Habitat - Indoor :: filtration for my res

[terpythemessyturtle]

hi i have had my res for about 5 years now and she has grown to 8-9"

she is being kept in a 50 gallon breeder tank and it is filtered with a fluval 4 plus internal filter.

I am unable to keep the tank clean for more then 2 days so i figure i am not doing some thing right

so here are the solution i have come up with:

option number 1 i would just add another filter

option number 2 i would drill the tank and add a over flow system using a sump and incorporate bio balls and sponges then being returned to the tank by a pump. I avidly keep reef aquariums so i have most of the equipment needed for that just laying around

option 3 buy a rather large stock tank to increase water volume

let me know if you have any better ideas or an idea on how to make the sump or any other concerns
thanks so much i look forward to not having almost brown water:)

[Rubicon]

I too had a 4+ which wasn't really cutting it. I added one of those Zoomed 501 mini canister turtle filters. Worked great!

[terpythemessyturtle]

i have one of those too it clogged pretty quick and it was a huge pia to clean.

i have bought probably 10 different filters in the last 5 years and i want a more permanent solution any body like the ones i suggested

[Rubicon]

Well I got rid of mine and went with a Fluval 404.

[terpythemessyturtle]

do you mind me asking how much the filter was?

i have most of the parts to make a sump with bioballs and what not for lets say less then $50. How much better is the canister filter then a sump with all that good stuff?

[Rubicon]

I got it for 80 shipped. And had a almost full box of biomax left from my 501.

[terpythemessyturtle]

thats a pretty good price

what i would like to do is upgrade to a 100 gallon or so stock tank and then use a sump. but that is a little pricey. i will look into canister filters are their any other good brands i should look into?

[Chrisbarnett]

Fluval, Rena, Eheim(if you got cash to throw around), Marineland.

[terpythemessyturtle]

does any body know or have some plans on how to make a diy sump for bio balls?

are they any different then a fish tank sump that uses them?

thanks for the brand i think i will try this first because it is more cost efficient unless canister filters are superior

[Chrisbarnett]

Check out www.monsterfishkeepers.com in the "DIY projects and Ideas" section. There's tons of people who have built them. And no, they are the same thing as a fish tank sump.

[terpythemessyturtle]

thanks so much it souldnt be that hard to do and a wet dry filter is a great way to help take care of turtle poop?

[BullDog]

A combination of those things would be ideal. At 8", your turtle is probably due for a tank upgrade. More water = less cleaning. If you went for a 100 gallon stock tank, you could get a Fluval 404, which has become pretty popular in the last little while, since you can get them for cheap, brand new off of ebay.

However, if you've got a little extra cash, look into the Fluval FX5. It'll set you back a bit more ($200+), but it'll really cut down the amount of cleaning you have to do in the tank. I recently upgraded from a 404 to an FX5 in my 75 gallon.

There are a couple of DIY filters on the site, and there's at least 1 stickied at the top of this forum. They're a great idea, but sometimes the pump alone can cost almost as much as canister filter, so you'll want to price out pumps.

[Chrisbarnett]

I would encourage you to just go the sump route since you have the experience and ability. No canister has the massive bio load handling capability that a sump can have. It's cheaper as well if you have the stuff already.

[terpythemessyturtle]

yea I'm going the sump route i have literally everything but the baffles and plumbing

i have a question about the stock tank, if i went with the sump on that tank could i still just drill it and put a bulk head on it or are the different?

but my mom is having issues with not being able to see the turtle through the glass so i may end up getting a 100 gallon or so glass tank which i would prefer as well.

do you know if 4 gallons of bio balls is enough to support one female res?
and do you just through in some sponges on top of the drip plate and then some in between the baffles

[Chrisbarnett]

Nice choice.

Yes, you could just drill the tank for a bulkhead no problem.

4gal of bioballs would be plenty surface area to support one res. More than adequate.

And yes, the sponge sounds good. The water goes through the sponges then through the drip plate onto the bioballs correct? You want the cleanest water getting to your bioballs.