Top Rated Turtle Filter Tank – Reviews & Guide
This web page is your information resource for the best turtle tank filter. For those who can’t do their own research, let us fill your need for exact particulars via this brief paragraph. To find the best among the lot, we at Dr. Fox compared products based on value and quality. Thanks to that, we have found what is a top consumer favorite as of this writing, the Exo Terra Flo 250. Suitable for terrariums and aqua-terrariums, this device provides a good fusion of mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration to keep your pet safe and healthy in a natural habitat. The water flow adjuster and airflow control device enable easy adjustments to the ideal settings for your pet to thrive. If the easy-to-use Exo Terra Flo 250 PT3610 is not readily available, go for the Tetra 25905, the second best option.
Comparison table
This 3-stage submersible multi-purpose filter combines biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration, making it an efficient device that also comes at an affordable price point. It is also easy to maintain and set up even for new owners. It appears that this model is built to handle smaller tanks. Customers reported that is has difficulties with tanks larger than 30 gallons. The Exo Terra alternative is a great purchase for users that have a small tank and want an affordable and quality purchase. The easy set-up and effortless maintenance are the two features customers love the most. The great thing about this filter is that it plays both a practical and aesthetical role. The combination of filtration and decoration makes it ideal for turtle, frog, or newt tanks. Once installed, it will create a beautiful waterfall that both you and your pet will enjoy. Since this model employs a waterfall design, it can be quite bulky. It might not fit in smaller tanks since it can eat up a lot of room. Overall, the Tetra 25905 is an innovative filtration system that will both help decorate your tank and keep it clean and perfectly suited to house your turtle. The bio bags can be easily replaced to keep the water clean. This nifty filter is built to be easy to set up in glass aquariums that have a capacity of 20 to 55 gallons. This model too features a beautiful design that makes it the perfect environment for aquatic turtles. It can also be used for numerous species of reptiles and fish. It seems that the plastic casing of this filter is rather thin so you should be careful how you maneuver it when you take it out of the tank. Apart from the high performance and great look of this model, customers also love the fact that it can house a diverse group of pets, making it an ideal purchase for people that own more than one type of aquatic animals.
Our Top Choice 
2nd Best
Also To Consider
5 Best Tank Filters for Turtles (Reviews) in 2021
These products are worth a second look, in our opinion. It is apparent that they are popular choices for consumers, so you would do well to give them a try. They provide a safe and healthy environment for your pet to thrive, aside from giving value for the cash you spend.
1. Exo Terra RC Hagen PT3610 Flo 250
The Exo Terra Flo 250 PT3610 is a three-stage submersible, multi-purpose model that blends chemical, biological, and mechanical filtration.
Solid items such as uneaten food and dirt are strained out through mechanical means. With chemical filtration, the elements that make the water smell bad are removed.
The friendly bacteria growing on the filter media comes with the extreme porousness that provides a large surface area for every unit of volume to handle both aerobic and anaerobic denitrifying bacteria compared to other kinds of bio-media. Through biological filtration, the level of nitrate creep is reduced. This means the tank water won’t have to be changed too frequently.
The water flow adjuster offers a sufficient flow rate to turn the water in the tank multiple times so your pet is protected from accumulated wastes and toxins, as turtles can be quite messy. The airflow control adjuster keeps the air quality in the tank at the proper levels for your pet to thrive.
Pros
Easy to setup and use, this turtle tank filter provides an adequate flow rate via the water flow adjuster to ensure your pet leverages freshly turned water to stay healthy.
Thanks to the three-stage submersible, multi-purpose design, a good combination of mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration moves impurities from the tank water while ensuring that turtle-friendly elements remain, such as good bacteria.
The device is quite easy to maintain in a terrarium or aqua-terrarium thanks to both the water flow adjuster and the airflow control device.
This is definitely a good-quality water filtration system that comes with an effective flow control along with a large filter volume.
Considering how the 90-degree swivel spout controls flow output and how the 180-degree spout connects the tubing, this filter helps reduce water changes so you can enjoy being a pet owner.
Cons
One thing that requires some degree of work on the unit is replacing the carbon filter, which needs to be carefully handled to prevent cutting the finger.
2. Tetra 25905 Decorative Reptile Filter for Aquariums
Suitable for aquariums up to 55 gallons, the Tetra 25905 is engineered with an innovative combination of filtration and decoration that any pet owner would love to have in the home. Frogs, newts, and turtles make nice pets, but they can be quite messy despite their generally small size. With this device, you can easily create a nice area for your pet to bask in and have a great waterfall spot as well.
The built-in, three-stage, Whisper filtration easily replaces bib bags while keeping the water clear and free from odors. To prevent clogging of the unit, it features large intake holes. Your pet is kept away from the filtration area itself thanks to the locking cover, which is also a great spot for the animal to bask on.
This decorative unit comes with a natural stone design that enables it to easily blend with other vegetation and rocks in the environment without compromising on filtration performance and overall functionality.
Pros
Because this model combines a decorative appeal and good filtration, it allows you to keep a newt, frog, or turtle as a pet without stressing out about its habitat and maintenance.
Considering how this model creates a beautiful waterfall instantly and provides a natural spot for your pet to bask on, it is more than just a tool to clean the pet tank with.
Since it is capable of reducing the frequency of water changes, this unit is suitable for aquariums having a total volume of 55 gallons.
With the integrated three-stage Whisper filtration, the water stays clear and free from unpleasant odors due to the quickly replaceable Bio Bags.
Aside from serving as an effective basking area, the locking cover ensures that your pet doesn’t get caught in the filtration area.
Cons
While the fountain is a cool feature with its nice and quiet design, it is quite bulky, so it eats up much room in the tank.
3. Tetra 25931 TetraFauna Viquarium
Ideal for 20 to 55-gallon pet tanks, the Tetra 25931 TetraFauna Viquarium is suitable for fish, amphibians, and reptiles. It boasts a three-stage Whisper filtration system that moves the impurities out, so your pet thrives in a clean, odor-free environment.
The pair of integrated ReptoFilter® medium cartridges does the hard work of keeping away the crud and dirt from the water, so your pet enjoys its time in the tank like it was in its natural habitat. This unit creates a good environment for aquatic turtles, easily converting a simple glass aquarium into a fusion of aquarium and terrarium where you can take care of your pet while it stays happy.
The tank filter turns up to 60 gallons of water every hour. The submersible design provides hassle-free placement and generates a waterfall-like effect for the flow. There is a nice river formed at the base as the unit optimizes the integrated Whisper filtration.
Pros
If you need to create the perfect environment for your fish, aquatic reptile, or amphibian pet, this filtration system is just the one to get.
This model is suitable for tanks of various sizes or volumes ranging from 20 gallons to 55 gallons so you can install it according to what is best for your pet.
The three-stage Whisper filtration employs two ReptoFilter® medium cartridges to do its job, ensuring that your pet stays healthy and well with clear, odor-free water to swim in.
Because aquatic turtles and other reptiles, amphibians, and even fish can be quite messy, this device provides an efficient means of keeping the tank water as less toxic as possible if you can’t keep up with extremely frequent changes.
Considering how simple this device is to install, all you really need are water and gravel and the proper size tank to create a natural land and water living area for your pet.
Cons
A gap between the base and waterfall could get your pet caught in it so make sure the spot is amply filled with some rocks or cotton.
Our Comprehensive Buying Guide
Although fish, aquatic reptiles, and amphibians are a pleasure and are even therapeutic to own as pets, you will have to make sure you find a good filter for sale to put in the tank. Since dirty water allows harmful bacteria to multiply, you need to make sure the water in the tank is kept free from dirt such as leftover food, pee, and poo, so your pet stays healthy. Here’s how to pick the best filter for turtles.
Select a model in the best turtle tank filter reviews that provides biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration
Good-quality tank filters don’t just stop at straining out solid items including uneaten food and dirt. The mechanical filtration functionality is something that even the cheapest kind of device can provide. It works through an aquarium filter floss, sponge, or other media in the unit that captures the particles and strains them out.
Models that use bulk filter floss instead of a cartridge of custom-fit pad can also utilize polyester fiberfill pillow stuffing, which is basically the same material while being less costly.
Mechanical filtration is never enough, so make sure the system also provides biological filtration. This process optimizes friendly bacteria found on the filter media. While some models that use mechanical filter media also have the same component for biological filtration, others feature dedicated bio-media such as extremely porous material, ceramic rings, and others for faster cycling and stable colonies of bacteria. The filter organisms consume the nitrites, ammonia, and animal poop.
The filter has to provide a large surface area for denitrifying bacteria to grow even in just a small space.
Some elements that carry out chemical filtration include ammonia and activated charcoal. Most times, chemical filtration is not necessary once the tank is setup and the friendly bacteria have begun their job. That said, odors may be rather hard to eliminate, which entails the use of a remedy.
Water chemistry issues can be handled with aquarium peat or peat moss to raise the pH level. For lowering it, crushed coral is a good option.
The best filter for a turtle tank is customized for the volume of your water tank
When choosing a filter, make sure it is double or triple the water capacity of the tank. Thus, if you have a 35-gallon tank, the filter should be rated for at least 70 gallons. Another thing to consider is if the only water you put into a 55-gallon tank is 20 to 30 gallons, that won’t mean using a 40 or 60-gallon-rated device is fine.
As a rule of thumb, take the full capacity and multiply that twice or thrice. The filter load can easily add up if you start adding items such as plants and fish, not to mention the typical mess that your pet can generate.
The best filter for aquatic turtles is easy to install, setup, and use
Charcoal and filter floss are just some of the filtration media that are simply disposed of and replaced when they no longer do their job as designed. Small or granular filter media in media bags, such as ceramic rings or activated charcoal, facilitate easy replacements and cleaning.
Filter media bags should also be used when you utilize aquarium peat, peat moss, or crushed coral to keep the pH level consistent.
Get customizable, adjustable systems that easily go with the room’s current decor layout or that enhance your living space. Pipe valve installation should be easy. Sponges and similar media can be washed and reused multiple times.
While frequent water changes need not be done with an efficient filtration system in place, please remember that you will still have to take out some of the water and replace it with fresh liquid to dilute or remove waste products. This will depend on how much water is to be replaced, the frequency of partial changes, the tank size, the filter, the pet size, and whether you do in-tank feeding.
To keep the friendly bacteria in the media, simply use the tank-drawn water to rinse the media, and not detergent or soap. Warm water should only be used when the media is extremely dirty, and only while ensuring not to clean the entire component at the same time.
