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I have a Top Fin Filter and I use the replacement cartridges: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2752295

but how does Bio filter cartridges work? Can i just put them in or do I have to wait a few days or something before i can put my turtle back in.

Then again, my Top Fin cartridges are chem/bio/mech. What's the difference between the regular cartridges and the BIO 3?

You can put it right in. This covers the different types of media: http://redearslider.com/filtration.html

The things you have to worry about before putting your turtle back in your tank after cleaning are temperature and chlorine. Super high or low temperatures will shock your turtle and stress him out. Chlorine will hurt his skin and cause it to shed excessively.

Biological filtration forms in the weeks following your filter setup. The bacteria are very delicate organisms that live off the bio-waste that your turtle excretes. The count, ranging into the millions and billions, form after a few weeks of settled filter operations in your filter sponges and biological media if you have any installed.

The one I've been using, I just stick in the filter. Do they have to be cycled? I haven't been doing it. My mom said the instructions for the Top Fin filter media doesn't say .