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Today we bought a XP3 on ebay ($116 if anyone is looking for one)and plan on using it with our current tank. Is there any way that we can make it so the current isn't as strong? He's always not been the best swimmer so we don't want him to get caught in the current.

Also any tips on what media to use would be great. Currently we are using the zoo med 501 and well... it's junk. When will we have to replace the media?

You could lessen the current somewhat by not using the spigot, use the spray bar and angle it toward the wall of the tank. There's also a valve on one of the output pieces that you can use to adjust the output, but it's not recommended slow the water significantly for extended periods of time.

Didn't any media come with the filter? I've used the AP ceramic rings and stars for biomedia (but any comparable media that will fit in the basket(s) would work). The sponges (20 ppi and 30 ppi) came with my filter, but you can buy them separately. I used to use AP's carbon packs, but if you wanted to use carbon you could probably make your own.

All FILSTAR CANISTER FILTERS include: complete inlet and outlet accessory packs, flexible tubing, filtration basket(s) with separation grid(s), and mechanical, chemical and biological filtration.

That is what the page said, it did not say what exact media is included and we have not gotten the filter yet. With this filter our sand got a algae colony so we are trying to not let that happen again.

Yeah i'd definitely go for the spraybar setup as marisa suggested.

You will receive a BioChem Zorb and 5 pads: 2 black "20 ppi" ones, 2 black "30 ppi" ones, and one white one. You'll have 1.5 canisters to fill. You'll want to buy at least one box of BioStars, and then do what you want with the other canisters (I have Fluval ceramic rings in mine). You don't have to replace the media that often. It says to replace the BioStars every 6-12 months, and the black pads last forever as long as you wash them out well. The BioChem Zorb, in my tank at least, has a 3 month expiration date; at that point, the tank gets a little smelly. I think you are supposed to replace them every 1-3 months or so. You can use other carbon pouches or your own homemade ones if you'd rather, they have ones to neutralize a lot of different situations.

Oh, and a lot of people have come on here with 29-40 gallon tanks using the Rena XP3 without any problems concerning current. Try it out before you worry about what your little guy can do!

Van-ity -- You will like the larger filter on the 29 gallon. I have a Marinland Magnum 350 and it does a great job. I have the discharge pointed up at one end of the tank and they swim around it just fine. Good Luck! m.

It looks like this filter will be a lot let maintenance then our current, we have to do monthly changes of everything and cleaning every two weeks.

We plan on trying it out but watching him really carefully. When we got him he had a really hard time swimming for a length of time after they dropped him on the table after scooping him up. He's fourteen months old now and still swims funny. He doesn't swim like other turtles we have seen, he just seems to wave each foot at a different time.

I know that 29 gallons seems small for a fourteen month old turtle but he only is 2.7' and we are looking for a 55 gallon currently.

Just as long as he can do it and is safe, that is all we care about.

Kat - The filter shouldn't be too much extra maintenance, trust me. First, with this type of filter, you don't have to do full tank cleanings, unless your tank needs it. I think people do full tank cleanings every 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, whenever it's needed.

The only think you need to clean monthly (or you can often get by with 6 weeks) is the actual filter. It has this piece that clamps the tubes off, so you just leave those hanging. Take the filter to a tub, yard, wherever you want to clean it. Get a small bowl or bucket, put your biomedia in there with some tank water, and just hose everything else out, as good as you can. Put everything back together, snap it back onto the tubes, and it refills itself. Then you just fill up your tank back to where it was before you took out the water in the filter. It takes me about 20 minutes to clean the filter, a little longer to refill it because I am working with a 1 gallon jug. As for the water in the tank, every 2-4 weeks, you just take a chunk out in a bucket and refill it.

it will be the cleanest tank ever lol

We did the sand replacement today and I really can't wait for the new filter to get here. The algae was getting nasty.

Jax- Did you buy one box of rings or more? They look like they don't come in a bag, you have yours in a reuseable media bag or just in the canister?

It depends on how many of the baskets you want to fill with biomedia.. 1 box will do a basket just fine. I like to go overbored on biomedia a little so I'd go for like a basket and a half.

They do not come in a bag, just put them in the baskets. They don't get into the filter or anything.