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

[logo897]

Hello,

I recently bought a 40 gallon filter for my 15 gallon turtle tank mainly because of how the 15 gallon one wouldn't clean it. Well, this 40 gallon one stopped cleaning it after week 1 of owning it. I'm pretty upset with this company and how their filters refuse to collaborate with me. The model of the filter i previously owned was an AT15, and now I own an AT40.


I have two turtles in my tank and i know it is clustered in there a bit, but the tanning shack on top gives even more space in it.


Does anyone know where a good filter is, or how i can configure my settings on this existing one? Thanks!

[logo897]

I changed my filters and it still won't work too

[Peva]

There's probably a problem with the filter, wherever you bought it from should replace it.

What exactly is it not cleaning though? Is there a milky color in the water, or is it brown or green? Is the filter still running, or is it off all together? Is the outlet you have it plugged into damaged? How big are your turtles?

[logo897]

Hello thanks for responding!

I cannot see through the water and can't even see inside of my tank because it is so cloudy. It could be because of the rocks i put in there, however it got clear before even when the turtles were moving around. The pump still works perfectly as well as the plug, and I bought the filter from amazon itself.

The turtles are pretty big. My red eared slider is about 4-5 inches while my musk is about 6-7 inches

[Jeremiah]

Hi there, logo 897. Unfortunately, just because your filter has a high gallon rating doesn't mean it can handle the bio load of two large turtles in such a small tank. Your biggest enemy isn't the filter--it's lack of tank space. Currently, your RES needs at least a 40 gallon breeder tank, and the musk needs at least a 60 gallon (By the way, what kind of musk is it? I've never heard of a 7-incher, unless it's one of those giant ones from down south). The turtles' sizes, combined with the small tank and "new-ness" of the filter (i.e., being uncycled), are the origin of the poor water quality. You most likely have a combination of rampant bacteria and an abnormally high concentration of urine and feces.

If I were in your position, I would get 2 40B to start, and look into some canister filters. Your current filter won't work, as it is an internal model and won't be as efficient. It's going to be quite expensive--I recommend looking into the Odyssea filter, or building your own out of a bucket. Check out your local Petco for their dollar-per-gallon sale.

[logo897]

Thank you for the information it greatly means a lot, however what do you mean by a 2 40b?

Thanks and sorry I'm new to this stuff.

[steve]

I think the 40b refers to a 40 gallon breeder tank. These tanks are lower but wider and better for turtles.

[Jeremiah]

Oops, sorry about that. Sometimes, I get lazy and just start tossing out abbreviations. Yes, I did mean to say two 40 gallon breeder tanks. Just as starting points (1 inch of shell = 10 gallons). And remember that a turtle filter should be rated for 2-3 times the size of the tank you are using. (i.e., having a filter rated for 20 gallons on a 10 gallon tank). Note that "rating" does not equal gallons per hour. Good filtration is especially important for the musk, as they are largely aquatic turtles.

[logo897]

Thanks

Would this do the job? http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Turtle-Ca ... B0002DIRPU


I'd rather get another filter first in all honesty

[Jeremiah]

Sorry, those don't really get the job done either. If I were you, I would go to the AquaTraders Web site (no affiliation on my part), and check out their Odyssea canister filters. Don't go any smaller than the 130 model. They're having a promotional right now, and they're going for really cheap. I would buy 2 for now, and save one either for an eventual tank move or as a reserve in case the other one breaks.

[Peva]

(Not to be rude to everyone here, but I use a Canister Filter for a 50 gallon tank in my 55 gallon tank and it keeps the water crystal clear and I usually don't change the water more than once a month. Something to think about)

[Jeremiah]

The difference is that you use a canister, have only one turtle, and your tank has a lot of water. The OP has an internal filter in 15 gallons holding two decently-sized turtles.

[logo897]

Thank you all so much. I bought a canister from aqua traders and it should be arriving soon. I will let you know how it goes when I get it.

[Jeremiah]

Thanks for the update! Be sure to get some before-and-after pictures, especially of your musk--I love those things.

[logo897]

Thank you. It is still on its way however I had 20 dollars so I dropped it on a quiet flow 10 pump for my tank, and when the canister arrives I am going to remove the AT40 because it barely is doing anything. I bought the pump today because the water has been getting worse and I've been really stressed about that.