Habitat - Indoor :: Filtration reccomendations for 240 gal tank

[gregster]

Hi there, i'm looking for some help with a new setup for my two girls (Spanky and Alfalfa). They've outgrown their 4ft habitat, so i've bought them an 8ft x 2ft x 2ft tank = 240 gallons approx. I plan to completely fill this tank, build a large basking are on top etc etc. Problem is, there aren't any filtration systems i can see that will handle the quantity of water and the gph turnover required. My current setup has 2 x fluval 405's and they just cope. I've looked at the fluval fx5 and similairly sized canister filters, but can't help thinking there must be another way.
My current thought is to build an average sized skippy filter that's gravity fed from the built in tank overflow, dump the output from the skippy into a 3ft wet/dry that i just happen to have lying around, then pump the output back to the tank. I can heat the water in the wet/dry and if needed, add supplemental filtration with my 405's.
Anyone have some thoughts / suggestions / comments or experience with the above scenario?
Would really appreciate your input.

[mikee]

greg-s -- The Fluval FX5 would be great. It will pump about 900 gph. It has a lot of filter surface and the pump is iron proof. It will even cut off every 24 hours and let any air or gases come to the top and then pump it out. What ever you do, you will want to pump at least 5 times the water volume that is in the tank. I think that the 404 pumps abotu 300 to 350 per hour.-- Good Luck !!

[BullDog]

Ooooh! *jealous of the 240 gal tank*
I personally don't have any experience with sumps, so I can't help you there.
I do however have an FX5 hooked up to my 90 gal.
For a tank that size, I think even the FX5 would need a little help, especially with two turtles. But since you already have a couple 405's, I think the fx5 and one 405 would work well.
If the reason you're swaying away from the FX5 is price, check ebay. I got mine for ~$150, with $50 for shipping. That was a great deal for me, considering the 405s are $180+ in the stores here, and the fx5 is $450+

[gregster]

OK, will look around for some fx5 deals, i've seen them on cragislist every now and then for a couple a hundred dollars. These two turtles have amazed me with their growth. One of them is 8 inches long now, not bad for 2 x years of captivity. I've now got an assortment of ever bigger tanks filling up the garage. I didn't even get to set up the 6ft4 tank!

Thanks for your help !!

[steve]

We really need to see some pics

I think the FX5 and the 405 is a good option. Someone with a 180 gallon tank is using 2 XP4s. A few are using pond filters for their large tanks/ponds too.

[gregster]

Thanks Steve, will post pics as soon as i can. Currently working on making space in garage so i can work on new tank. The things we do !
Found a couple of FX5's today for a reasonable price, will seed them in the old tank first. I may still use the wet dry to supplement, there's a lot of room in that cabinet,..

[N4784N R4613]

Wow, I wish I could have fit an eight-footer in my house!! Mine is 6ft.x 2ft.x 3ft. = 240 gallons approximately. I have two RES(sizes in sig.), and I am running two FX5's on it. They work grate!! Although I can't say how well they would do with an 8 in. RES!!! They should do fine, but I will be very interested two see how they keep up with a huge RES!!

Here is my current set-up...
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... 828#129828

Tell me if you want pics of the FX5's.

[gregster]

Thanks, that's a great setup you've built! I really like the way you've neatly segregated Tank and Diesel... i might incorporate that idea into this build. You're right about a huge RES, it's only a matter of time before i'm building some sort of pond i imagine. I'm really stunned at the speed these girls have grown. :-O

[N4784N R4613]

Thank you. I didn't want to have to separate them, but the little guy bugged the bigger one, until he snapped, and nipped him on the head. It just goes to show you that, even with the biggest tank you can fit into your house, RES are still RES.