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Hello,

Yesterday, I cleaned my tank, and cleaned my Fluval filter in the process.
Ever since, it has been leaking. We put a towel under it and let it run for about an hour, keeping a close watch on it, assuming it would go away. It didn't. So we did a deep scrub and let it dry overnight, and tried again.

Today, I plugged it in, and it didn't seem that it was leaking, so I check back about 30 minutes later, and the towel did not seem wet. I let it go for about an hour, and the towel was fairly wet, so for safety, I unplugged it.


About another hour later, my parents ran up here saying the ceiling was leaking. The culprit? Fluval 205 filter. We put it in the bathtub, and now the turtles do not have a filter at all.

Two questions, what do we do about the Fluval filter, and how long can the turtles last without a filter?

Thanks!

PS: The whole time, the start valve has not been working & the filter has not been cleaning the tank at all

Is it leaking around the edge or where the tubing connects?

There's a rubber gasket that seals the top and the base. Eventually it will need replacing. Just search online for a Fluval 205 gasket. It shouldn't be more than $5 or $6. You may be able to extend the life with silicone lubricant, but if it is already leaking that bad, it's doubtful. You can find them online.

How long without a filter depends partly on how big the tank is. Your turtles will be excreting ammonia. Your filter won't be turning it into nitrite and then nitrate. But how quickly it builds up partly depends on how much water there is to dilute it and how much substrate you have. Sand, decorations, even a turtle ramp will also have some bacteria growing on them.

If you have a test kit, you can use that to help judge when you need to change the water. Plan on more frequent water changes.

I would guess the gasket is the problem as well. How long have you had this filter?