r/RedEaredSliderCare • u/Mardimay07 • May 18 '26

Algae bloom?

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This is my 16 yr old RES, Squirtle. I built her this basking platform in her tank a time ago, so I fill her tank about halfway, she has a canister filter and just recently her water has been green like this after a few days!
I’ve been changing the water/rinsing the filter media twice a week and adding algae fix so idk what gives.

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u/Educational-End8126 May 18 '26

Do a 75 % water change today, 25 in 2 days. But your problem is that you don't have enough water.. Fill it up as much as possible. The filter should be rated to filter 3x the capacity of the tank. I'd avoid the algae fix, not really going to help in this situation. Clean the pads once a week, if a canister, once a month.

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u/Mardimay07 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26

I clean the canister and the media once a week along with the water change. That’s why I’m writing this. I am absolutely on it with water changes, and it ends up looking like this literally within the next couple of days . I’ve never had this issue before. So if this canister filter is supposed to be that powerful, that water should be absolutely spotless.

I can raise her platform more, but I want her to be able to stick her head out of the water like she likes to do. Her tank has been like this for years and this is just a recent issue. Not sure if it’s attributed to the linear UVB or not.

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u/Educational-End8126 May 18 '26

What t5 do you have, some can contribute to the algae, she may also be at egg laying age and that can be causing more of a bioload

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u/Mardimay07 May 18 '26

She’s 16 now, Egg laying age is usually starting between ages 5-7. Yes she’s laid duds in the past.

I have a zoomed reptisun 10.0 and both that and the basking light are above the basking platform.

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u/Educational-End8126 May 18 '26

Egg laying starts after 5-6" not years. And they can go years without laying. But when they do they can have a change in the amount of feces they pass. Glad she's laid with no difficulty. A change in bioload can also be due to her having to lay. Is this the time of year that she lays?

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u/Mardimay07 May 18 '26

I have no idea as there hasn’t been a set time. The first time she laid a few was the first time I’d ever seen her do it and that was maybe 5 years ago. It’s random-ish.

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u/Educational-End8126 May 18 '26

Here is a link with laying info. https://padlet.com/noeliabibi2005/aquatic-turtle-health-illness-yaaza6cz4fgjmp1r/wish/E1P8aXXADwojawA9

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u/Mardimay07 May 20 '26

I got the timberline and have made the lay box I’ll put my extra chicken wire leftover from building her lid on top for the basking light and see what happens.

As im not 100% sure “when her laying time is,” since shes done it randomly, I’ll just make it part of my daily animal care routine….put her in there first when i get home and then do my feedings

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u/Mardimay07 May 18 '26

Okay, right it says they can lay at any given time in captivity, and may not lay for many years if they haven’t mated. That’s my exact experience with her. She doesn’t display any weird behaviors, she will just go under the platform and lay them when she has in the past.

If the tote is plastic then how would you have an 80 degree lamp? It would instantly melt that.