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Hey guys I'm hoping that somebody can help me. I have had 2 RES since '97 and all of a sudden this year I cannot control the water. I clean the tank and like 2 days later it is right back to where it was before. The water is so cloudy, has a white film on top, and stinks to high heaven. I have a 6 foot tank so you can imagine that doing this 3 times a week is quite a task. I have a pretty good filter (Fluval 404), I've used waste degraders, changed food, checked temp., EVERYTHING! and nobody seems to know. My turtles seem healthy so I don't think they are sick. If anyone could have some input on this or suggestions that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

do you have ceramic media? What is your filter set up like? I use Biomax ceramic rings to help with the ammonia, and sense i put up my new tank (2-3 weeks ago) i havent had any problems...

Also do you use any active carbon or anything of the sort? this will help with the smell...

Welcome. How big are your turtles? How many gallons is that 6-foot tank? If your turtles are really big, perhaps the tank and filter cannot keep up with the waste they're producing. Is the filter working properly?

What kind of waste degraders are you using?

Do you have gravel or other substrate in the tank?

Feed them outside of the tank, in a separate container like a laundry tub filled with water. Even when all the food is eaten, the water always seems to get really dirty anyway so this helps a lot.

Also, feed them only once every 2nd day. Your turtles are old enough where they don't need to be fed daily.

How many gallons is the tank? How big are the turtles?

Check for ammonia, it definately contributes to smell. If you have had you filter for more then 6 months you might have to either replace or thoroughly clean the biomax. I noticed over time that mine got clogged (all the pores were full of brown gunk) and I had to give it a thourough rinsing in tank water. I just tossed all of it in a bucket and scrubbed the cylinders together. I believe that Fluval reccomends replacing the biomax every 6 months but only half of it at a time (to preserve bacteria).

You should rinse off the rings once a month. I also use a small amount of floss in the chamber before the rings. Helps to keep them clean.

i have 4 sets of sponges ranging in corsness before my biomax rings, i hope this keeps them clean.

This may sound like a funny question, but what does it smell like? Is it a strong ammonia type oder, or does it smell muddy or is it different?