Long-lived, responsive and intelligent, Red-Eared Sliders and similar turtles are among the most popular of reptile pets.  However, aquatic turtles feed in water and are quite messy about it, and produce a great deal of waste.  Keeping their water clear and odor-free, and in a state that promotes good health, is a challenge faced by all turtle-keepers.  Today I’ll review some filters that are especially designed for use with aquatic turtles and other reptiles and amphibians; you can view other available models here. Your turtle’s natural history and feeding behavior will greatly influence the type of filter that should be used, so be sure to research these topics before making your selection.  For example, Spotted Turtles will be stressed by fast currents, Soft-shelled Turtles will kick sand about and dislodge intake tubes, the carapaces of Pig-Nosed Turtles are prone to bacterial attack in highly-oxygenated waters, and so on.  Please write in if you need help in selecting a filter.

You can greatly ease the burden on your filter by habituating your turtle to feeding in a separate container, outside of its home aquarium.  Please see the article below for details. Always leave a bit of old material in your filter when changing carbon or filter pads, so that beneficial aerobic bacteria will seed the new filter medium. The considerations below apply to aquatic frogs, newts, lizards and other creatures as well; please write in for further information on the species in your collection. Zoo Med Turtle Clean Canister Filter This is my favorite choice in many situations, and is the most powerful filter designed specifically for turtles.  Resembling a fish canister filter in general form, it has chambers for carbon, filter pads and aerobic bacteria colonies, and is simple to clean.  It is placed next to (not below) the tank, operates in as little as 2 inches of water, and can be used to create a waterfall effect.  The largest model can handle tanks of up to 60 gallons in capacity.

Supreme Ovation Submersible Power Jet Filter The original model of this filter was the first submersible pump/filter combination available in theUSA, and it remains my favorite.  The first that I purchased operated continuously, under great strain, for nearly 20 years! Today’s models are extremely powerful, and are equipped with a movable outlet tube and a spray bar so that strong currents can be avoided if necessary (i.e. for hatchlings).  fish tank filter pipeThe Supreme Ovation 1000 pushes 265 gallons per minute, yet is compact and easy to service.fish tank filter rena I’m particularly fond of the powerful suction cups attached to all Ovation Filters.  fish tank filter safetyThis tiny detail is extremely important but frequently overlooked…turtles often “insist” on detaching lesser filters, which can lead to injuries and motor burnout.fish tank filter south africa

Hagen Turtle Cliff Filter This unique product is actually a basking site, waterfall and powerful filter (to 96 gpm) rolled into one.  Resembling a rock in appearance, the Cliff Filter is a real space saver and great for use with frogs and newts as well as turtles. Tetra Whisper In-Tank Filter The Tetra In-Tank Filter hangs from the side of the aquarium, but mounts inside the tank rather than outside as do older models.  fish tank filter snapdealThis makes it an ideal choice where tanks are backed up against walls or one-another.fish tank filter system design I like the fact that the convenient filter cartridges are changed from the top, without the need to open or even move the filter box. fish tank filter sydney

It can operate in low water (2 inches) or a full tank, and so is suitable for use with a wide variety of turtles. Hard core turtle enthusiasts will no doubt run into situations that are not addressed above.  For example, adult Common and Alligator Snappers will require huge tanks or ponds equipped with pool filters, while planted aquariums housing groups of Bog Turtles or other small species might best be served by Fluidized Bed Filters.fish tank filter turning green Please see our line of 150+ Aquarium and Pond Filters for other options.fish tank filter with uv light Turtle Aquarium Water Qualityfish tank filter weak C insculpta image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Dawsonfish tank filter wheel

Scraping muck and slime from the side of a tank, and continually cloudy water, annoys many fish owners.But now a young designer has created a fish tank that she claims never needs cleaning, the water never needs changing, and owners can save money bu never needing to replace the filter. The spherical tank only requires an owner to top up the water occasionally – and to feed the fish.fish tank filters marine Cleaning up: A young designer has created a fish tank that she claims never needs cleaning, the water changing, or a new filter. fish tank filter noisy bubblesThe spherical tank, called Avo, (pictured) only requires an owner to top up the water occasionally – and to feed the fish.fish tank filter priming

Suzy Shelley, a graduate from Loughborough University, created the 15-litre tank, which is fitted with technology that enables fish, plants and bacteria 'to work together to create a balanced ecosystem'.The tank, called Avo, has a self-cleaning filter that ‘never needs replacing’.A continually-moving bed recycles older bacteria into plant food, creating space for new bacteria to grow.‘fish tank filter stopped bubblingHarmful ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are naturally removed from the water, meaning the water never needs changing,’ according to the company, called Noux.fish tank filter too slow Crystal clear: A continually-moving bed recycles older bacteria into plant food, creating space for new bacteria to grow. fish tank gravel 20kg

‘Harmful ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are naturally removed from the water, meaning the water never needs changing,’ according to the company, called Noux. The process is illustrated A bright idea: Avo features smart LED lighting that is optimised for plant photosynthesis and growth, which leads to clear water. It glows red in the morning, white during the day, and blue at night to look pretty in a room The plants and bacteria work together to create a balanced micro-ecosystem. fish tank gravel cleaner vacuumThe harmful ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are removed from the water meaning the water never needs changing.fish tank gravel hooverThe filtration system is natural and self-maintaining, comprising a moving bed that doesn’t need cleaning. fish tank gravel manchester

When there is too much light, fish tanks get algae. Avo's lighting is plant-specific, providing the wavelengths that the plants need to photosynthesise and grow, making sure they are cleaning the water efficiently. It produces wavelengths of light that our human eyes can't detect.The light moves around the tank and is magnetic, so can be detached to access the fish and plants easily. fish tank gravel typesWater is heated at 27°C (80.6°F) - the perfect temperature for tropical fish. fish tank gravel to sandThe heating elements are positioned to create convection currents which help the nutrients reach the roots of plants.fish tank gravel pets at homeSeven plant pots slot into place in the filter system to make them easy for owners to lift out and trim. fish tank gravel purple

The tank holds three-and-a-half gallons of water (15 litres). It is available to pre-order from £150 ($242). Avo features smart LED lighting that is optimised for plant photosynthesis and growth, which leads to clear water.The lighting is soft red in the morning, white during the day, and blue in the evening.The tank is designed for tropical fish with a constant water temperature of  27°C (80.6°F).fish tank gravel petcoThe plants are housed in seven trays so they can be easily maintained and moved around to change the look of the tank. fish tank gravel greenIt has taken Ms Shelley over four years to develop the tank, which is now raising funds on crowd funding website, Kickstarter.Avo can be pre-ordered from £150 ($242) plus shipping and the tank is due to be shipped in July next year.goldfish tank gravel

So far, £45,000 ($72,669) has been raised out of her £60,000 ($96,892) goal, with 52 days to go.‘I've always kept fish and it was a steep learning curve in the early days - trying to maintain a tank properly, making sure my fish were healthy and had a clean tank,’ Ms Shelley said.‘Fish keeping isn't as easy most people think…there's important bacteria in the tank that need to be maintained, plus there's the weekly water changes and smelly filter cleaning needed to maintain a healthy tank,’ she wrote on Avo’s Kickstarter page.‘fish tank gravel gumtreeI decided I'd design something that takes the stress out of keeping tropical fish and makes fish keeping simple, beautiful and above all enjoyable.‘fish tank gravel bulkAvo is packed full of technology and clever design features that make it really, really easy to keep fish.’fish tank gravel fungus