Habitat - Outdoor :: Make a Pond Pump/Filter Recommendation for me Please

[zoiberg137]

Hello all! Ok so I've had my red in a 75 gallon her whole life. I might be getting a 150 gallon stock tank for inside, in which case I would use the same fluval filter I use now. But I'm also thinking of doing a 150 gallon outside. I don't want to put the Fluval outside, and I am basically just wanting a recommendation for the cheapest and most maintenance free filtration set up possible. She would be outside during the summer only. I would probably enclose the tank with a homemade mesh screen/chicken wire structure of some sort. Don't care about smell or looks so much as just making sure that the water is not going to cause any health problems for my turtle.


I know there are such things as pond pumps and pond filters. I've seen price ranges on the pumps from 16$ to over $200. If there is someone who could just recommend a good brand/model that would be good for my intended purpose, that would be great! Also, I noticed that these things don't seem to come with hoses.... do they take regular garden hoses or what?

Sorry for such rudimentary questions, but I am just overwhelmed with all of the pond filtration setup options!

Thanks!

[steve]

I'm not too familiar with pond filters, but there are ones that go in the pond like an internal filter, and ones that go out. Hoses, sold by the foot, should be cheap at most hardware stores. If the tank will be above ground, I would consider the fluval or another canister. Just make sure all electrical gear is plugged into a GFCI outlet.

[Jeremiah]

If you don't mind taking the DIY route, I would just build one out of a plastic (HDPE) drum. Soda manufacturers often give the barrels away for free, or you could find them cheaply on Craigslist.

If you just want to buy the filter and be done, you can take a look at Pondmaster filters. They're pretty basic, and I've never heard complaints about them.

As a final note, you may want to consider getting a 300 gallon stock tank or digging your own pond larger than 150 gallons. I imagine that a 150 gallon stock tank would get too warm too quickly, unless you place it near some shade.

[Linus]

Here is my build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek5TOCqTOuI