How important is the aquarium nitrogen cycle in turtle care?

viggo.blixen · 21-05-09, 23:01

Cycling your aquarium is an important step in keeping fish. With the regular cleaning required by keeping aquatic turtles, is the Nitrogen cycle all that important? Most care sheets recommend a 25-50% weekly water change with a regular tank empty and scrub + filter cleaning. Is it even possible for the nitrogen cycle to establish itself with this much water coming out so often?

I don't want to lead the question too much... Please give me your feelings about the Nitrogen Cycle and Turtle tanks.

I have posted this question in Fish as well to maximize answers.

nora · 22-05-09, 00:36

I've been researching this myself for several years and the reality is that there are many schools of thought and people who run the gamut from one end to the other.

On the one hand if a decent nitrogen cycle cannot be achieved well then anything but mechanical and chemical filtration would be a waste of space. On the other hand anyone who has kept turtles long term will speak on the benefits of canister filters or at least multiple hobs such as AC's. in terms of dealing with water parameters.

I myself - running several aquatic turtle set ups - some as small as 40 breeders up to ponds of 300 gallons can honestly say that IME the nitrogen cycle is absolutely important in my set ups.
I can also say that compared to most I over filter in every way.
As an example the filtration on the 40 breeder next to me is an eheim 2217 classic canister which is rated for use with fish as filtering 150+gallon set up, gph @ about 150 with mechanical and bio media slowing it down some more and a filter volume of about 1 1/2 gallons. That last one always gets me thinking - I have 30 gallons of water in a 40 breeder with a turtle who is just under 4 inches and the % of water in the filter versus water in the tank is insane by many standards - but it works for me and mine - primarily because I buy into the importance of the nitrogen cycle and follow the numbers needed to make it work as best I can.
I run the same filtration - no carbon/chemical media in my filters unless medicating (very rarely some tanks never) on a couple of 55 tanks. One with a male res at about 5 inches even - the res system's been going with that filtration now going on 5 years, water changes bi-weekly with prime added, plants (yea they get shredded so some are wrapped in egg crate at the base so he can only eat what grows out of the plant box) and canister cleaning every few months partial media at a time. His numbers are good, solid wastes and uneaten food are netted, little gravel - easy to vacuum and there we are. The biggest issues are getting enough biomedia going and maintaining the bene bacteria IME - water treatment - avoiding the addition of any chlorine or chloramine helps as does staged canister cleaning.
Long answer but based on the phrasing of your question, I figured it was worth some background so when I said
Yes, the nitrogen cycle is important in turtle keeping in aquariums - well at least you know where and why my opinion came from and why I am so certain of my statement.

critterman51 · 22-05-09, 02:13

Getting help from bacteria in keeping a turtle tank clean is nearly impossible. Turtles produce too much waste. I change my turtles 100% at least once a week, usually more.

21-05-09, 23:01	#1
viggo.blixen Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1	How important is the aquarium nitrogen cycle in turtle care? Cycling your aquarium is an important step in keeping fish. With the regular cleaning required by keeping aquatic turtles, is the Nitrogen cycle all that important? Most care sheets recommend a 25-50% weekly water change with a regular tank empty and scrub + filter cleaning. Is it even possible for the nitrogen cycle to establish itself with this much water coming out so often? I don't want to lead the question too much... Please give me your feelings about the Nitrogen Cycle and Turtle tanks. I have posted this question in Fish as well to maximize answers.

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22-05-09, 00:36	#2
nora Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 23	I've been researching this myself for several years and the reality is that there are many schools of thought and people who run the gamut from one end to the other. On the one hand if a decent nitrogen cycle cannot be achieved well then anything but mechanical and chemical filtration would be a waste of space. On the other hand anyone who has kept turtles long term will speak on the benefits of canister filters or at least multiple hobs such as AC's. in terms of dealing with water parameters. I myself - running several aquatic turtle set ups - some as small as 40 breeders up to ponds of 300 gallons can honestly say that IME the nitrogen cycle is absolutely important in my set ups. I can also say that compared to most I over filter in every way. As an example the filtration on the 40 breeder next to me is an eheim 2217 classic canister which is rated for use with fish as filtering 150+gallon set up, gph @ about 150 with mechanical and bio media slowing it down some more and a filter volume of about 1 1/2 gallons. That last one always gets me thinking - I have 30 gallons of water in a 40 breeder with a turtle who is just under 4 inches and the % of water in the filter versus water in the tank is insane by many standards - but it works for me and mine - primarily because I buy into the importance of the nitrogen cycle and follow the numbers needed to make it work as best I can. I run the same filtration - no carbon/chemical media in my filters unless medicating (very rarely some tanks never) on a couple of 55 tanks. One with a male res at about 5 inches even - the res system's been going with that filtration now going on 5 years, water changes bi-weekly with prime added, plants (yea they get shredded so some are wrapped in egg crate at the base so he can only eat what grows out of the plant box) and canister cleaning every few months partial media at a time. His numbers are good, solid wastes and uneaten food are netted, little gravel - easy to vacuum and there we are. The biggest issues are getting enough biomedia going and maintaining the bene bacteria IME - water treatment - avoiding the addition of any chlorine or chloramine helps as does staged canister cleaning. Long answer but based on the phrasing of your question, I figured it was worth some background so when I said Yes, the nitrogen cycle is important in turtle keeping in aquariums - well at least you know where and why my opinion came from and why I am so certain of my statement.

22-05-09, 02:13	#3
critterman51 Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 12	Getting help from bacteria in keeping a turtle tank clean is nearly impossible. Turtles produce too much waste. I change my turtles 100% at least once a week, usually more.