If the turtle habitat is already in that stage of contamination then you’d want to use a UV sterilizer to clear the aquarium water. Designed for use in aquatic turtle habitats up to 30 gallons in size, this powerful and energy-efficient filter employs 3 highly effective stages to keep you water clean and your turtles … This is perfect for messy aquarium inhabitants as it prolongs the contact time of water with the responding type of filter pad. What is the best filtration for a 75 gal tank only filled about 1/4 of the way for my 3 month old baby common snapping turtle? The manufacturers made sure you’ll get a long-lasting product by using some kind of very sturdy plastic material. If you’re new to pressurized pond filters you should know that there’s additional equipment to be bought. The two of them have a combined flow rate of around 940 gallons per hour. Again, we already purchased the FX6 — will it be “too much” for my one 5″ diamond back terrapin with the aquarium only 1/2 full or will it be safe for him even in 1/2 tank until we have time… Read more », The flow of the FX6 can be adjusted by the AquaStop valves. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. However, when it comes to middle-sized turtle aquariums you’ll have to choose the Fluval, because of their powerful output pumps. You see that a canister filter claims to turn 440 gallons of water per hour. They can turn at 360 degrees, which is pretty convenient when you’re deciding on your new turtle filter’s place. But doing some proper flowrate testing (link to a forum where some guy actually made the effort) you’ll see that the “real” GPH an Eheim 2262 can sustain is quite lower. Give your turtle pets the clean home tank they deserve and enjoy watching them grow happy, knowing that you did provide them with the best possible filter. This usually results in crystal clear water in the turtle tank, which I like. The good thing is that you’d only have to do it once every couple of months during the turtle filter’s maintenance. For an educated decision you need to know how these units function and what is expected of them when it comes to messy aquatic pets. This canister filter really stands undisputed, though it’s not particularly new to the market. In that case, we’re probably looking at filtering roughly 60 gallons of water. The primary always being the Fluval FX6, because of all the horsepower that it’s housing, plus the overall quality. The Marineland 75-gallon aquarium features distortion-free glass, a glass canopy, LED light and sleek black stand – and it's suitable for freshwater fish, saltwater fish and reptiles. The beginner guide you’re reading now is 100% focused on turtle habitats in home aquariums and I give additional options for the different possible setups so you should likely keep reading here. The best way to maintain 55 gallons of turtle water clean is to have a canister filter with one beast of a pump. There is no spatial restriction, which is seldom seen in the canister filter industry. I mean, my previous recommendation was roughly 5 times the cash and has less GPH. Eheim still holds the first place in longevity, at least in my humble opinion. I will link to a decent video on setting up a Fluval 07 below. Note how he’s saying that with its new one he only needs to clean once every 2 to 3 months compared to the monthly maintenance of his previous 2 units (insane difference in the required maintenance!). Aquatic Turtle Tank Setup with 75 gallon aquarium. Literally, all you could want for a 150-gallon aquarium with aquatic turtles. This device has 350 GPH according to its manufacturers, which will be slightly reduced by the way the water passes through the filter trays. There are shrimps, turtles, crabs and many other creatures other than the fit which can survive in particular aquatic conditions created in the aquarium tank so included. Though it may sound a lot it’s actually just the right amount for this setup. The good thing is that the Eheim 2262 will probably last you 10 or more years with good maintenance, outliving its warranty by a multiple. Copyright 2021 Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. TurtleClean 10 & 20 Replacement Cartridge, Turtle Clean™ 15 Mechanical Filter Sponge, Turtle Clean™ 30 Mechanical Filter Sponge, Turtle Clean™ 50 Fine Mechanical Filter Sponge, Turtle Clean™ 30 Coarse Pre-Filter Sponge, Turtle Clean™ 50 Coarse Pre-Filter Sponge, Turtle Clean™ 75 Fine Mechanical Filter Sponge, Turtle Clean™ 75 Coarse Pre-Filter Sponge, TurtleTherm™ Automatic Preset Aquatic Turtle Heater, Turtle Clean™ 50 External Canister Filter, Turtle Clean™ 15 External Canister Filter, Turtle Clean™ 30 External Canister Filter, Turtle Clean™ 50/75 External Canister Filter Media. Both are among the best if you’d like to have a quality-made filter for your new turtle tank, but it’s obviously better to get the newer generation if you can afford it. The architecture and high-quality parts make sure that you have tons of filter media space and a long-lasting turtle filter. With this (real) number you can be sure that the turtles in your 150-gallon tank would have a clean environment for themselves. You’ll need at least 2 canister filters to properly filtrate your 90-gallon turtle tank. When you combine this with their monstrous pumps you get an adequate and safe level of filtration for messy aquarium inhabitants such as your aquatic turtles. Well done, Fluval. The impeller and the motor are well-built, ensuring thousands of hours of continuous work. The capacity of your turtle tank plays the most important part in your purchase decision for a filter. For a 20-gallon aquatic turtle tank that’s filled to the top you’d want a filter that has at least 160 GPH of turnover power: A durable unit, that’s also easy to install and corresponds to those numbers is the Penn Plax Cascade 700. They will effectively turn the tank’s water around 7 times every single hour. He only had 2 aquatic turtles in it and the rest of it was large fish, but still not enough to fill the bioload capacity of a 200-gallon aquarium. No other turtle filter has been able to offer such media capacity, which allows us to compromise with the x8 Rule and have this filter on very large tanks. Having more filter media is always beneficial in the long run, though I’m sure a 207 will do just fine for a 55-gallon turtle… Read more », Thank you for your quick response Eheim’s only rivals in terms of durability are probably the filters made by Fluval, but more on that later. The engineers also came up with the Aquastop valves, which prevent the water filter from leaking during cleaning and maintenance. I am not an expert in that field, but even my untrained eye (or hand) could tell that the Cascade filters would not break in the foreseeable future after my purchase. But you’ll need a completely different water filter for a 100-gallon tank that only has 50 gallons of water in it. This is the safest way to ensure you won’t end up with green, swamp-like water in the first place. You can find more on that below in my recommendations guide. Plus, it’s a long-term investment as these filters are super durable. However, if you’re seeking a canister filter for a 150+ gallon tank with more than one turtles you’re probably there already. If you spread the price for each consecutive year you’ll be using it you’d see that it actually is the most cost-efficient decision for your turtle aquarium’s needs. If you have more animals, it may be necessary to clean it more often. And that’s about it – three high-end components that result in brand loyalty from everyone that has ever laid their hands upon this canister filter. On its own, it can handle 2/3 of the required GPH for a 150-gallon turtle tank with some very messy creatures inside. It’s just that some of the actions are counterintuitive to a first-timer. That’s the minimum—if you can get a higher gph rate for your money then you should go with it. Canister filters (another major advantage of theirs, in my opinion) are currently the quietest of all other filters available on the market. So 5 gallons of turtle tank water would use a filter no smaller than a filter that is recommended for a 10-gallon tank and so on. By the way, did I mention that you get 6 stages of filtration with the FX6? ExoTerra External Turtle Filter for Aquarium: 2.25 pounds: 5*8*8.6 inches: View on Amazon: Penn Plax Aquarium Cascade Canister Filter: 13.01 pounds: 9.8 *9.8*16.9 inches: View on Amazon: Fluval Canister Filter, FX6 Filter (400 Gal… I’ve then combined that information with the pros and cons of every individual filter that got reviewed above. However, if you have 3+ aquatic turtles, this alone is enough of a reason to scale to a Fluval 406 or a 407 one. 0 0. Are you looking for a great filter … So if you have a very large home tank with turtles and you don’t want to or can’t have a sump – there’s your cash-smart solution. For the latter, something like this comes to mind. Fluval 206 and 207 are very well-built, high-end canister filters and from a technical point of view, there are no flaws to them, really. The instructions are spot on (unlike with Eheim’s products) and very easy to understand. These aquariums come in a wide range of sizes as well as black and oak trim styles. Canister filters are best suited for large tanks. The Eheim aquarium filters are also super quiet when working. They wanted to dominate the market so they ended up manufacturing what’s one of the best canister filters for larger turtle tanks out there. Keep that in mind for when you change the media. The FX6 will be able to handle around 75 gallons of water with its 538 GPH but you’ll need to enhance the overall performance with another filter that has a proclaimed GPH of around 200. Price included, but not by much – … It’s all in the technology they employ – everything is done via tubing and there’s no “air time” for the incoming water stream. The price tag, however, is definitely justified as even a tank of this size with 2 turtles won’t be enough to pollute the water inside with that filter. Being manufactured by the best US parts, the motors of these canister filters provide an excellent level of water filtration and circulation. The only thing I’d consider a con with these Fluval products is the initial setup and priming, as it’s not very newbie-friendly. Most of them will have more than one stage of filtration, in the form of multiple media trays. It’s worth noting that all that comes from the Fluval line is high-end quality and a bit pricier. Another thing I would like to point out with these filters is the sealing. A much better option would be the 1200 Cascade model, which nets you around 315 GPH, or roughly 8 times of hourly water turnover. Canister filters are good. For many reasons, I consider the Eheim 2262 the absolute best canister filter for large aquatic turtles out there. Turtles that are larger than 8 inches in carapace length should be housed in a 75- to 125-gallon tank with a filtration system that can appropriately filter that volume of water. With everything being equal, after a year of not cleaning it, and a cartridge full of media pads the filter reaches a realistic water turnover of 329 GPH. The realistic GPH a filter system, such as Fluval 407, can turn is ridiculously high for its price tag. This bacteria will help trap other bacteria and break down waste trapped in the filter. For a longer, detailed explanation make sure to visit the link. In fact, if you plan on having other big fish, who are usually slow swimmers, in the turtle tank then the incoming stream may be a bit too strong for them. Q: Does the Carbon bag go above or below the ceramic media in the filter chamber?A: The carbon bag should go below the center sponge. Still, they have all the bells and whistles you’d ever want in an aquarium canister filter, plus of course – the durability. Penn-Plax mainly focuses on aquarium … So far I got him a larger tank than he was in .I’m a first time turtle owners did I love him:) Following your recommendation for my 1/2 full 55 gl tank with basking I was just going to purchase the fluval 207 but then noticed fluval 307 … I understand from your article the 207 would be sufficient and406-407 not necessary but I’m curious if the 307 (which wasn’t mentioned)would be more beneficial in the long run ? This is done to artificially increase the advertised flow rate (though technically the number is not untrue). This is yet another reason I only recommend getting a canister filter for your aquatic turtles. So what’s the secret behind the unbeatable long-term success of the Eheim 2262 turtle filters? I can only think of 2, but I will mention one here and save the other for an upper bracket of tank filtration. This is the most … If you plan on upgrading in the near future I would suggest looking into a stronger unit for your turtle aquarium. It’s a healthy level of filtration that minimizes the risk of water contamination and generally leads to a higher quality of life for your aquatic turtle pet. I would like “to coin” the name of the rule here and now. I would recommend buying a Fluval FX6 as your primary filtration system and supplementing it with a secondary, weaker canister filter. Anyway, the architecture of the cartridge makes sense when it comes to everlasting filtration because the build is simple but efficient. This aquarium filter will keep the water crystal clear easily. In that case, you can get away with a Penn Plax Cascade 1500 (350 Gallons Per Hour) or a Penn Plax Cascade 1200 with 315 GPH. That being said, here are the best filters for clean aquatic turtle tanks: Click to compare pricing + see MORE photos of this product at: Ever since their German manufacturers dropped them on the market the Eheim Classic canister filters have had a solid reputation among aquarium keepers. The enormous amount of space for filter media will reduce the need for cleaning to once every 4 to 6 months, even with messy turtles. In that case, a single Aqueon QuietFlow 400 would do. Aquanswers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates and other affiliate advertising programs, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or other websites of the like. Submersible Filters … I’ve found that the Aqueon QuietFlow filters have the strongest motors for this price bracket. Also, with such a huge media basket you won’t need to change the filter pads for months to come. This filter operates quietly, which is impressive for the GPH provided. The UV light mercilessly bombards the DNA of the microalgae and prevents further multiplying. Now, let’s make a quick reference to the “x8 Rule”. Imagine the messiest 10-inch long Oscar (a semi-large aquarium fish) that feeds on live fish only and produces mad waste all over the aquarium. The XtremepowerUS is one of the best water filters for very large domestic turtle tanks. The tubing is longer than with your usual canister filter, which allows more flexibility with positioning. They take advantage of the spare nutrients in the water, which makes them multiply aggressively. I did link to the 407 Series filter model, however, you can still go for the older 406 version. The canister filters I’m reviewing here provide immense space for filtering media. Another thing that I never see taken under consideration in those other guides online is the setup of the turtle tank’s owner. Looking after long-living creatures such as the aquatic turtles implies that the best ROI (return on investment) will be achieved by thinking in the long run. Here are the best filters according to a turtle tank’s gallon capacity: The water filters that would work best on a 20-gallon turtle tank are: To filter a 20-gallon turtle tank you’d want a water turnover of between 6 and 8 times. Though based and calculated on the advertised flow rate, it makes sure that the real number of hourly water cycling will be enough to handle all the turtle waste. Anyway, Fluval’s magnificence doesn’t stop here. Here’s why canister filters are superior and a preferred choice for turtle habitats: Canister aquarium filters are made of relatively large cartridges that can hold a ton more filter media than a regular HOB filter. Here’s a video of a fellow turtle keeper that has actually replaced 2 filters with a single FX6 and he’s housing 3 aquatic turtles and 2 pretty large goldfish in his 75-gallon aquarium. Again, you also benefit from the brand name, as Eheim are known for their durability and quiet workflow. The powerful Fluval external filter boasts an impressive 383 GPH flow rate in a 3-stage filtering system suitable for… Marineland C-530 Canister Filter. As a supplementary filter here I would still advise getting an Aqueon QuietFlow 400 though, as in my above recommendation. This is very important, especially in turtle tanks, because they get polluted very quickly and timely water treatment is essential. although… Read more », Hi, Laurene Hope you and Alfred are fine! If your 100-gallon turtle tank is not filled all the way up with water, because you were kind enough to provide your turtles with a basking space, then you’d need a total of 400 GPH as means of filtration. I adopted a turtle (Alfred) he’s 7 yrs old . LLYT here and bringing you my updated turtle tank setup! Buying one now will save you tons of money in the future. Having to consider flow rates, tank dimensions and whatnot can be exhausting. This is not a real term, and I just made it up for the sake of the argument, but let me explain. They are also external in nature and are placed beneath the tank, in your stand’s cabinet. It revolves more around fish tanks, but I’ve taken into consideration lightly-stocked turtle tanks as well. For turtle tanks there are 3 setups that influence the pick of an appropriate filter: As you can see these are different quantities of water to be filtered. And it’s also the best canister filter to use on a large turtle tank with 150 gallons of volume or more. I did list them as #1 in my “silent filters” reviews, to which I placed a link earlier in this article (under the Noise section in the beginner’s guide). You’ll get to play with various filter media, as Fluval’s 406 and 407 models have so much space for that. The whole purpose of this guide could probably be summarized as “Never underestimate the mess an aquatic turtle can make”, so there’s that. You can read more about which tank size it fits best in my recommendations guide below the reviews section. It’s one of the reasons I keep recommending the thing . Anonymous. A turtle tank filter … In the fishkeeping world, the rule is set at around 6 water cycles per hour, but for overstocked tanks or turtle inhabited tanks, it rises to 8 times (sometimes plus…). By the way, Eheim also made sure that your electricity bills won’t skyrocket once you plug in their product. Amount of Filtering Media. Eheim has a filter that’s actually better than Fluval’s top performer and it’s the 2262 model. Its dimension is about 72 inches in length, 23.50 inches high. I crafted a separate guide reviewing the quietest canister filters on the market because I’m well aware that there are light sleepers among us. For example, if you have a 55-gallon tank, get a filter that is suitable for a 110-160 gallon aquarium. Austin's Turtle Page - Main Care Site Turtle Information General Turtle Information Articles US State Laws Basic Turtle Care Turtle Care Basic Turtle Care ... 75 gallon equipment … That actually makes sense as these have half the power of the 407. Not the easiest thing to push, but it definitely eliminates the annoying manual priming. This will leave you with around 7 times of water turnover per hour. Also, it should be noted that if you’re having other monsters inside of your 125 gallons, you’ll need even more filtration to be able to provide an adequate living environment for them. Another thing you’d want to pay attention to is the physical gunk that will build up in your filter’s media. It’s called filter floss. A beginner would find the installation process very easy and straightforward which is a big plus, given how complicated things can get with canister filters. These filters are NOT made of regular plastic which contributes to the overall durability. This is quite important if you appreciate in-tank aesthetics. However, I don’t recommend letting the filter’s water sterilizer work 24/7 as it does seem a bit unreliable and a replacement bulb is hard to come by for this model. Choosing an external filter … Combines mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. Assuming you left around 50% of the 90 gallons empty, you’d want to only filter around 45 gallons of aquarium water volume. In Aquanswers, Momchil shares knowledge about freshwater and saltwater home aquariums with the people from his community. Weight: 30.5 pounds. Let’s not forget the level of customization you get with it. When you purchase an Eheim Classic canister filter you’re essentially claiming that you’re serious about your pet’s aquarium filtration. The best filter choices for a 55-gallon turtle aquarium are as follows: If you’re planning to have a 55-gallon tank I can bet that you’ll have at least 2 middle-sized juvenile turtles in it, who will generate plenty of waste. However, applying them in accordance with your aquarium’s size and gallon capacity is a whole different story. The more hobbyists who learn about the “x8 Rule” and remember it that way – the better for the health of their turtle pets. There are two options here – a tank with a basking area that’s half-full (has around 10 gallons of water) or one that has been filled to the top: A good option to filter a half-full 20-gallon tank with a messy aquatic turtle in it would be the Eheim 2211, which has a maximum water turnover rate of around 60 gallons per hour. For a 200-gallon or larger turtle tank, perhaps canister filters won’t be enough. From what I’ve seen the Eheim 2262 filters outperform even the FX6 but do come with a higher price tag. The cartridge is huge and as you can imagine, when it’s filled with water and used filter media it wouldn’t exactly pass as light. You could always get two of these canister filters and call it a day, but that’s not something everyone can afford. The body of the Aqueon QuietFlow is very robust and the filter operates very quietly once it is primed. The only con of this product is the higher initial investment, as it’s not something that everyone can afford right out of their pocket. These canister filters have optimized power consumption, which can be a dealbreaker for aquatic turtle pet owners in the long-run. We carry a full line of aquatic turtle filters, pumps & powerheads! So given all the personal circumstances, what’s the best and most efficient filter for aquatic turtle tanks and how to choose yours? Anyhow, a real con of this monstrous canister filter that I would like to discuss is that it’s heavy. This pressure filter has its own backflush feature which is used for internal cleaning. Well, now multiply that by 2 and you’ll understand how turtles can be. Let’s suppose your red-eared slider lives in a 55-gallon tank setup. Warranty: 1-year warranty. The aquarium’s water will remain crystal clear and well-circulated, thanks to a powerful motor impeller, that also happen to work quietly. This automatically classifies it as one of the strongest canister filters, which makes it an ideal choice for large turtle tanks. Anyway, I would get my turtle tank a Fluval canister filter if I was willing to pay a bit more, but also appreciated a sturdy build with quality parts and long-lasting results. Combines mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. It will provide a healthy filtration of around 8-ish full water cycles per hour. For a fully-filled aquarium, this canister would probably be the Fluval 406 or its cousin, the 407, as they have the same GPH turnover. Hang-on-back aquarium filters usually won't work for a turtle tank unless the tank has a filter cutout, which many turtle tanks do. Source(s): filter 75 gallon turtle tank 3 res turtles it: https://tr.im/muyuy. For example, if you have a 300-gallon turtle aquarium you’d want a GPH of 2400 for the pump. You can visit the second link where I discuss the thing in detail. These units are ideal for larger turtle habitats. Well, it actually has a maximum estimated flow rate of 185 gallons per hour, which is even better. Anyhow, whenever you clean the cartridge of this turtle filter, make sure that the rubber seal ring sits still at the bottom before closing the lid. I recommend getting this unit for very large aquariums with more than one aquatic turtles in it. In a smaller turtle tank, any imbalance in the water parameters can affect its inhabitants way faster than in larger volumes of water. I will let you know what decide and I will definitely revisit your ideas on media after I get through the first hurtle! The first will spin the water for a maximum of 6 times per hour, but that’s with 0 decor and almost no filter media to slow the circulation down. I recommend considering the Fluval FX6 as your main filtration system and the Aqueon QuietFlow 400 as a secondary one. Check out our 75-gallon fish tank at PetSmart. One thing that you should probably be prepared for is the way you’ll set this filter up. 75 gallon Turtle Tank w/Fluval FX6 Filter Sponge Bob theme Turtle Or you could get away with an internal HOB filtering system? When it comes to turtle filtration you can never have too much… Usually, bigger is better. I would rate these filters at 9/10 because of the priming issue. My experience has been that this unit is hotly recommended if you’re in the large turtle aquarium game. For this reason, the hobby generally agreed upon the “x8 rule”. Knowing all the strengths and weaknesses of each particular model and brand is one thing. The power of the output pump would be nothing without a decent amount of mechanical, biological, and chemical barriers for all the nasties that get circulated in the turtle aquarium. You’d have to use your own tubing (the hardware store is your friend) and you’d also need a separate pond pump. With turtles, you’d want to emphasize the biological and mechanical filtration. It’s one thing to filter a 100-gallon turtle tank that’s filled to the top. This allows for a lot of biological and mechanical filtration in even a very large turtle tank. This way you’ll be able to upgrade turtle tanks when your pet turtles outgrow the available space without worrying about a new water filter. If you are providing a full-blown underwater experience for your aquatic turtle pets I can recommend that you consider getting a Fluval 206 or 207 as your filter of choice. Just make sure to check that out for an easier decision. Q: How often should I change the sponge(s)?A: The sponge(s) can be rinsed monthly but only need to be changed if they cannot be cleaned or if they start to break down. It will take my husband some time to construct an above tank basking area, at which time we’ll go full tank. Along with that, you’ll also benefit from a very large space for filter media that you can stuff with biological filtration. It is also larger and capable of holding around 35% more filter media. Anyway, if your 55-gallon aquarium has a basking ramp of some sort and is not entirely full of water, I can recommend the Fluval 206 or 207. A good idea here would be a DIY sump or a pressurized pond filter. Another thing I would like to mention about these turtle tank filters is that their architecture allows for the least reduction in flow rate after all the media has been introduced in the trays. Logically, the 206 and the 207 models are also pricier than the Cascade, so just let your budget decide here. Mind that this is not the same as the GPH rating of the filter itself, but rather its pump. If you have just 2 turtles and some not-very-messy fish it may be enough. And with bigger turtle tanks, filtration is not to be compromised with. The Penn Plax Cascade filters come in a wide variety of sizes, which combined with their price point, makes them one of the best choices for maintaining a clean tank habitat for aquatic pet turtles. This filter is affordable and provides champion-like filtration for the money, hence me recommending it for a turtle aquarium. Not everyone can endure the splashing sound HOB filters make when working. Advantages: Click to see the current price + MORE photos on Amazon. The FX6 and FX4 canister filters are among the best choices for a decently stocked larger turtle tank. Fluval’s FX canister filter series are their attempt at that and let me tell you, they did a pretty good job.