Filters and clean tanks

[Conrad]

I have come across a Mississippi Map turtle and have rescued it.

But I am having a big issue with how to keep the water clean.

What do you all use for filters and any other advice you can give me.

He is about 3 years old and is not that large but size wise in good health, but he does not bask.

I have fed him feeders, shirmp, krill and sticks and it all seems to one way or another make the water dirty.

I have a cascade 80 and 100 and a few smaller suction cup style ones that stick to the inside of the tank.

 

[jeffbens0n]

Welcome to te forum! Alot of people recommend feeding in a small tub to keep the tank clean. He may just be stressed and will probably bask once he gets more comfortable. I use a marineland magnum 350 canister filter, about 100 bucks and works great. Boom done.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I have an alligator snapper in a large tank with two large filters. I change them both once a month, seems to keep it clean.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Conrad:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know where you are?

When I had water turtles in the house (before my outdoor pond), I would always take them out of the aquarium and feed them in a plastic dish pan. It takes a few tries before the turtle gets used to being put into a different environment and before they'll relax enough to eat, but it worked well for me.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I have an alligator snapper in a large tank with two large filters. I change them both once a month, seems to keep it clean.

 

[SnakeyeZ]

This is what I use.

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=280&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=19

 

[Jharris1385]

...This is an interesting thread.

 

[Conrad]

Alright thanks for all of the help. I am going to list all of the filters I have or have used in the tank either by itself or in combination.

I have a large internal Tetra Whisper - looks to be the same thing in ALDABRAMAN's tank

A Cascade 80 and 100 http://www.amazon.com/Hang-Aquarium-Powe...B0002DJ7ZE ; and the 100 is larger.

Then I have another power filter like the Cascades but and Aqua Tech http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Tech-Gallon-A...B002CG3L9M

And then a Dive Power 40 pump head on a small carbon filled base http://all-aquatics.com/store/item/x9ox/...y_Tom.html

and a http://www.amazon.com/Internal-Aquarium-...B0002DJLE6

and an undergravel filter.

What should I do...???

Stick food makes my water cloudy, shrimp, krill and feeders. He is small. Maybe 3.5 inches. If the poop was not enough the food debris gets me. What should I add in addition to help clean it? I have had all sorts of fish in there when he was smaller to help clean but now as he is bigger I am not going to spend $10 on a fish that is a two day meal.

Currently I have him out of the tank in a temporary set up and going to start this tank from scratch. I have 3 tanks and I believe the one I use is 75 gallons.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[Conrad]

bump...

 

[Conrad]

A little more advice please

 

[Len B]

Plants, I use more plants and less filters, Right know I use water weeds (Hornwort) and a lot of it. In the past i have used cuttings from pothos and philodrendron, either loose or tied together, it is also a good way to start new rootings. With the hornwort make sure you put enough in the tank or he might eat it all.Being only 3.5 inches there is a variety of aquatic plants that don't need soil you could use that he wouldn't destroy. good luck. Len

 

[Conrad]

So I should focus more on plants?

How much if any gravel do you all have and why or why not. I have seen some tanks without?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I use to have wooden logs, turned the water ugly brown. Both filters usually keep the water very clear and clean. Turtles are messy, double filters really work for me.

 

[jeffbens0n]

The issue with gravel is two fold. One, turtles can ingest the gravel by accident causing impaction. Most people recommend if you use gravel to make sure you use larger pieces that the the turtle could not fit into his mouth. The second issue is keeping the tank clean, a tank with gravel is more appealing to look at, but the gravel does gather a lot of debris in it. A bare bottom tank will be much easier to keep clean, it all depends on your preference.

 

[Conrad]

I have large river rock in there at about 3-4 inches worth. It is quite a bit. I laid the rock under the hopes that it would act like it does in a normal aquarium and be its own filter of sorts with bacteria growth. I have been thinking about removing the large rock core and placing smaller regular gravel in there and topping it with 1-2 inches of larger rock. Maybe the smaller gravel will bind better with bacteria to filter in itself?

Ok, ideally, I would do the above in hopes it works, then plant a ground covering lilly or sorts. My friend has one that if you cut the shoot it ground covers instead. I like that idea...a full bed of plants, but hopefully he would not tear it up too much. Then have some taller plants as well. Right now it is large river rock, a few other rocks and obstacles and a floating basking platform. On that note I think I am going to get one of the new flotaing peir docks that are in the corner.

Update on him: He is doing MUCH better, much more active, eating out my hand now and is full of life!

Filter: Should I dump my power filters and opt for a canister like the 511 or larger? I am willing. If advised I would just sell my other ones to get a large over the top one.

Thanks again for all of your help and advice.

 

[jeffbens0n]

Yea I would recommend a canister but don't waste your time with a 511, they aren't very powerful and you will eventually want something bigger.

 

[Yvonne G]

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/health/small_tank_filter.html

 

[jeffbens0n]

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/health/small_tank_filter.html

That is actually the filter I use, Magnum 350, I like it a lot. Only difference is I do not use it the way they show here, to power an under gravel filter.

I have also read that a lot of people do not like under gravel filters for turtles, just because they don't keep the water as clean as a canister pumping water in and out from the middle of the tank.

 

[Len B]

I agree with jeffbenson about gravel on the bottom I don't use anything but the glass or slate(yes i still use mataframe)on the bottom, that is why I use plants that don't require soil.If you want to use plants that need soil try using pantyhose pieces wrapped around the root ball to keep them from clouding the water, they can be weighted down with rocks or anything that doesn't float.as for filtering I found that with the plants and a pond pump with the sponge pre-filters, partial water changes and not over feeding the water stays rather clean. If you use the pond pump have extra filters on hand so you can slip a new one on as you take the dirty one off. Len

 

[Conrad]

So you DON'T use it to power the under ground or do?

Both ways work?

That was a VERY informative link and I appreciate it. Thank you, that was what I was looking for.

Do you all think with this suction on the UG plants would be pulled too much towards the plate and have issues?

I would use my 55 gallon most likely I hope this set up would be sufficient...Or I may add another internal as well.

Thanks again for your continued assistance.