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Hello I have a RES and my tank is cloudy/green.
run down,
female 6 years old about 6 inch
55 gallon tank
fluval 406 canister filter
media bottom to top, course sponge, ceramic rings, thin filter sponge with biorings on top of that, carbon in top. four filter pads along side
water temp 74.5
basking 87-89
FIlter is new about 3-4 weeks now. It turned cloudy and then went greenish within 2 days. I have tried water changes full and partial.
I know it needs to cycle and I tried to let it go but it gets really smelly and that cannot be a good thing.
I went to partial water changes and for the first 2 days its not to bad but 3 - 5th day and I cannot even see my turtle
This picture is day 3 after a 75% water change.

I have had her for 6 years now and never dealt with this so Im at a completle loss as to how to fix it. Help please.

Are you treating the water prior to filling the tank? Any smell?

I treat the water with aqua safe and then I have been trying this waste remover. Smell comes around 4-5 days and thats when i get soncerned becaiuse that cannot be good.

I would skip both, and replace the carbon in the filter when you do a water change.

Do you know what your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate numbers are?

I've heard of cloudiness during the cycle, but never for days. The greenish tint makes me think a free floating algae. New carbon should help pull some of the nutrients the algae need. Hopefully, once the bacteria establish, they'll pull some of the others.

Is the tank getting sunlight?

steve wrote:I would skip both, and replace the carbon in the filter when you do a water change.

Thats the weird thing Steve the carbon is brand new. It came with the filter.

ljapa wrote:Do you know what your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate numbers are?

I've heard of cloudiness during the cycle, but never for days. The greenish tint makes me think a free floating algae. New carbon should help pull some of the nutrients the algae need. Hopefully, once the bacteria establish, they'll pull some of the others.

Is the tank getting sunlight?

I dont know what the levels are. I havent had anyone tell me exactly what to get to find those or what to do about them once I di. LOL Can ya help?

Yah that was my concern about it lasting so long. As soon as I do any kind of water change its statrs and by the 4-5th day I cant take it.

I have 2 bags of carbon in the filter now. Its all brand new Actually exactly 1 month. I received it all and set it up on Sept 22.

Tank is not in direct sunlight. Ive had her in the same place for 6 years. Sun comes in back to front of house and She is off to the side. IF she gets anything its late late evening for very little time if any.

Im so at a loss here and I feel really bad for my girl

Ok, this is a long shot, but it started with the new filter. That means it may be something in the filter.

Was the carbon a fluval carbon or some type of deal that included it separately? I ask because I have heard of cheap activated carbon that is high in phosphates. That can encourage algae growth.

You might try pulling the carbon from the filter.

As to my questions about ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, those are steps in the aquarium nitrogen cycle. Google it.

You can get test kits that will measure the different levels. In a nutshell, your turtle excretes ammonia (really urea, but functionally the same). One type of bacteria converts that to nitrite. Another to nitrate. What your levels are would help tell us where you are in the cycle, which would help explain whether your cloudiness was a side effect of that.

The green, though, makes me lean towards algae.