Pet Turtle : Commercial Decorations

Most air pump based decorations would be useless for turtle tanks, unless until you have also introduced fishes into your tank. Most of these have anyhow been designed for fish tanks and therefore have numerous edges, nooks and curved edges that are a haven for any waste to collect. Additionally some of them have flimsy moving parts that the turtle might attempt to eat!

I would recommend against keeping any decoration that collects waste and would be difficult to clean - the ideal would be sturdy smooth surfaced decorations that don't have any sharp or eatable edges. Avoid any glass decorations, as your turtle WILL end up breaking it!

You can keep decorations in your land area or between a cluster of stones/shells so that it has a strong anchor.

Maintenance
Commercial tank Decorations need to be cleaned every 7-10 days. They should be collected from the tank, cleaned and returned to the tank only after the water has also been changed and not before.

The best way to clean stones is to rinse it thoroughly under high-pressure water stream. They should also be scrubbed using an old toothbrush, especially along the rough surfaces, troughs, fissures etc. as this where most waste can collect.

If you notice any green growth or the stone surface is slimy to touch, it requires a thorough cleaning. If you maintain your tank well, this would be required only once in 3-4 months. Follow the cleaning instructions provided by your pet store or the manufacturer as they can vary based on the material used. Whatever method you follow rinse well and soak in clean water for an hour, before putting it back into the tank.

Decorations of varying kinds and colors are easily (and cheaply) available with pet stores, so choose well