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Need some help with a filtration problem.

I have an 80 gal tank with 1 RES male juvenile.

I have a sand bottom tank with driftwood and rocks, no plants.

Filtration is done by FilStar xP4 Canister Power Filter traveling through 3/4 in intake and return.

The tank is very dirty all the time with visible
debris. In addition the filter gets clogged easily. I do filter maintenance 1x per 30 days. Do I need to change media more often? Do I need to add another filter?

You have a Rena XP4 and it's not handling? The flow on that should be 450 gph, which is perfect for an 80 gallon tank, and a small turtle shouldn't be producing that much debris.

A few questions:
1) How old is the filter?
2) How old is all of the various media in the filter?

I would recommend taking out all of the baskets and media and letting the filter run, see if there is a flow problem. If the motor and flow are working correctly, next I would replace all of your media and give the filter a good scrub. Also, check your input and output hoses, algae and stuff tends to grow in those and block things up. If that doesn't fix things, I'm not really sure. An XP4 should be great in your tank, I have an XP3 in a small tank and it is crystal clear, even with a 6.5" turtle in it!

That is what I thought when I bought the filter, that it would be crystal clear. The water is yellow. The flow seems just fine, like a steady waterfall. The filter is new. All the media is new as I keep replacing all of it every month. The water polishing pad is thick with debris all the time and if I let that go to long it inhibits the water flow. I am so disappointed because I thought I was going to be able to go with out much in the way of maintenance. Maybe just media changes every month. Right now if I don't do 25-50% water changes every two weeks with fully cleaning the filter and changing the media, I have yellow water and algae. I have one turt and he is more work than fish!

Any suggestions? Change filters? add more filters? UV sterilizer?

Also can you vacuum sand? there is debris all over the sand floor.

The water shouldn't be yellow. Is there any odor from the water? As of right now, I could only guess that it's the sand.

So, let's start with the beginning. First, if the white polishing pad is getting too bad too quickly, you can just stop using it. Numerous people on the board don't use it and it's fine. Mine works with the white pad, but do what you gotta do.

Media should not be replaced frequently. Part of having a canister filter is allowing biological filtration to take hold. In terms of your filter, you want the BioChemZorb to be replaced every 6-12 weeks, the black filter pads need replaced only as needed, and the BioStars or ceramic rings don't really ever need to be replaced. The stars and rings are where your bacterial colonies live. So every time you clean your filter, you want to set those aside, in tank water, while you wash and rinse the other parts. I use a spray nozzle on the shower head or hose to clean the pads and zorb out. Then you reassemble, taking care to not allow your stars or rings to touch "normal" water, only tank water. Prime your tank, and you should be good to go with bacterial colonies intact.

If you don't have a good bacterial cycle (which it sounds like that may be a huge part of your problem), your water will end up cloudy, murky, yellow, etc.

Algae is a normal part of life, so you just wipe it away as needed.

As for sand, did you correctly rinse the sand about a dozen times and strain it before adding it? What you may be seeing are sand particles that should have been washed away before ending up in your tank.

My best recommendation, before you try out another filter or anything, is to fix up your tank. It's gonna be ugly, and messy, and time consuming, but I don't think a new filter is going to fix things. First, remove all of the water from the tank. Fill it back up part way, slosh the sand around a bunch, and remove the sandy water. Keep doing this until you don't have sandy water.

Now, add in the water for the tank. Give your tank at least 4 weeks to get the bacterial cycle running, don't change water or anything like that. After those 4 weeks, you should see an improvement. You can do a 25% water change once or twice in there, but make sure you don't add any chlorinated water so you don't damage the bacteria.

I'm not sure if you can vacuum sand.

Ok the set up was done months ago, the sand was bucket washed 5 times BEFORE putting in the tank, then the tank was ran 6 weeks with a biological starter added but no turtle. The tank was crystal clear after 6 weeks. Turtle was added, water ok for 2 weeks, then at 3 weeks started to turn yellow. Changed the water (25%) left filter intact, still yellow, nasty looking water. 2 weeks again opened canister water polishing pad clogged, changed pad, rinsed bottom filter pads and returned to canister, rinsed charcoal pouch, returned to set up and ran again with 25% water change and bio-starter. Water clear for 2 weeks then the whole yellow water/cloudy cycle repeated again. Has been happening for 6 months. I have been unable to keep clear water for more than 2 weeks at a time. Also there is a large amount of debris on the floor of the tank. I went ahead this last time and replaced everything except the biostars. Still only had clear water for 2 weeks.




Checked the Rena sites for problem solving. They suggested running filter with no media to check flow rate. The FR is the same with or without media. However it seems rather slow for the supposed size of the unit. I have 3/4in bulk heads so I have an inflow of a 1/2in upped to a 3/4 in hard fitting attached a hose fitting with this attaching to the original hoses provided by the filter (which I think are 1/2). the return is simply the original hose connected to a 1/2 to 3/4 converter to a hard fitting into the bulk head. There is no "spray" at the end but rather just a 3/4 pipe returning water to the tank. Anyone have a suggestion how I can get an idea if the water is returning at the correct speed?

Also anyone have other suggestions? I am pretty sure the sand is not the issue do to the original cycling time. Pretty sure I should have a good bio-base to cycle the tank ok but maybe need more? Im just concerned the filter really isn't filtering as well as it should be.

Thanks for any help!
Happy new year!

I'm still not sure if it's a filter problem, though I use a simpler media layout. What are you feeding your turtle, and is it in the tank?

floating pellets and yes in tank I don't have a separate feeding tank

you're tank isnt dirty at all, if you have driftwood in your tank then its tannin leaking from the wood that is making your water yellow, theres nothing you can do other than water changes but its completely harmless and some people like it as its an organic look to the tank

I have driftwood and if this is the case how long will it be before it stops? or is that "never"?

just for follow up, ordered a new UV sterilizer hoping to install ASAP. Found a small kink in the tank to canister hose and also excessive length. Cut both of those out and the canister has much better flow. Also found that I wasn't getting a good prime to the canister as there was an air bubble at the top every time I cleaned it. both the excessive length of tubing with a kink and the lack of proper prime I don't think the Rena was getting a fair shake. I think the flow rate has picked up . I am still disappointed with filtration but we'll see if that gets better. I changed all media again today except the biostars. a 50% water change and the filter has created crystal clear water but for how long?

I have a 75G tank, I was having the same problem. I got rid of the driftwood and the sand. I bought a bag of big bag of river rock at Home Depot for 7 bucks, way cheaper than a pet store. You can also try some non organic decorations for the tank, (rocks, plastic plants, they won't eat them). I was getting tired of my tank looking dirty. If you keep the dirftwood it will cause breakoff and flaking, it will never end.

Flash-P - To start with I would make sure you start with the basics; proper temps for water and basking. I would remove the driftwood and do not over feed. Until you get your bacteria filter going you will need to do partial water changes. Good Luck.