Adding Turtles...

[LogicalHydro]

So I am just starting off and my tank is ready to be cycled, I heard that it is a quick and easy process with turtles, and quite honestly I wouldn't mind them diversifying the tank. At some point I was also hoping to add tilapia as a food source. Does anyone know if the fish are still edible with turtles(salmonella) in the same tank?

[Chi Ma]

Here is some info on turtles and salmonella.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/TurtlesSalmonella/

[TCLynx]

I would recommend keeping any creatures that can carry e-coli or salmonella to a separate system for ornamental plants or at least only to grow plants that are well cooked before being eaten.  I have duck-a-ponics but we don't eat any of the plants out of it.

[LogicalHydro]

Excellent advice. I see definite problems with edible plants grown in the growing medium that come into contact with the contaminated water. What about plants that have fruits or vegetables that don't come into contact with the water. And as far as the fish, the USDA says that fish should be salmonella free at a 145 internal cooking temp. It makes it seem like it is possible to keep everything edible safe to eat, but it seems like a big risk.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answ...

[TCLynx]

Fish don't really carry salmonella but if you raise fish in water that is contaminated with salmonella then there could be salmonella on their skin.  With cooking salmonella is not all that dangerous with the fish.

 

However, veggies in a system where you introduce animals known to regularly carry salmonella, I would just avoid it unless you tend to cook all veggies very well.

 

I have never heard of salmonella or e-coli getting from the roots up into fruit but I don't know the details of the salsa salmonella problem.  I do know that lettuce can draw bacteria up into the plant so no amount of washing would protect you if eating raw salad greens from water heavily contaminated and since most people love fresh greens from their aquaponics, I would avoid the contamination.

[LogicalHydro]

I'll definitely take all of that into consideration when I re-evaluate the set-up. Hopefully it's up and running this weekend.