Habitat - Indoor :: Filter Rating vs. Tank Size

[MenTalTerYn]

I've been reading around and have noticed you usually want a filter that has a rating that's about twice that of your tank (40gallon filter for 20gallon tank). So i have a 20 gallon (high) tank with my one little RES who's about 1" and the closest thing to twice as much as my tank i could find was a Fluval 3+, which is rated for 34 gallons. Is this not enough? should i try for more?

[jenaero]

well, it really depends on the turtle, I think, and how often you want to change the water. I have my 2 girls in a 50 gallon (too small for them but only temporary) and a fluval 4plus filter. I can't remember what it's rated for but I have to do at least a 75% change every week...2 weeks if I'm really lucky.

[MenTalTerYn]

If i remember correctly, Fluval 4+ is rated 54 gallons
I do a 50% water change every week, i also change the filter pads at the same time

[jenaero]

I don't change the pads each time. I just rinse them and replace them when they're ready to fall apart..saves money

[butterfly]

I have a 20 gallon tank and an AquaClear 110 and I have to be on it every week with water changes. I only have one RES in it and I dont even feed her in the tank. Just goes to show that turtles can be messy so I would get the best filter possible that you can afford. It will be money well spent.

[cam722]

butterfly, you have a 20 gallon tank with a Aqua Clear 110 and you change the water every week? I have a 75 gallon tank with the same filter and I don't change my water that often. I do it maybe 2 times a month or every 3 weeks. I do clean the filter more often, around once a week but not changing all the water.

I have 2 turtles.. both around 4" and only feed them in the tank. Guess maybe I'm just lucky or the water difference helps.

[MenTalTerYn]

Would an Undergravel filter work well with turtles? And what GPH should i be looking for?

[marisa]

Buterfly, what do you feed your turtle? I use an Aquaclear 110 in a 40-gallon stock tank, and don't have to do a complete water change weekly (just a partial).

I don't have any experience with undergravel filters, but I would think cleaning would be a pain...For any filter, I'd go for one rated for 3X the size of the tank.

[butterfly]

I feed my turtle pellets but I dont feed her in the tank. The weird thing is that the water is clear and clean, it doesnt smell or anything but the filter seems to need the media cleaned often or it starts rising from the basket. I had really expected to only have to rinse the media out every two weeks according to the filter instructions but for some reason it needs it more often. I guess Ill just do it like Carol and rinse out the media once a week but leave the water the same. I hope it works.

[marisa]

Butterfly, I asked this in response to your other post (can you take a look at it?), but are you sure this is an Aquaclear 110?

[butterfly]

Thanks for your reply Marisa, I finally found the post you had written to me before.

Yes, the filter is for sure an AquaClear 110. It has three media in the basket. The sponge, the carbon and the rocks on the top. They fit tight into the basket which snaps in place but for some reason, one side of the basket, the right side, seems to lift up after a few days of it running. Im not sure if this is normal because of the water and motor pressure or if it means that the media is dirty somehow.

The instructions say to change the carbon filter once a month, which I did and to rinse out the media every two weeks along with cleaning the motor. The instructions also say that if the media basket lifts up, its because the media is dirty. This problem is very perplexing to me because I dont know what to make of it. Its impossible for the media to be dirty in just a few days.

Also when I rinse it off, I see no dirt clogging anything. I cleaned the motor as well, like the instructions suggested. Once everything is clean, the basket is in place but after a few days, the same thing happens on one side. Im wondering is anyone else who has this filter is also noticing this. The lift is not enough for it to go out of the filter itself but you can still tell that the basket is raised on one side. Like today itself, I looked at it and I can tell the basket has raised just a little bit on that same side even though I just changed the carbon filter three days ago.

If anyone can ease my worries on this, I will appreciate it forever. Im sorry I hadnt seen you reply before Marisa.

[cam722]

butterfly, I had a problem at one point with my basket lifting up on one side. It couldn't have been because the media was dirty because I had just rinsed it and/or replaced it. The thing is, only one side has a "clip" on it to hold it in the other is sort of free floating. I pushed it a bit further in the case and haven't had a problem with it since. When you rinse your media are you doing it with the turtle water you've removed or with clean water? You should use the turtle water so it keeps the bacteria level that's built up. Hope this helps some

[butterfly]

Thank you so much Carol. Your right, one side has a clip and the other is free floating so it lifts with time. I am going to push it in further next time I rinse the media and hopefully it wont do it anymore. I remembered your post to me about the water when I first got the filter so I have been doing it with turtle water.