Equipment Review and Discussion :: What filter can I use?

[sillyleisl]

So, I have a RES in an outdoor, preformed pond that is similar to this. It's about 50 gallons, I think. Right now, I have a little pump in a flower pot covered with filter media and those little plastic things for bacteria inside it. A hose comes out and spits the water back over the surface for agitation. It's primitive, but I'm not sure what I need to get and I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend. Please don't talk too technical because I'm clueless! LOL Also, let me know if most filters have the pump included or not. I'm a little fuzzy on that point (told ya I'm clueless!).

[SpotsMama]

What you have may be a normal pond filtter. I think a typical pond filter is just a biofilter/agitator, like yours. Just a basic pump with some bio media. The question would be, how many gallons per hour does your pump push? If you can pull the pump out and find the manufacturer and model, you should be able to check. It looks like on your link the pond people are suggesting an 180 gph pump for a 50 gallon pond.

Any filter in a 50 gallon pond will have trouble keeping up with the waste load for a grown turtle. Do you have a kit to test water quality? You should keep a close eye on it since the pond is small relative to the size of the turtle.

Also, since the pond is small, I think you should plan to go ahead and change the water on a regular basis just like you would for an inside aquarium. I suppose the pond is in the ground, so you can't syphon the water out, but you can attach a tube to your pump and pump the water out easily.

[sillyleisl]

you can attach a tube to your pump and pump the water out easily.

OMG, that is the most amazing but simple idea I have ever heard of! You are my most favorit person right now! LOL. Dumping pond water is not my favorite, but with that tip I won't mind NEARLY as much! I'm just finding out from this forum how important water quality is.

I'm pretty sure my pump is not sufficient because I got the smallest pump out there, not knowing that the pump had to cycle 2-3 times more than the pond will hold. Can those ones that hang off the side be used outdoors is that only for an indoor aquarium. I tried reading the filters page, but it seemed to lean more towards indoor set ups so I don't know what to use outside.

My pond is too small for the turtle? How big should it be?

[SpotsMama]

Well, the rule of thumb is 10 gallons of tank (or pond) for every inch of turtle, so it depends the size of your turtle. You can make it work, you'll just have to keep a close eye on water quality.

I know what you mean about changing the water! I've got an outside pond too and fretted about how I was going to change it for months, then finally went and bought a sump pump for around $150. when I got it home and realized it was exactly the same thing as the pump that was already in my pond, and all I had to do was attach a piece of hose/tube to the output from the pump, was I ever ecstatic! That sump pump went right back to the store. I've actually changed the water a couple of times since then and there was nothing to it - nothing at all.

About using an indoor filter for an outside pond, I don't know. But the pumps for ponds are usually not expensive. I'd just look for one of them since they're designed to work outside.

[sillyleisl]

OK, maybe I'll just updrade to a stronger pond pump like the one i have already.

I've already got extra tubing at the house that is long enough to reach the grassy area where pond water can go. I'm just so excited that I don't have to use a bucket!!!

[DavidY]

If you can put some live plants in the pond they will definitely help keep the water clean as well. The turtle waste will act as a fertilizer for the plants. The only problem is if your turtle will leave them alone or not.

[SpotsMama]

You can put the plants in and just plan on replacing them....and replacing them. Just get cheap plants! I got a $35 water lily for our new pond - beautiful it was - and Spot thought it was the funniest thing to snip the lily pads off below the water line. He "set them free". There were a lot of pads on the lily so it lasted four or five days.

[sillyleisl]

I bought a bunch of anacharis for her last weekend and she's eaten most of them. I don't mind though because at least she's eating her veges! I just read that plants will help with the algae too so I'm going to add some other varieties as well. Are there aquatic plants that will harm her?

[DavidY]

You can also get plant baskets from a pond supply place that you can put the plants in and then put that in the pond. It might help keep them alive longer.

[soopermum62]

Check out the pondmaster series of pond filters. I use a pondmaster 1500 in my 150 gallon tank inside. and my daughter uses a smaller pondmaster on her 100 gallon tank. Both do very well at keeping the tanks clean. Expect to pay about 150.00 for the filter. Pond Filters are much cheaper than tank filters.

[marisa]

You said somewhere that your turtle is at least 6 inches long? That's an awfully small pond for a turtle that size...If you don't want to get another pond, you might consider a stock tank, about 150 gallons (bigger if possible, the size of a new pond would be comparable).

Pondmasters are OK, you can buy them as pond kits with the pump and filter together.

[sillyleisl]

I know it sounds small, but if you compare the surface area to an aquarium style tank, it's considerably larger. Also, it's an inground pond so she has a lot of room to exercise in and bask as well (a fenced in area roughly about 3ft X 15ft). THe 50 gallons is all swimming area. Is it still too small?

Thanks for all the advice! maybe I will invest in a plant basket because I was thinking about getting a water lily. Maybe I'll put one in a basket and I'll buy her one to play with.

I checked out the Pondmasters. I like how flat they are so it won't take up a lot of space in the pond. Thanks for the tip.

[DavidY]

I would think that size pond would be okay for a 6" turtle, especially when it's completely full of water and it's all swimming space. I think if you had a 60 gallon aquarium you'd only be able to fit about 40 gallons of water in it anyway.

[sillyleisl]

OK, eventually I want to expand her pond, but right now there's a young oak tree at the other end of her space that I have to tear up. But I have to get a permit to remove it first.