Habitat - Indoor :: ?!Filters, Filters, Filters!?

[ThrdCoastin]

Hi ev1. I am pretty new to taking care of turtles and taking care of an aquarium or habitat. With there being so many different filters, what would be the best filter to get if you have a tank that ranges from 10 gal. and maybe one that was 50 gal.???

[ThrdCoastin]

would this be a good filter to get?
http://www.petsolutions.com/350B-Pengui ... 99999.aspx

[Vtolds]

I would suggest getting a gibber tank I started with a 10 gallon and we had to quickly upgrade too a 20 and now we are on a 30 gallon. the only tank we actually bought was the 20 gallon, but you are better off buying something like a 55 gallon tank and getting a filter like the Rena Xp3.

[FLhaven4strays]

First off - get the absolute biggest tank you can possibly afford. Check out your area on CraigsList, garage sale hunt, anything. 10g isn't good even for one hatchling. I found a 55g w/ stand for 50 bucks on CraigsList. A little cleaning (ok, ok - a LOT of cleaning!) later it's beautiful. You have 2 turtles and will need LOTS of room - and very possibly 2 seperate tanks down the road.

The Marineland Penguin 350 is exactly what we have in our 55 gal and it works well in general - keeps the water nice & clear, though doesn't get the bottom as good as a canister would. The problem is you pretty much need the water level w/in a couple inches from the top for it to work well - and be a bit quieter. There is a certain amount of noise that you'll always have w/ a 'waterfall' or bio-wheel filter as the water splashes down. That said, my 14 yr old son has it in his bedroom and has no complaints about the fairly quiet water noise. From what I've heard though canister filters are the absolute best & I'm currently saving up for one.

If you use that filter you'll want to make an above-tank basking area. They are amazingly simple - you'd be suprised. I used mainly things from around the house. Someone recently posted about using a laundry basket & egg crate. Here's a link to my tank w/ the filter & basking area shown http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13974

[FLhaven4strays]

By the way...love your dog!! Ours is a American Bulldog / Boxer mix. Looks like a junkyard dog, but has the heart of a true wimp.

[mikee]

T-Coast -- First of all, your tank is too small. I agree that you should get one that is as big as you can afford and can handle. What ever you decide, you should get a filter/pump that will exchange the water volume as least 5 times per hour (GPH) I also recommend that you get canister, as it is much easier to keep clean and change out the media. You will have to pay for it now, or pay more later. You will find yourself up sizing as your turtle gets larger.

[ThrdCoastin]

THX for the answers. Wow i hope i dont have to get two tanks for a long time.... i have no room for that.Haha. But looks like im tank shopping. I've been looking at the custom turtule "cages" at http://www.glasscages.com so i guess i need to look into a canister. Any ideas on if a cheaper canister will work, such as as fluval 105, or would i need something bigger??!

[FLhaven4strays]

THX for the answers. Wow i hope i dont have to get two tanks for a long time.... i have no room for that.Haha. But looks like im tank shopping. I've been looking at the custom turtule "cages" at http://www.glasscages.com so i guess i need to look into a canister. Any ideas on if a cheaper canister will work, such as as fluval 105, or would i need something bigger??!

Don't know about a Fluval 105 (check out the equipment section for input on specific brands), but I do know you should NOT get a tank specified for a turtle....get a plain 'ol aquarium. From what I understand, turtle tanks have holes / cuts that limit the amount of water they hold (can't explain it any better - sorry!) You're best off w/ a regular fishtank that can be filled to the top if you want to. Turtles need as much water as you can provide - especially w/ 2. Aggression between turtles is more likely when they're in a cramped environment. You should have a minimum of 10 gal of water for each inch of turtle shell (ex: if both your turts are 3" you should have at least 60 gal of water...and they'll grow too)

[mikee]

T-coast -- just remember the gph. You will need to exchange the water at least 5 times per hour. A 300 to 350 gph for a 55 gallon would be good. I have a 300 gph on a 30 gallon and it does just fine. I can give you my experiences with the canisters that I have and had over the years. -- Good Luck!!