Habitat - Indoor :: How clean is your tank's bottom?

[marisa]

Can't really tell from the pic, but since it's a power filter, maybe it's similar to the Aquaclear. If it hangs on the tank you can still use it along with the XP3 to help agitate the surface of the water. Do your turts try to eat the sponge (which is a prefilter?)?

[BigCT]

Here is a broken up view. All this filter is, is a thick sponge and a pump that sucks the water through said sponge. water then gets spit out of the mutli directional nozzle. You can also reverse the flow and attach it to and under gravel filter. It suctions to the side of the tank and takes up the space of 20oz coke bottle.

It gives off quite a bit of surface agitation. but the turts love to swim up to it and try to swim against the current. I've never seen them bite at it but the little on likes to wedge himself between it and the corner.

[steve]

my turts will destroy that sponge - or eat what gets stuck on it. they nearly broke my surface skimmer.

[tutlehaven]

Marisa, why do you have a problem with everything I have posted about our tank? my turts are very happy, healthy and see a vet if needed. They do not eat our gravel/rocks they are too big too eat. Our turts are growing at a normal rate never have had fungus or any other problems. If I do not mind cleaning the tank out the way we do why is that so wrong? We have a powerfull filter adn never have any smells. I understand you give advise but please, ease up on the negativity.

[marisa]

Hmmm--I've tried to go through your posts and my responses to them. You:

1. Said you had gravel in the tank. I responded with why it could be a problem and why larger rocks are better. (You said you have gravel, not rocks, and to me, gravel is small or will be when your turtles grow.)

2. Posted a picture of your tank and said it was 55 gallons and mentioned the size of the turts. A guideline for size is to allow 10 gallons of tank per inch of shell length. Given their sizes, the tank size is less than ideal, and I suggested ways to at least give them more room for swimming. RES are aquatic and while they need a basking area, they don't need the dirt area you provided for them (and I'm sure this took time to do)--if they're/one of them is female a nesting area will be necessary someday, but not now and not at the expense of swimming space. (And, I read a more recent post of yours that said you might be taking out the dirt area because they weren't using it.) Ditto for the castle taking up space--it looks rather large in the picture.

I don't consider my comments to be negativity. Perhaps I answered your posts before other members and that's why what you consider to be negativity seems to be coming from me. Had other members responded before me, I think you would have received basically the same suggestions--they've been made before in response to other posters and only have your turtles' best interests at heart.

I did say, though, that the set-up was pretty. And I had no negative comment about your feeding nightcrawlers to your turtles--my turtles get worms as well, and they're fine as part of their overall diet. And, of course, if you want the extra work of cleaning the tank with the rocks it has in it, that's up to you.