General Care Discussion :: Filter is not cleaning my turtle tank

[Jeremiah]

Pumps just move water around, so unless you have it hooked up to another filter I don't see how that will help your water.

[logo897]

I understand but I did wake up this morning to having a clearer view inside of my tank. I'm still very excited to get the canister because I did more research and I heard it helps a lot! The pump had a filter in it too

[Jeremiah]

Sorry, my mistake! I didn't see that it had a filter. Every bit of filtration helps.

[Peva]

Canister filters are amazing. I bought mine in 2012 and it's still going strong! They are a mess when you clean them and the activated carbon is a bit pricy though. If it stops working, giving it a thorough cleaning fixes it for me.

[steve]

My XP3 from 2007 is still running fine Definitely worth the $90 back then.

[logo897]

Hello,

I just received the canister today and successfully connected it to the tank. However the tank was already just about clear from the pump I previously bought as i mentioned earlier. How often should I replace the filter in my canister and what filter should I buy?

Good news is that petco does have the dollar per gallon deal and I saw it last time I was there. I will get the 40 gallon tank when I save up enough money for it. Thank you so much for the help and I'm very thrilled to have the canister!

[Peva]

I replace the carbon rocks in my canister filter once every two months, well below the recommended but it still keeps the water clear and the turtle happy. I have a 55 gallon.

[logo897]

Okay, thanks!

[ljapa]

Congrats on the canister filter. I think you'll love it.

Like Peva said, replace the carbon. I do mine about every 4 to 6 weeks. I buy bulk, loose carbon and put it in a mesh bag. It's much cheaper than buying pre-packaged carbon.

A filte is for more than keeping your water clean. It's also removing harmful chemicals. The carbon adsorbs some, which is why we replace it. The other media encourages bacteria to grow that converts others into less harmful chemicals, that we remove via water changes.

Here's a great thread on canisters and media. Even if yours isn't listed, the general principle can be applied.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145

[Peva]

My canister filter doesn't require a bag for the carbon rocks, it has it's own container for it. So I just pour the rocks it, wet them, and activate the filter again.

[steve]

Most people use activated carbon, and it's like very light, tiny gravel. Your kind is fine, but I think it's not as effective (less surface area).