Equipment Review and Discussion :: help with water? filter?

[LaurL55]

Hi. I recently upgraded to a 29gallon tank. I have a fluval 205. I did a 75% water change after 2 weeks because algae had formed and some slime on the heater on the bottom. Then 1 week later more algae came back. There is also white (skin I think that was shed) and debris floating around. The water isn't too bad just stuff floating. I cleaned out the algae and vaccumed some of it out. Am I doing something wrong? Do I need a better filter? Keeping light on too long? I have it on from 7am to 9 pm. Feed turtle 4 pellets every other day and lettuce on off days. ????? Using zilla water conditioner and nutrafin turtle clean in water.

[jwinters]

For turtles you want a filter rated for three times the size of the tank you have them in. So for a 29 gallon you will want a filter rated for a 87+ gallon tank.

[steve]

Do you have enough circulation and surface agitation?

[LaurL55]

Every day I move the filter so the new water comes out on the surface for awhile.

So you think I need a better filter?

[marisa]

Yes, from you're description of the condition of the water, it does sound like you need a more powerful filter.

A change of filter won't help with the algae, however. Is you tank near a window? How long do you leave the lights on? What's the water temp?

Algae will grow back very quickly if it isn't completely removed.

[LaurL55]

I leave the light on from 7am to 9pm. Is that too long? Water is at 78 degrees. Not near a window.

I removed the algae but started growing back again. Also a thin layer of slime keeps forming on the filter and the water heater.

[marisa]

Oops, you did talk about the lighting in your first post. You could cut back a bit on the lighting time and see if that helps. Also lower the water temp a few degrees (in the summer, it's going to be harder to keep that water temp down).

Algae feeds on light, warmth and nutrients in the water. If the filter was doing it's job, the water was clear, and the algae was forming on the edges of the basking area and on the rocks, I'd just leave it. Since slime is developing and there's debris in the water, however, I'd look into a better filter.

[LaurL55]

Ok. Thank you. How low can the water go in degrees? 74? 76?

[mike hill]

J-win When sizing a tank it is not a good idea to use a tank that is rated for fish. Turtles poop a lot more than fish and you should use the gph rating. A turtle tank should be circulated at least 5 times per hour (gph) to keep it clean. I use a 350 gph on a 29 which a little large but does a good job. A little swirl in the water will help the nitrafication process.

[jwinters]

J-win When sizing a tank it is not a good idea to use a tank that is rated for fish. Turtles poop a lot more than fish and you should use the gph rating. A turtle tank should be circulated at least 5 times per hour (gph) to keep it clean. I use a 350 gph on a 29 which a little large but does a good job. A little swirl in the water will help the nitrafication process.

That's why I said LaurL55 should use a filter meant for 3x the size of her tank. Which with a 29 gallon would be 87+ gallons. That usually deals with the amount of waste a turtle creates. Filters with the "turtle" title usually aren't as good since you can get a better filter meant for fish at a similar price. I'm pretty much taking this straight off the site.

[mike hill]

J-win If 87 gph works that is great. It has been my experience that a minimum of 5x the volume is necessary to do the job. The bigger they get the more food they eat, the more they poop and the owner has to buy a larger filter. Good Luck!!

[LaurL55]

Ok. So right now I have a fluval 204. What specific filter do you suggest? The fluval 400 one? Sorry. Not very good with all the calculations. Would love to be told what to get. Really appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

[jwinters]

J-win If 87 gph works that is great. It has been my experience that a minimum of 5x the volume is necessary to do the job. The bigger they get the more food they eat, the more they poop and the owner has to buy a larger filter. Good Luck!!

Not gph, gallons. Filters are rated by gallons. Most of them have a different gph though even if they have the same gallon rating.

[mike hill]

Lau-55 You will have to look up the 204 and get the gph from there. I personally side on, the more the merrier. If I were stuck on Fluval I would go with the 405 which is 300 gph. That is more than 5x but makes a good set up. Good Luck!

[jwinters]

You could always just get the best filter you can afford. Then you might not have to upgrade your filter every time you upgrade your tank. Most of them have a way to adjust the flow too so that you don't end up with a whirlpool for a tank.