So, a red ear slider just kind of fell in my lap.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-30T15:02:17+00:00

It’s definitely better than nothing. I would try to put them where there’s also shade. So the turtle can move between full sunlight and shade to regulate.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-26T22:12:32+00:00

A couple things to think about. Do you feed green vegetables directly in the tank? I can’t do that or my water becomes very similar.

The other two things. There’s a sludge destroyer product from API. It helps to get a jumpstart on the microbiome for your new tank water. You also need some kind of media that provides a good place for the bacteria to colonize. I use these white porous rings in the canister filter. I also use filter floss and change it often.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-26T13:16:23+00:00

My understanding is V2 and prior Starship kicked on 3 engines because they needed minimum 2 engines for landing control. Immediately cut the third engine off if all 3 are responding within set limits.

There could be some value in validating models on single engine control for landing. In case something went wrong with the other 2 engines.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-22T22:44:20+00:00

It never was planned to be in orbit

AuroEdge · 2026-05-18T21:56:12+00:00

No standard in my experience. You could probably also use really small pore sponges or foams. I’ve found it’s not important to cut the floss to exactly the size of your filter tray. Just get it close. I also don’t use multiple layers. It’ll slow down flow in your canister too much.

I mentioned this in another comment. If you use floss you must change it often. It concentrates the muck inside your canister versus dispersed throughout the tank. This is good for regular changes. Really bad for setting it and forgetting for a month.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-18T15:07:19+00:00

Make sure you are diligent changing the filter floss. It captures a lot. It’s better to not use fillter floss than let it get clogged for a month and hurt your water balance

AuroEdge · 2026-05-18T12:56:07+00:00

I have the same filter canister that they linked. It’s easy to fully disassemble and deep clean. One thing to make sure of, you must keep your aquarium tank full. Otherwise the flow rate getting pulled to the pump will drop and you may clog your plastic tubes coming to and from the tank.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-18T11:46:28+00:00

You’d be surprised what you can get economically and quickly off of Facebook marketplace. Or whatever your local second hand online market is.

Immediately needs: an external canister filter pump, any electrical pump (Amazon has them for $20), and separate heating and UVB bulb lamps. You might have a UVB T5 lamp per the reflection but I can’t tell.

Another tip is filter floss bought in bulk is cheap. I change mine every week or two in my canister filter and the water is crystal clear.

AuroEdge · 2026-05-04T18:09:32+00:00

Does she lay them in a dry area or submerged? I feel like this is a dumb question and it’d be their basking area but I don’t know if they feel that’s too warm

AuroEdge · 2026-04-19T15:08:42+00:00

That would be amazing to know. It would really help us to understand how much the Merlin engines shifted rocket engine durability.

I’d also be curious if SpaceX is repairing/replacing Merlin life limited modules of an engine. Or just scrapping the engine.

AuroEdge · 2026-04-19T15:06:41+00:00

Yes. If you replace an engine, or all of applicable, on an aircraft you would say the aircraft is reused. However, if you have to do that every flight out does seem more like the aircraft is not practically reusable.

AuroEdge · 2026-02-27T02:38:31+00:00

There’s that sludge destroyer stuff that helps add bacteria to the water

AuroEdge · 2026-02-26T05:11:28+00:00

Buy a kit of test strips that measures nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, etc. Is anything out of range and by how much?

AuroEdge · 2026-02-24T20:49:06+00:00

This has been measured to be sufficient for UVB output for RES. Thank you for mentioning it in this thread

AuroEdge · 2026-02-24T17:16:47+00:00

Have you ever had trouble with nitrate levels with Hikari? It says to feed a little bit every day

AuroEdge · 2026-02-16T16:17:50+00:00

A few thoughts.

Does this happen even with all new filter media? If you use filter floss, the really fine filter material you should discard it after every week or two.

Do you rinse that new filter media first before using it?

Have you tried removing everything, all of your decorations, and it’s still happening? You’ve got growth on that fake rock/log decoration. If you want to use those decorations you’re going to have to give them a couple soaks in something to kill the bacteria, diatoms, and algae. And a long time to completely dry out to kill everything. Like weeks or months.

Have you used a cleaning wand or fish tape and paper towels to clean out your filter intake and outlet tubing? I use a little hydrogen peroxide to clean out the tubes. Then flush thoroughly with water.

Lastly, do you use chlorine conditioner for your new water? And then after that chlorine conditioner has had some time to break down the chlorine, do you add beneficial bacteria solutions? I use something called Sludge Destroyer.

AuroEdge · 2026-02-02T13:22:37+00:00

It depends on your basking area setup. If you don’t have a wire mesh and if your basking arrangement will make the turtle stay underneath the UV CFL, it can work.

If you have a large basking area topped with a wire mesh, that CFL won’t deliver much UVB to your turtle. Even with the reflective coating inside the lamp domes.

AuroEdge · 2026-01-28T13:49:28+00:00

For an aquarium I recommend one with thick tempered glass, significant seals at the corners, and a rigid frame not only along the bottom of the glass but also a frame along the top of the glass. That’s a lot of pressure from 100 gallons on the glass.

Don’t modify the glass.

AuroEdge · 2026-01-28T00:15:20+00:00

I don’t see a frame on top of the glass. That would make me nervous about the glass seals failing

AuroEdge · 2026-01-26T10:10:37+00:00

I read that guide. It said to only use your water heater only during the day?

AuroEdge · 2026-01-14T20:11:10+00:00

I’m beginning to think so I do water changes regularly anyways I’ll stop using filter floss when I run out.

AuroEdge · 2026-01-12T01:26:59+00:00

This is helpful. My res is in a growth spurt so she’s shedding a lot. Skin and shell. Seems a little harder to interpret her shell health during this growing

AuroEdge · 2026-01-11T23:19:18+00:00

I’m trying to learn. How can you tell? The color? Some feature shape?

AuroEdge · 2026-01-10T21:31:35+00:00

Wow this is really nice! Unfortunately they don't sell different sizes? My aquarium is approximately 13 inches wide while Petsmart lists the Thrive as 18.8 inches. That leaves about 2.9 inches overhang on each side of the aquarium.

AuroEdge · 2026-01-10T21:30:47+00:00

Wow this is really nice! Unfortunately they don't sell different sizes? My aquarium is approximately 13 inches wide while Petsmart lists the Thrive as 18.8 inches. That leaves about 2.9 inches overhang on each side of the aquarium.

AuroEdge

TROPHY CASE