough to hold the water to dechlorinate and add quickly and if the only problem is the water temperature then I will leave it alone.

Before I came across this site and realized all that my turtle really needed she lived in normal tap water (not to mention many other things I was doing wrong) and was perfectly fine for a year or so. After one of her feeder fish died for no reason, the turtle and fish had become 'friends', I began treating the water for chlorine, so I really don't think that small amount of chlorine could hurt, but better safe than sorry I guess.
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IshMaster
 
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:21 pm   

i normally just python water in and de-chlorinize it while it is going in :)
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ellman605
 
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:22 pm   

Yeah that is what I have done since we got the new aquarium.
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