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Hi, my res is almost two years old and he dirties the water really really fast with his poop and pee.i have had a basic filter but it doesnt really clean the tank.especially when my turtle is super naughty and poops once there is new, clean water.the water will still be yellow and smells of ammonia after filtration so my mom decided to remove the filter altogether and change the water every 2 days. Im thinking of buying a new filter.however i have doubts because a canister filter also uses sponges but with my experience with basic filter with sponge inside , it doesnt clean well. So does canister filter clean well? How frequently do u guys change the water with a canister filter?what media should i use to maximize the cleanliness?Im thinking of dophin canister filter.so my question is can i use aquarium ceramic filter,like the one we use for treating drinking water? Is it suitable for my turtle tank? Are there any ceramic filters for aquarium use? Thank you

The first thing you need to address is tank size/water volume because a power filter on a small tank isn't going to work out well when dealing with turtles. Ceramic filters don't sound like they will be effective enough. How big is the turtle, how big is the current tank and what was the previous filter?

My turtle is a bit more than 4 inches i think coz im away from home.but the last i measured 3 months ago is 4 inches..i use an acrylic tank so im not sure of the size.i just bought the largest i can find.the previous filter was a basic filter with a filter box to put some sponge inside. The filter doesnt work well.the scraps of carrot left by my turtle can still pass through the sponge.its just really lousy.but the tank is not very big. Im a 20 year old girl and i can hug the tank sort of to carry it

http://myaquarium.saifulbahri.net/2012/08/basic-aquarium-setup-7-checklist-items.html?m=1 my type of filter tht i previously used is the top box filter mentioned in there.and i only have one compartment so i only put sponge

Sorry not acrylic tank but plastic tank

Even canisters won't pick up every piece of waste. You'll need to start looking at a larger habitat for him.

But canister filter will work not too bad right? I heard ppl saying tht canister filter cleans most well. Will it be cleaner?thanks

Steve is correct that a canister filter will not suck in poop lying on the bottom.

You are correct that a canister filter is one of the best for converting waste ammonia to nitrates.

You said your turtle is about 4 inches. If you can hug the entire tank, it may be too small. Google "aquarium nitrogen cycle" for all the details, but the basic idea is that turtle pee is ammonia (urea really, but the same as ammonia for the nitrogen cycle). That's where the ammonia smell comes from.

The larger the tank is, the larger the volume of water to dilute that ammonia.

The point of the filter is to provide a place for bacteria that convert ammonia to safer nitrate. There are two types of bacteria. One converts ammonia to nitrite and the other converts it to nitrate. These bacteria attach to surfaces.

Ceramic media is one of the best for this, because the bacteria don't just grow on the outside, but in all the nooks and crannies inside. Sponges are good for catching the bits of poo and food that do make it into a filter, but they aren't that great for growing bacteria.

Bacteria will grow on the sponge, but they can't grow in the sponge. Ideally, a canister will have sponges to catch the big stuff, ceramic media to grow the bacteria and carbon for removing other chemicals. But, if you had to have just one, ceramic media is the one you want.

Thank you for your reply. I'll try to look for a bigger tank cause maybe my parents wont allow it i'll maybe have to wait for them to realise that my turtle is getting bigger and needs a bigger tank,and glass tanks are very expensive here so will have to work on that. So i'm planning on getting a dophin canister filter. So what media to put inside? Is putting ceramic rings correct? And put sponges. How does the carbon look like? Is it like sponge? Thank you so much for your help.

Sorry for the late reply.

First, you don't need to have a glass aquarium. You can use a Rubbermaid container or something similar.

As to filters and media, there's a great thread that explains it all in detail

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145

but the basic idea is simple:

Determine how the water flows through the filter. Put sponges first, so they block debris and waste from clogging items later. Next, biomedia like ceramic rings. Finally carbon. What you want is activated carbon. You can get expensive pre formed packets, but you can also but it much cheaper in bulk. The bulk carbon is in pellets or some other form. You can buy bags for holding it, or use something like old pantyhose.

The biomedia can last basically forever. The sponges can last until they fall apart. The carbon will need to be changed monthly or so.

The sponges are blocking the big stuff. Each month, when you clean your filter, you'll rinse them out in tank water (not tap water) to get rid of that. The biomedia will grow the bacteria that will get rid of that ammonia smell. You can rinse that in tank water to make sure the pours aren't blocked. The carbon will remove chemicals and other odors, but it can't be reused. Each time you clean the filter, you replace that.

Thank you so much for your help.i get a clearer picture now. The activated carbon,must it be changed monthly? What if i leave it in there for a few months is that okay? The sponge can i change to a new one everytime i clean the filter? Coz the sponge always get icky. How often do we change the water and how often do we clean the filter? Thank you

I seem to have problems posting here,sayin that my i.p address i blacklisted.what could be the reason? I have to keep changing wifi spots =(

Oh and is my turtle's shell healthy? It seem to have turned brown a bit.

Testing

The turtle looks OK, but be careful if the scutes are overlapping. Activated carbon should be replaced monthly, but it is not harmful if left in longer (but also not effective).