Cascade 700 Filter... please Help!

[2turtles]

Hello,
We just took over two small turtles and so we went on a little shopping spree tonight to get everything we need to set up a nice tank for them. We got a 75 gal. tank (its only filled about 5 inches since we just have the turtles) and the girl at the pet store suggested we get the Cascade 700 by Penn-Plax. We got everything set up but there is absolutely no flow, it makes the gurgling noise which alternates with a smoother "normal filter" noise, but no water is coming through. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hi, welcome to AA!

I don't own a Cascade filter, but when my filters don't start sometimes I have to fill them with water. It seems sometimes they don't really know what to do because no water is flowing to them. Try maybe filling the canister a little, if you can? Also, I assume you did, but if you didn't, recheck all the plumbing to make sure everything is hooked up correctly.

HTH

 

[fynnie]

Sounds like your pump definately isnt primed...with 5 inches of water is the intake even under water?

 

[tropicalfish]

Make sure the intake is completely under the water, and if necessary, tape of the joints or do something to make sure no air goes in through the connections. Then, fill the filter with water until it starts flowing out, then stop. When the filter is filled with water, it can prime.

 

[Brian Lavin]

I think you need another type of filter. I would suggest an undergravel. Anyway I too believe you need to prime your filter.

Did you read the directions.

 

[tropicalfish]

The best filter in your case would be an internal filter, which is a filter that is completely submerged, and filters the water like that....

 

[Devilishturtles]

I actually wouldn't suggest an undergravel filter for a turtle tank, due to the mess. I guess it could depend on the turtle as well, but in general they make way too much waste for an undergravel filter to be worthwhile, in my opinion.

Canisters are great for turtle tanks, plenty of flow and filtration options. Internal filters would also work, as suggested. I have a Fluval Internal 4-Plus filter on my 55 gallon turtle tank and it works very well.

 

[finny al]

I agree with devilish....internal is the way to go and fluval makes good ones. With the hang on filter, you have to make sure that the intake tube is completely submerged. I have used one before on a turtle tank (all glass actually sells one....it has glass only 1/2 way up on one end of the tank with a plexiglass insert)....I still had to tape up the top part of the intake tube with electrical tape (it worked best with getting wet and still sticking!)....

 

[tropicalfish]

The thing with a hang on is that you will get an incredibly loud splashing noise and the glass will be speckled with water droplets.

 

[Sicklid]

The thing with a hang on is that you will get an incredibly loud splashing noise and the glass will be speckled with water droplets.

Too true... the submersible filters are the way to go IMO. You gotta do frequent water changes as well.