Read this before buying bio-filters for indoor habitats...

[Marshall]

If you want a turtle or fish in an indoor tank (even koi!) yes koi can live indoors given you upgrade their space and keep it to about one per 100 gallons. Now bio-filters? do you need one ? well no you don't IF you have a proper substrate and secondary filtration to keep toxins and particulate in check. I have roughly 22 indoor tanks and of my 7 largest (150 - 225 gallon) absolutely zero of them have bio-filtration. I use a 30 dollar repto cart filter in each one and clean the filter about once a week and replace it when the char starts falling out the sides and use home depot river pebles in the bottom (4 bucks for 45 pounds) lol. Substrate when done right will literally create "bio-media" the size of the bottom of the tank so when people say don't use substrate cause you bio filter won't be as efficient that is because the gravel/stones in the bottom are gobbling up all that waste and the bacteria will breed there and will stifle your filters media of needed organic matter to feed the "good guys". Now keep in mind that a canister filter is still good if you can afford but also note that most are modular meaning you can remove the bio media to increase other thigs like amonia removing charcoal etc. Now if you have sick or injured turtles then get a bio filter or build one like I explain in an earlier post... I know I am the worst for explaining things but if you have questions (turtle related) ask me for fish questions I would recommend @Dave 54 or the general forums...

 

[Nepen]

I have a 55 gallon and dont have gravel because I just feel like it's easier to keep clean. How do you keep your gravel clean? (my crayfish would probably like gravel and my plants too)
I have 2 goldfish and about 10 small other tropical fish. I just added one more goldfish (from my pond) in there so now I have 3 large goldfish in there (i might move one to the pond, will see.. if the days get warmer i'll move him)

When i do water change , with no gravel it's so easy to see the muck..

I know that beneficial bacteria colonize everywhere so i have some rocks but mostly bare bottom.

 

[Marshall]

I have a 55 gallon and dont have gravel because I just feel like it's easier to keep clean. How do you keep your gravel clean? (my crayfish would probably like gravel and my plants too)
I have 2 goldfish and about 10 small other tropical fish. I just added one more goldfish (from my pond) in there so now I have 3 large goldfish in there (i might move one to the pond, will see.. if the days get warmer i'll move him)

When i do water change , with no gravel it's so easy to see the muck..

I know that beneficial bacteria colonize everywhere so i have some rocks but mostly bare bottom.

I drain the tank down to about 5 inches and then use a wet vac with a screen to suck all the crap out of the gravel and remaining water out and then add the new water.

 

[Marshall]

I have a 55 gallon and dont have gravel because I just feel like it's easier to keep clean. How do you keep your gravel clean? (my crayfish would probably like gravel and my plants too)
I have 2 goldfish and about 10 small other tropical fish. I just added one more goldfish (from my pond) in there so now I have 3 large goldfish in there (i might move one to the pond, will see.. if the days get warmer i'll move him)

When i do water change , with no gravel it's so easy to see the muck..

I know that beneficial bacteria colonize everywhere so i have some rocks but mostly bare bottom.

Also the koi in the tanks eat the excess food from the turtles which leftover food accounts for probably 75% or more of the matter that fouls water and does not get degraded naturally. The turtle crap (literally) is eaten by the bacteria almost to 100% of it. The secret is keeping the gravel just thick enough to cover the bottom and that seems to work fine for me. I will upload a current photo to show what I mean...

 

[Marshall]

Images showing gravel thickness and diversity in stone type and size.

 

[Marshall]

@Nepen PS: if the load is really hard on the tank then lava rock works wonders to colonize bacteria as it has a surface area about 25 times that stone for stone of regular gravel. Just buy a bag and dump it in a large water container and take out whatever floats and the rest that sinks can go into a tank.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

All of this has been used by aquarists for years.

 

[Marshall]

All of this has been used by aquarists for years.

I'm not an "aquarist" per se. I am a terrarist... hmmm that sounds hauntingly close to terrorist lol and turtles and fish are two different creatures... no pun intended

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I'm not an "aquarist" per se. I am a terrarist... hmmm that sounds hauntingly close to terrorist lol and turtles and fish are two different creatures... no pun intended

Yes, they are but you linked them together in the first sentence of your initial post. But that is off the point. Gravel filtration has been used in aquaria for decades. It is considered, at the same time, the best for biofiltration and the absolute worst maintainence-wise.

 

[Marshall]

Yes, they are but you linked them together in the first sentence of your initial post. But that is off the point. Gravel filtration has been used in aquaria for decades. It is considered, at the same time, the best for biofiltration and the absolute worst maintainence-wise.

I partially agree because I said if you want fish in an indoor tank I was meaning a terrarium (water + terrain) and I personally learnt all the tricks such as riging a wet vac to clean the gravel the hard way. My network is made up of marketers and IT pro's so not the best place to get aquarium tips from.

 

[MitchM]

Vivariums seem to be the "hot" new hobby these days.

 

[Nepen]

Marshall, I don't have problem with my filter now. I used to just let algae bloom until I can't see the fish then do water change but seem like that's all behind me and the tank is stabalize but since I just added a mature goldfish in there and that's like adding ammonia machine so I'll have to watch my water for a bit.

I've been thinking of adding gravel but I dont have time (spent too much time just gazing at my fish...) to clean the tank too often. Right now only every two months that I need to do a water change.

I also have co2 set up because I want a planted tank (but it's not working for me so far...my plants not doing well) so algae bloom is expected if I don't keep my eye closely in water.

 

[Nepen]

Also the koi in the tanks eat the excess food from the turtles which leftover food accounts for probably 75% or more of the matter that fouls water and does not get degraded naturally. The turtle crap (literally) is eaten by the bacteria almost to 100% of it. The secret is keeping the gravel just thick enough to cover the bottom and that seems to work fine for me. I will upload a current photo to show what I mean...

I see that you only have one layer. I used to have about that much with similar variation but when I moved I decided to take most of them out and keep some in plant pots for planting.

 

[MitchM]

..

I've been thinking of adding gravel but I dont have time (spent too much time just gazing at my fish...) to clean the tank too often. Right now only every two months that I need to do a water change.

I also have co2 set up because I want a planted tank (but it's not working for me so far...my plants not doing well) so algae bloom is expected if I don't keep my eye closely in water.

Nepen, planted tanks need a substrate that the submerged plants can feed from. Gravel alone won't do it.

 

[Priscilla]

Nepen, planted tanks need a substrate that the submerged plants can feed from. Gravel alone won't do it.

Just jumping in here, but I have planted tanks. Just gravel in the bottom, lots of plants. And they keep growing and I divide them and give them away. My tanks used to be quite crowded, but I've moved a lot of fish (live breeders). Tanks have been operating for 5plus years. At this point, I hardly even clean them. Maybe every quarter I clean them. Not a smidge of algae any where.

Fish are fine. Some I've had for the whole 5 years.