Habitat - Indoor :: Welp, Filter Kicked the Bucket

[TheBean]

The Rena filter in GreenBean's 110G penthouse just died.

Need another filter and am trying to save as much moolah as possible. In searching for filters, most all of them are listed by their GPM and not tank size.

So for a 110G spa pool (for a single adult turtle), what GPM do I need?

Also, side question, most filters I see tend to be tall and skinny. Are there any short and fat ones?

[steve]

This will help you decide... viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145

Though if the Rena was well suited for GreenBean, then I would look into just replacing the motor or what ever was the issue. Don't know about the actual size, but the FX5 is considered to be the best in the 100-150 turtle tank range.

[TheBean]

The Rena XP3 is what he has now. It definitely did the job of keeping the tank clean well, albeit a very hard to prime filter, but that's likely because of the setup, not the filter.

Is is possible to just replace the pump head? That'd save us a lot of money likely if we can do that!

[TheBean]

It appears I can just buy the motor: http://www.planetrenadirect.com/product ... gs-26.html

But it says they're out of stock. Will call tomorrow and ask when they think they'll have more in. Bean's tank is getting nasty.

[steve]

At that price, you should just buy a completely new one ($117 on amazon) or look into the FX5.

[TheBean]

I think the FX5 would be too tall for this setup. The XP3 barely fits and actually causes problems because the intake hose has to rise up higher than where it penetrates the deck to plug into the filter. This creates an upside "P" trap where an air bubble can easily form and live. Which makes priming this thing a nightmare (have to prime it with the garden hose...no joke).

I called and ordered the XP3 pump motor today. $79.99 and free shipping straight from Rena. Not terrible. I do need to come up with some kind of solution for the air bubble situation, but once the filter is primed and running, it usually doesn't have an issue.

[steve]

Would a small pump help with the priming? I use one to drain the tank... way more faster then just letting a siphon work.

[TheBean]

Possibly. I got the new pump motor in and installed and gave his filter a good cleaning while it was out. The filter primed and started right up without me having to battle with it! Maybe the old motor has had problems for some time now. I don't know. But Bean's penthouse is back up and running.

[steve]

Good to hear! I would suspect that a canister in your setup has to work a little harder than what it's designed for.