Hello All,
I just set up a 40 gal tank for two RES. They are about 4" and 5" in diameter.
I have large gravel substrate on the bottom of the tank. No plants. The turtles eat in the tank that they live in.
I have a National Geographic CF80 canister filter (same as Eheim 2236) for biological filtration. The input side of the canister draws from an underground filter (which is for mechanical filtration), while the output side drains back into the tank, which at the current time is a little over half full. I got the idea for this setup from this or another web site.
In the beginning my water was crystal clear. My issue is that after less than a week, my water is quite cloudy. I don't have an odor issue, which was a problem before this new tank setup.
Is my water cloudy because my bacteria levels are too low (since the tank is new) or too high (blooming because of high ammonia levels)? Should I wait longer and see if it clears up, or should I add a bacterial supplement?
Sorry if I haven't given you enough information and I'm happy to provide more. We love the turtles and the tank is a focal point in our living room, but the cloudy waters makes us A) worry for the turtles and B) anxious when friends are over.
Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
BG
