I just got a Rena XP3 for my 6" Red Eared Slider who lives alone (finally) in a 55 gallon tank that's filled about half way.
My only experience with Filters and media has been 7 years with my Fluval 405, and I have that worked out fine.

I don't have a clue as to which media I should use and in what order in the 3 baskets that this Rena XP3 has.

If there is someone out there that has this specific filter and could help me with what's right for a 6" RES, I would be deeply indebted - right now I basically put it together in the order the factory says to - but I'm guessing that that's for fish, of course, and not necessarily ideal for aquatic turtles. I had a box of eheimMECH that I threw into one of the half empty trays that one is left with using what comes with the filter - I'm not even sure if that is a good or bad idea....

I don't want to interfere with the flow rate too much - we know turtles need a lot of it.

I just have no clue - maybe even someone with a similar type of canister filter with 3 trays can give me the same answers as someone who actually owns it? Right now, I am not seeing the crystal clear water that my 405 ALWAYS gives me (despite its priming problems) and I'm concerned that I'm using too much or too little or the wrong order of something.

Please help! I can do a water change - this water is inherently "old" and has been there since before there was even a filter at all - and then went through an eheim 2236 ecco pro 80 that was severely underpowered (and I'm selling). So maybe that's the problem? I just never experienced this with my 405, which always clears up whatever water I 'throw at it.'

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I guess if nobody knows I will call Rena on Monday.

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