Why. (filtration and ammonia issues)

Yellow Turtle01

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I am so frustrated! My filter burnt out.
Fill in time- after my last thread concerning the super ammonia issues, I split up my big turtles. Right now the situation is NOT ideal, and I now it, I'm trying to make things better for them! My girl YBS and RES are llving int ehi]]r respective ZOOMed Turtles Tubs I have leftover from egg time. My male is an a kiddie pool. They all have little 80gal and - filters, and they stay cleaner for about two weeks. (I haven't seem any ammonia! Which is good :)!) A TurlteClean filter, a Whisper filter, and a little mini Fluval. The Fluval BURNT OUT. I'm really upset! This was my best extra filter, it worked great! What I do not understand is- this was a very new filter. Year tops. I had this filter with my big guys outside in the beginning. Big job, and it worked fine. THere is nothing that could clog it. I have rocks for my girsl land compartment (was my YBSs filter) and I scoop out their extra food and debris every day! I did a thorough cleaning, and tried again. DEAD
And wait, there's more! The Whisper just quit tonight! I cleaned it out, and it started again, and it sounded so TERRIBLE. I want to chuck it so I don't kill the thing, but then I would have two turtles without filters.
It has officially become too cold for them to be outdoors, so no pond right now! What do I do??? Really bummed out, I though separation would fix this until next spring, when they'll be moving out FOR GOOD, when I'm able to throw together a thing outside for the time being until I can build something more permanent.
What do I do?? This winter is going to seem soooooooooo LONG!!
Sum it up- :mad::mad::mad:
 

ZEROPILOT

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Yellow, is there an impeller unit you can remove and clean? An electro magnet spins the impeller in almost all filters and they can and do get algae and other junk in them. The problem is...if they jam up they quickly overheat and distort the tube that the impeller spins in and start to rattle. The noise could also be trapped air "cavitation", or some dirt or gravely substance in the impeller area.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Yellow, is there an impeller unit you can remove and clean? An electro magnet spins the impeller in almost all filters and they can and do get algae and other junk in them. The problem is...if they jam up they quickly overheat and distort the tube that the impeller spins in and start to rattle. The noise could also be trapped air "cavitation", or some dirt or gravely substance in the impeller area.
Well, the filter looks a bit like this- upload_2014-10-6_12-39-48.jpeg - and the bottom has a little seam, but it's well secured :( I can see the impeller inside, but I can't get to it!
It sounds slightly better today, but it's not cleaning well and the bottom side where the motor is is very hot, like it's working too hard.(like you said)
 

JAYGEE

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there has to be a way to get to it. I have never used this type of filter but every filter should have a way to get to the impeller
 

Yellow Turtle01

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there has to be a way to get to it. I have never used this type of filter but every filter should have a way to get to the impeller
I don't want to damage it (yeah right) but the bottom might slide off if I yank on it?? What would I do if I could get to it? I don't know about the innerworkings of a filter :(
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Alright, so I found a hatch on the back (which wobbled off) and I took the impeller out. It was kind of 'chunky' if you know what I mean, so I cleaned it twirled around the blades to move it a little more, and stuck it back in, and turned the filter on. It still sounds terrible?? :(
I think I put the impeller back in correctly, and obviously the cleaning helped, because the waterfall flow is a lot smoother now...
 

AmRoKo

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Have you considered making your own filter? there are youtube videos and instructions on the interwebz on how to and you end up making a filter that is sooo much more powerful than anything you can already buy made. Only problem is your not gonna want to have it in a room where you plan on sleeping Lol.
 

AmRoKo

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Here's a DIY I like - http://reptileapartment.ca/diy-aquatic-turtle-filter-system-yes-you-can-build-it/

There's quite a few youtube videos but the people talking in them are just really annoying to me for some reason that's why I didn't provide a link here lol. But just go to youtube and type in different stuff like DIY turtle filter/how to turtle filter/how to skippy filter/how to canister filter. Stuff like that, there's lots of videos there so just find one you can withstand watching long enough. Also when you get the stuff to build most of the money is going to be put to what pump you get (your gonna want to get a good one turtles make a LOT of waste as you probably have already figured out lol), everything else will probably cost around 20$/30$. :)
 

Yellow Turtle01

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I just watched one by DIY Aquanotics (or something like that) and it's seems very simple! Yup, they create a lot of 'that stuff' :eek:
I could easily find a circulation pump, and it's seems like a DIY filter would be wayyyyy cheaper to make than to just buy! I'll have to look for filter media in bulk or something...
 

AmRoKo

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You can get all the filter media in bulk at a dollar general! :p

Oh and you can get a big bag of polyester fiber from walmart. :D

Well also there's the chemical filtration media (carbon and such) that you may need for the first few weeks. :)
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Hmm, seems an odd place to get it! :p I watched a video that suggests kitchen srucbbies (something like brillo pads) because they trap 'gunk' well. o_O
 

AmRoKo

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Hmm, seems an odd place to get it! :p I watched a video that suggests kitchen srucbbies (something like brillo pads) because they trap 'gunk' well. o_O

Yeah you can get those at the dollar store and all sorts of different sponges. GO CRAZY! Lol! :D
 

Randi

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I used the Tetra Whisper for a month. It broke. There are screws holding the base to it. You must unscrew these to have access to the inside.

I use Aqueon submersible filters. I fill them up with my own media and sponges. I currently have three going in my Reeves tank. I tried a fluval but didn't like it. You can add a sponge filter that sits in the tank - it's a round sponge that filters water and you would never touch it unless the sponge is becoming soft. This way, you can continue a normal routine and not have to worry about losing good bacteria. It also aerates the tank.

Ammonia starts to show up in a tank when the beneficial bacteria is too low. Good bacteria eats away at ammonia. Once you touch a filter cartridge and wash it you strip away that bacteria. Do water changes as normal. Purchase a media that saves the good bacteria. That way when you're cleaning your filters, you still have good bacteria. You wouldn't wash that media. It is recommended to change water one week and to do filters another. Always rinse the media in tank water before putting it back as it will get rid of the debris but keep the bacteria. You can always purchase the bacteria and dump in a whole bottle. It will drastically help with ammonia. Also, not leaving food or anything that's decaying will help with ammonia.
 
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CourtneyG

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I have a bio wheel filter that has been going strong for 16 years now in my tank. But making your own filter is easy, have done that before my self.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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I used the Tetra Whisper for a month. It broke. There are screws holding the base to it. You must unscrew these to have access to the inside.

I use Aqueon submersible filters. I fill them up with my own media and sponges. I currently have three going in my Reeves tank. I tried a fluval but didn't like it. You can add a sponge filter that sits in the tank - it's a round sponge that filters water and you would never touch it unless the sponge is becoming soft. This way, you can continue a normal routine and not have to worry about losing good bacteria. It also aerates the tank.

Ammonia starts to show up in a tank when the beneficial bacteria is too low. Good bacteria eats away at ammonia. Once you touch a filter cartridge and wash it you strip away that bacteria. Do water changes as normal. Purchase a media that saves the good bacteria. That way when you're cleaning your filters, you still have good bacteria. You wouldn't wash that media. It is recommended to change water one week and to do filters another. Always rinse the media in tank water before putting it back as it will get rid of the debris but keep the bacteria. You can always purchase the bacteria and dump in a whole bottle. It will drastically help with ammonia. Also, not leaving food or anything that's decaying will help with ammonia.
I cleaned it out real nice, which helped the circulation a little, but it doesn't do much for cleaner water, I think it's just meant for fish! :(
I change the water from their tubs about every two weeks, because that's when it starts to become brown (with ammonia!)
Where could I get one? Do you mean a sea-sponge like sponge?
I scoop out all leftover poop and food and flush down the toilet, it does help a little.
I have bought good bacteria in a bottle, when all three were still in a glass 180gal tank together, but I'm pretty sure it just made it worse, as the water was only a mild tan before, than it was straight up tea color! :(
 

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