Habitat - Indoor :: If I have a filter, how long before I have to clean the tank

[Giddy]

I have heard just as much bad about the fluvals as I have heard good. I have an Aquaclear 256 GPH filter on the temp turtle tank right now and I have two aquaclear 400GPH powerheads on my main bubble eye tank and those are very good. Aquaclear in general is a good brand, but it never really hurts to *overpower* if you know what I mean.

What type of cloudy is it? Are you talking brown gunky cloudy or white cloudy?

Also, what type of filter media do you have in them? That can also play a big role on how polished your water is.

[AlienShakespeare]

I clean my turtle's aquarium once a week. The water doesn't always appear dirty, but I want to make sure algae doesn't build up anywhere in the tank. Within the past few days, though, the water's surface appears to have an oily layer on it and bubbles are floating around. The tank was cleaned 4 days ago and I just changed the filter about 2 weeks ago. Each filter refill is supposed to last for a month, and I've never seen this before. What could be causing this oily appearance and the bubbles?

[marisa]

Do you feed your turtle in the tank? The build-up of proteins from pellets will often leave an oily film. I've also noticed some brands of cuttlebone tend to as well. If you agitate the surface of the water, it will help (as would feeding your turtle in a separate container if you're not doing so).

The bubbles are sudsy and tend to cling to the sides of the tank? How big is your turtle, how big is the tank, how much water do you have in it, and do you have any other creatures in it in addition to your turtle? What kind of filter are you using? In the past I occasionally had the type of bubbles I described and they occured with a submersible filter like a Fluval. If the filter you have isn't powerful enough for the tank, it will need more frequent cleaning and the media will have to be replaced more often than once a month. If you've been using the filter for a while and your turtle has grown, the filter may no longer be as effective as it once was.

[AlienShakespeare]

I do feed my turtle in the tank because he refuses to eat when I put him in a separate tank. Plus, since I clean the tank every week, the build of excess food usually doesn't show. The oily film does go away briefly when I agitate the water, but then returns. These bubbles are sudsy and mostly cling to the sides but some are floating around.

My turtle is tiny. His growth was stunded by his previous owner. His shell is at most 2.5 inches. He hasn't grown much at all since I took over his care. The tank that he is in holds 25 gallons, and I have about 20 gallons in it. The tank also houses a snail and a feeder fish that my turtle never ate and has since grown to half the turtle's size. My filter is a Repto-filter made for a 30 gallon tank. It's mounted on the side of the tank by suction cups and creates a waterfall of water.

I have been thinking all evening about what may have caused this film and suds to occur, and I think it might be due to the filter but not because of inefficient operation. On Sunday the filter slipped off the side into the water. It is near the time when I should change the filter cartridge, and it appears fairly dirty. I'm thinking that junk collected on the cartridge came off into the water. Does this sound plausible?

Thanks for your input and help

[marisa]

Yes, it's plausible.

But I have to say that I haven't heard good things about the filter you have...

You have a 25 gallon tank that's marginally acceptable size-wise for your 2.5 inch turtle. In addition, you've also got a snail and a growing feeder fish, both of which are creating waste. And, you say the Repto-filter is for a 30-gallon tank...

I'm thinking the filter is not powerful enough to keep up with the waste being created in the tank by its inhabitants. Turtles are messier than fish and as a guide, think of having a filter that's meant for a tank 3x the size of the tank the turtle is in (and that's just with one turtle). The filter you have will require more frequent cleaning than recommended by the mfgr. and the water will require more frequent changing. I'd get a different/more powerful filter (and a larger tank would be good as well). You might do a search on filters and see what some of the members have recommended.