Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My child has a turtle that is now about six years old. We were thinking of setting up an aquaponic style vertical garden for strawberries using water from the turtle tank (housing one turtle and his rotating menu of guest goldfish.)

I know that some turtles carry salmonella and have no idea whether this one does. We don't hold him often and wash our hands when we do but have noticed no ill effects. He has lived in the same tank for years. Would any virus carried by the turtle transmit to the strawberries?

Thanks.

I think it would transmit only if turtle-water splashed on to the fruit.

a rinse in water with chlorine would take care of any possibilities.

Turtles would be great for AP. they're filthy animals ( by that I mean they make a lot of waste ). I've got two, and have thought about doing similar.

I know nothing of them but thinking of one in my lilypond bathtub. Are there any disease transfer issues I should be concerned with?

only thing I'm aware of to be concerned about, is they'll eat anything that moves. Fish, yabbies, anything. Good thing is, they love veggies also, they eat iceberg lettuce (they're little outside leaf disposal units) and other stuff. I reckon omnivores are critical to AP systems, as it makes it so much easier to vary the diet so the fish flesh tastes good. Also, we tend to have plenty of veggie matter on hand

You missed 'fingers' on the list of things they eat... Mine even try to bite my shoulders and elbows when I'm sitting at the dinner table ( their tank is right behind me ). A cute little nip when they were small is now a fairly painful event

hmmmm that's strange... I used to have big eastern long necked tortoises... they were 250mm long (shell only) and they would sort of bite off too much when we fed them and often get our fingers, but it never really hurt. Perhaps yours don't like you :-)

HOLD UP on the Iceberg lettuce!!!! That is pretty much the LAST thing you want to feed a turtle or tortoise. I have alot of experience and can say that if you do, 1) it has 0 nutritional value, and 2) the minerals can cause a bladder infection.

Really? Wow... ours used to devour it... never had any problems... but hey I'm no expert. I know it's of low nutritional value.

yea, they love it, but it can cause major problems.

Thanks for the tip, I was planning on getting more tortoises maybe... so cheers :-)