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OK, I did my homework and read everything on this forum on "cloudy water" . Lots of good info! But I still have three more questions.

I have a new tank (100 gal capacity w/70 gallons water) and filter (XP3). It's been operating about four days with a turtle in it. The water's pretty cloudy (white-ish) but doesn't smell bad. I assume the new filter is "cycling". Water test shows .25 ppm ammonia and no significant nitrites. I'm currently feeding Spot in the tank to keep his anxiety level down.

Could the cloudy-ness harm my turtle?

I understand the objective is to grow good nitrifying bacteria and that (probably) what's happening is I've got a bacterial "bloom" because the filter hasn't matured yet.

Are the bacteria in the "bloom" different from the ones that will soon (hopefully) be growing in the biofilter?

I think I saw where some recommend partial water changes while a filter is cycling and some say no, don't disrupt the cycling process by changing the water.

Do you think I should do partial water changes at this time or just tough it out till the water clears (soon I hope)?

It should be OK. Does the water seem to bother him?

Here are some good reference articles
http://www.aquariumdomain.com/guideTheNitrogenCycle.asp
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articl ... 50488.html
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

Thanks so much for the articles.

I don't think the water is bothering him. He really freaked when I first put him in the tank, but that was before the water clouded up and I think his distress was due to the unfamiliar environment. He still seems anxious to me but I believe he's better each day.

I've had that happen recently with my tank water. I think it's because my filter is for a 60g tank (I have a 30g tank). But I'm upgrading everything on Thursday so we'll just see if it's that.

The water was bothering me a lot even if it wasn't bothering Spot, so I put him back outside in his pond. It's warm again and he should be ok out there for awhile. He's so happy to be back in his pond. I wish he could stay out there all the time.

I'm going to take the filter apart tonight and see what's going on in there. Probably do a partial water change too.

Spot really tore the place up. He savaged all the plants, knocked over all the decorations, and clouded up the water. Whew!

Is all the media in the filter new? If so you got new tank syndrome. No need to take the filter apart, it just need to cycle. Some say this process takes 4 weeks some say 6. One way to speed it up a little is to get some Biozyme, I believe thats how it's spelled, couple bucks at any pet store. Its basically good bacteria in a can. Add a little to the tank each day for a week, I think. Or if your pond has a filter, take a little of the bio out of it and put it in the indoor filter. Then do weekly changes 30-50% until ammonia drops, insert turtle, and your done.

Great! It must be new tank syndrome. I'm off to the store for some Biozyme.