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I have a 20gal tank filled to the top with water and an attached basking area with a ZooMed filter that filters up to 50gal. I have 2 RES (yes, I know I need a bigger tank- I will be getting one when I move in a few months so there will be more room. As is, there's 20gal of water for them to swim in and a 1.5ftx1.5ft basking platform on top plus a ramp and a swing in the water). My problem is no matter how many times I rinse out the filter and take out and add fresh water (normally every Sunday), add the correct drops (plus some thats supposed to help break down poop and kill algae), or up my filtrate, the water turns a greenish cloudy color a few days after I clean it. I feed them in the morning on their basking platform and clean any excess food up when they're done. The water was always clear before I got Leo (he's really messy). Is there something else I should be doing? Or will it just clear up when I get the bigger tank? Is there something I could do to help the water stay clean until I get the bigger tank?

Thanks!

Please visit the Filtration section on the main website, the pinned filter media thread above this one, or even the thread below yours! There's a lot of good information there that should fully answer your questions.

I will start off, though, by saying that the ZooMed filters aren't strong enough for a turtle tank. You also shouldn't rinse out your biological media (the ceramic pieces), since those have bacteria that help your water cycle.

Your tank water is trying to "establish" itself, but the turtles' bio load plus your frequent cleanings keep making it start over (the water being cloudy/green).

Turtles eat in the water, so there's no need to feed them on the platform. Just use a separate feeding bin if they are messy.

Thanks. Leo is extremely messy when he eats and wont eat in a separate container...he does love eating minnows though.

Should I clean it less then? So it'll establish itself easier? Or just rinse the sponges in the filter? Everything thing I've read says to take out 10% of the water each week and rinse the filter but that seems to make it messier...

To properly cycle a tank, you fill the tank and let it go a few days, even up to a week, without doing anything except letting the filter run. After a week, go ahead and start your water changes. The sponges only need cleaning when they are clogged up with debris.

Thanks. When I get my new tank I'm planning to get a better filter. I've read a lot about AquaClear, MarineLand, and Aquaeon. I'm leaning towards the AquaClear. Any thoughts?

If you choose a hang-on-back/hang-on-tank filter, you will need high water levels. I don't know about Aquaeon, but the others are fine. It might not help with the cloudy water though... usually more tank/water is the solution.

I'm planning to fill a 40b or 50 gallon tank (or bigger depending on how much space I can use) to the top with water and add an 20gal tank on top as a basking area so I think a hang-on filter would be fine. I don't think I've read anything on here about AwuaClear or Aquaeon, but I've read on here about the MarineLand and Fluval. I've read other places about the AquaClear and how you only change one of the filtration types at a time so it keeps the good bacteria in a steady supply.

For a 40 or 50G, I'd look into canisters. There are some cheap ones and they provide much more room for media. Another thing to really consider is your turtle genders... if one or both is a male, you will likely need to separate them. Good bacteria.. beneficial bacteria. You will need to add some bio media to the filter so they can colonize on it more effectively.

I know for sure one is male but I'm unsure of the other ones gender yet. They adore each other and I've never had any problems with them being together. The AquaClear has 3 types of filtration including bio media. Do you have any particular brand of canister you like? I'll look into it.

Fluval is generally the best. Odyssea is similar, but for those on a budget. (Don't get me wrong, Odyssea canisters do work well).

Thanks