All Turtles Message Board

I-LOVE-TURTLES · Level 3 Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 265 Location: My House

Okay, so i got 2 turtles 2 days ago and they stink so bad! i have 1 filter is it just because i have one filter? or what?
Thanx
Kayti
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3 very funny dachshunds!
1 odd RES

MinisMommy · Level 3 Joined: 06 Jun 2007 Posts: 103

get a carbon pad for your filter

2turtles · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:58 pm Post subject:

Most likely it's poor or improper filtration. The smell is probably from decaying organic matter (i.e. left over food, poop, etc)

What is your setup, filter, etc... any pics?
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0.0.2 Emydura subglobosa subglobosa----0.0.1 Testudo hermanni boettgeri

I-LOVE-TURTLES · Level 3 Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 265 Location: My House

Here is a pic of the setup

If you need a better pic just say so. Very Happy

I don't know what the filter is called.SORRY
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3 very funny dachshunds!
1 odd RES

2turtles · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:28 am Post subject:

Is that a 55 gallon tank? If so your filter is wayyyyyyy waaaaaaayyyy wwwwwaaaaaaayyyyyyy too small Wink

..

That is the source of your problems.

My preference is to have a filter that will flow 5 - 6x the tank capacity per hour.. So for a 55 gallon, filled to about what you have it filled to (we will assume it is 40 gallons), you would want a filter that pumps 230gallons per hour or so.

For example, I have a fully filled 75 gallon tank, and I use TWO Cascade canister filters which flow 265gph and 115gph respectively, for a total of 380gph or right at 5x capacity..

On another 47gal tank with approx 40 gallons of water, I have a filter that flows 265gph, or over 6.5x the capacity per hour!

And on the small 10gal with approx 8 gal of water, I am filtering a whopping 300gph!

I have no smell with all three tanks in the same room

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1.0.0 Trachemys scripta scripta----1.0.1 Chrysemys picta picta
0.0.2 Emydura subglobosa subglobosa----0.0.1 Testudo hermanni boettgeri

2turtles · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:34 am Post subject:

and your heater needs to be fully submerged.. It can crack and cause catastrophic problems with it half sticking out of the water.

Also, in my larger tank, I have a small power head pump on the bottom of the tank flowing across the bottom to stir sediment and debris up so the filter inlets can grab it. With your large quantity of river rocks on the bottom, there is a large amount of decaying organic matter mixed in there that will also add to the smell.

So, to clean things up I would drastically reduce the river rocks. to an amount just barely able to cover the bottom, or maybe even half that much. Get a power head to create a current across the bottom of the tank. Upgrade your filter dramatically.

Then I would start to consider an above tank basking area, and fill the tank up further.

How often do you do water changes? I'm SURE your water quality is very poor because of the rocks and the small filter.
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1.0.0 Trachemys scripta scripta----1.0.1 Chrysemys picta picta
0.0.2 Emydura subglobosa subglobosa----0.0.1 Testudo hermanni boettgeri

I-LOVE-TURTLES · Level 3 Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 265 Location: My House

My filter is an AquaClear70 and a 55 gallon tank. My mom just fixed the heater also. More Advice PLEASE! I'm a beginner in Turtles. Thanx!
Kayti
_________________
3 very funny dachshunds!
1 odd RES

2turtles · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject:

So that filter is rated for 30 - 70 gallons.

I-LOVE-TURTLES · Level 3 Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 265 Location: My House

They guy that i bought the turts and tank from said he had them for about 3-4 yrs... so no i don't think it is new. my mom has been looking for a filter. What is a good filter??? i don't think mine is the best of the best. How can you tell if it is at full rate??? Do you think if i take out some of the rocks than that would cut down on some of the smell???

Kayti
_________________
3 very funny dachshunds!
1 odd RES

2turtles · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject:

Yes, I think taking some off the rock out would help because they will trap decaying organic matter that will smell.

You can look on eBay, but there are several good brands - it all depends on how nice it has to look, and how much you want to spend.

You purchased the turtles, tank, stand, filter, etc... from the same person? Did you see the condition of the setup before? was the water clean or was it dingy?

If you browse any petstore, you will see the canister filters - they range from $100 to $400 or so
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1.0.0 Trachemys scripta scripta----1.0.1 Chrysemys picta picta
0.0.2 Emydura subglobosa subglobosa----0.0.1 Testudo hermanni boettgeri

I-LOVE-TURTLES · Level 3 Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 265 Location: My House

yeah the water was clean but he just cleaned it. So no i didn't get to see if it was dingy or not.
Kayti
_________________
3 very funny dachshunds!
1 odd RES