STRONG filter for MESSY turtle tank

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JEAE21

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 19, 2007
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Hi; thanks for everyone's suggestions on the filter for a turtle tank.
i just ordered 2 canister filters from drsfostersmith. EHEIM and a ZOOMED 501.
I just learned what "prime" in a canister filter is..where the water gets sucked up through the pipe without water.. anyways, would it hurt if I add water to the filters at the beginning?

also do I need to change the filter media in canister filters?
please tell me all I should know about canisters because it looks REALLY confusing..

and I will be keeping the whisper 40i. I also ordered large bio-bags for it..I thought the black biological floss thingy comes with the package but they said not to change the biological floss and just rinse it.. But how often should I rinse the bio-thing on thr 40i?
AND(sorry it's long..) then why did it say to change the BIOMAX on my aquaclear filter every 8weeks or so..?
 
adding water to your canister prior to turning it on won't hurt your filter, I think that's what you're suppose to do anyway...

you do have to change the filter media every so often.

with bio floss and other "bio" media, you should only rinse it with water from your tank (usually during a water change) because that's where the majority of the beneficial bacterias are colonized and washing them with tap water will destroy them and you should only replace these bio media gradually when absolutely necessary.

biomax needs replacement (gradually i.e. change 1/3 of it) because the pores get clogged with debris from your tank which pretty much defeats the purpose of bio filtration.
 
hey thanks for your quick response!
haha, "the asian"

hey so can I only change the bio floss like once a year or so?
and how often should the filter media in the canisters be changed? I have no idea how much media I'm getting and what kind..(I only know mechanical, chemical, biological)
do I change all the media in it?

and would they work in tanks that are only 3/4 filled?

ONE more..just because a tank is dirty, doesn't mean the cycling process will speed up right? since it's been 3weeks since I started my 40i and my turtle is making a mess but is not showing a sign that it will clear up in a few more weeks..
 
Well, do regular water changes, filter as much as possible without producing too much current and see if you can get some turtle-safe weedy plants growing.
 
thebloodyirish; I am doing 1gallon water changes everyday.
and why can't I produce current in the tank?
do the plants get the tank clean or something? I am afraid he will eat them.lol
 
How many gallon in the setup? I know turtle owners change like 50%, sometimes 90-100% water everyday.

Plants just take up some of the nasty chemicals. If you get a weedy one, it will survive the turtle's hunger.
 
What kind of turtle are you keeping? Turtles need A LOT of maintenance. Plan on doing weekly water changes atleast.
 
i have a sonora mud turtle.
he's currently in a 40gallon breeder tank. it's only filled up to 3/4. so close to 30gallons of water.
I would do like a 50% water change if I didn't have fish in it, and I also have a glass heater. I don't want to put cold water in the tank..
Would the steath visi-therm heaters be strong enough to not break when colder water is poured in? Then I would probably be able to do a much greater water change..
 
There are MFKers that do 80-90% water change with their fish in the aquarium. :p
 
Remember JEAE21, you can always use a fish tank syphen to suck the poop out when you see it. You can pretty much plan ahead and visit your turtle tank about an hour or so after it ate and remove it then. This will help to keep your tank cleaner, for a little while longer.
 
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