Habitat - Indoor :: Matilda's in a stock tank, XP3 questions

[matildatheturtle]

Matilda's swimming her tail off in her new 70 gal. stock tank. We have a RENA XP3 filter ordered and on the way. After reading recommended media for turtles, I ordered bio chem zorb and bio chem stars to add in for media. Any advice/tricks on setting up the filter? I'm also trying to figure out a better basking platform for her. I have a Large Zoo Med turtle dock, but I believe it to be too small and unstable for her 8" length. Once I figure out how to add pics on here I will do so. Thanks!

[N4784N R4613]

I hear the hoses can sometimes be a pain to get on, but there is a simple fix. Just dip the ends of the hoses that go onto the filter, in hot water. This should expend them enough to slip right on.

[steve]

You might want to look at constructing your own since most commercial basking areas use suction cups.

Here's how to post a pic:
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1811

[marisa]

I'm assuming the stock tank is on the floor...Canisters like the XP3 ideally are meant to be under a tank, about 2 feet below the water level. It will work next to the tank, but, it will be noisier, will be harder to prime, and will work the motor more, which could lead to it burning out faster than if it were used as intended.

If you set it up and it really starts making spitting noises (which will be air in the system, try first to "burp" it (tilt the canister and move it from one side to the other to help the air out). If it really seems as if it's working "hard" (I know this might be difficult to judge, but when placed under a tank, they're just about noiseless) you might have to shorten the tubes even further than recommended in the set-up manual to lessen the amount of air getting into the system.

[Twoster]

hey mat,
my xp3 came with the 1 packet of the bio chem zorb media.

but, i still needed to buy 2 liters of bio-media to properly fill mine.

I found it REALLY easy to set-up, the input and output tubes are color coded, and the instructions were more than good enough for me.

and be sure to MEASURE TUBES TWICE before you cut!!..lol..

and you could try putting something with a lil more buoyancy under the zoo med dock to help it support your turts weight..just an idea

[SpotsMama]

I used the zoo med docks for years, starting with the little one and ending up with the big one. When Spot started sinking the big dock, I got another dock, cut it up into pieces, and glued it to the bottom of the first dock with silicon glue. That gave it enough buoyancy to support him.

[Twoster]

^^even better

[matildatheturtle]

This is all very useful advice, Thanks everyone!

I'm assuming the stock tank is on the floor...Canisters like the XP3 ideally are meant to be under a tank, about 2 feet below the water level. It will work next to the tank, but, it will be noisier, will be harder to prime, and will work the motor more, which could lead to it burning out faster than if it were used as intended.

Yes Marisa you are right. It is on the floor. Was the XP3 a bad choice for a stock tank filter? Would it be at all effective to raise the tank up maybe 6"? I'd hate to go any taller than that.

[iac637]

we have one and our tank is only a foot off the floor. and it works great

aslong as it is below water level you will be ok so raising 6 inches should work well.

[marisa]

Any amount you can raise it would help. I know of someone who used an XP3 with a 50-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank that was on cinderblocks.

It's live and learn. For a stock tank, an XP3 would not have been my first choice for a filter. But, you may like it, and it will work.

[matildatheturtle]

I have everything in that I need now, finally got the python last night. So my plan is to drain and clean the stock tank, raise it with blocks of wood, refill the water, and install the xp3. I think the most trouble I will have is figuring out a way to attach the input and outputs to the tank without the use of suction cups. It's a 70 gal stock tank and I know that suction cups are pretty much worthless against the plastic. Does anybody have any tricks on this? For starters I was thinking of just clamping the parts to the lip of the tank and going from there. That's what I used to attach her basking platform and it works great now. Thanks all

[Twoster]

i saw an attachment for waterheads that lets you exchange the suction cups for magnets, though im not sure if they can work properly for xp's input/output..maybe look into making a homemade magnet device?...i cant really think of other waysright now..but im sure there is some way!..lol..let us know how that goes..

[Twoster]

and by magnets, im talking like, 2 magnets on each side of the glass, like those magnet glass cleaners.

[matildatheturtle]

Magnets are a good idea, but we don't have a glass tank. I doubt they'd work in a stock tank with the thick plastic walls. Thanks though.