DESCRIPTION
Tetra Decorative ReptoFilter for frogs, newts and turtle terrariums is the only terrarium filter you’ll need. This combination water filter, waterfall and basking platform is an innovative combination of filtration and decoration. With efficient, three-stage filtration, Tetra ReptoFilter promotes clean, clear water in as little as 2 inches of water, making it ideal for the low-level aquatic environments small aquatic animals prefer. It removes debris, discoloration, odors and ammonia from terrariums. With is realistic natural stone appearance, the Tetra Decorative ReptoFilter creates a dramatic terrarium focal point that blends in beautifully with other rocks and vegetation. The dual-function lid keeps reptiles out and doubles as a basking platform.
Features:
Includes: 1 Filter Cartridges, 1 Submersible Pump, (1) 8 foot Power Cord
Intended Pet(s): Reptiles, Frogs, Newts, Turtles
Material: Plastic, Polyfiber, Carbon
Color: Beige, Brown, White, Green
Dimensions: 8.75 in L x 12.75 in W x 10.625 in H
Capacity: Aquatic Terrariums up to 55 gallons
Warranty:
Please click here to access warranty information.
Directions: Tetra Decorative ReptoFilter is easy to set up and simple to clean. Replace the filter cartridge every four weeks. Comes with two ReptoFilter cartridges and a powerful 90 GPH submersible pump with an 8-foot power cord. Filters aquatic terrariums up to 55 gallons. This UL Listed product features a 2-year limited warranty – see product label for details.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Definitely not great for turtles. I have to search for a better filter and that’s annoying. It did not filter much. I used it for a few days and It stopped working. Definitely will try to take it back.
KIPturtle (verified owner) –
This product can’t keep my 35 gal tank (filled half full) for even a month. Plus, this is advertised for turtles. If you leave the water level at the fill line, there is NO WAY for a turtle to climb on the top to bask. Extremely disappointed!!!!
NayBay82 (verified owner) –
I bought this pump just about a month ago. It stopped working 2 weeks ago. I think it worked for maybe 3 weeks. Just stopped working. I’m upset
TurtleTales (verified owner) –
I really like it. But every night it makes this crackling sound and I thought it was the water level, but it’s not.
vasquez (verified owner) –
The Decorative Filter is a great touch to any terrarium! The only trouble that I have with it, is that the water pump gets clogged, a lot. Cleaning of the pump is crucial to maintain, as well as changing the filters inside the waterfall enclosure. My pump is completely ruined now and I am stuck with having to buy a new setup all together. Tetra Fauna provides no separate purchase pump in case yours brakes down. If you can keep up with the up keep on it, I will definitely say yes in buying it! My Chinese Water Dragon loves to sit on top of the waterfall all the time!
Katy07 (verified owner) –
I just bought this a week ago and loved the shape and form. Although I suggest it comes with a replacement pump included. It has started making noises like it is failing. I noticed the water was lower so I added more in hope that was the problem but it did not solve it. I will be cleaning it out but I am interested in finding a replacement pump in case it is the problem. Previous reviews mentioned they have failed so I do not want to risk having no replacement pump for my two turtles.
Frogger v1 (verified owner) –
We used normal / standard ReptoFilters for years. I think we actually have five or six of them around here. A while back, we decided to clean and redecorate our family’s Fire Bellied toad aquarium. We had been eyeballing these waterfalls for a long time..so when we were at the pet store getting some supplies, we decided to get one.
schiavone (verified owner) –
Our pump jut sputters because the reservoir that is supposed to fill with water no longer fills up, so the filters can’t do their job. I am afraid the motor will burn out because it sputters and makes a lot of noise. What little filtered water there is, just sputters out intermittently and the sediment from the turtle tank just settles on the bottom. We have not had the filter that long. Probably a little more than a year. Is there replacement pump parts?
nicki69 (verified owner) –
I bought this filter after we inherited a turtle. I read a lot of good reviews for it which is why I was influenced to at buy this product unfortunately it is not working properly. We are using distilled water in the tank. Once cleaned it only take a few days before the tank is very cloudy and smelly. I am at a lose. Unsure why this is not working. We even replaced the filters.
Bonitalatina (verified owner) –
Bought this for my 2 aquatic turtles. I absolutely love this product.
Sara98 (verified owner) –
The box was undamaged and product came in quality packaging. I’d definitely recommend if you have a turtle that is curious.
Lineka (verified owner) –
Have had to purchase several of these over the past 13 years for my turtle as the pump tends to stop working. The last pump lasted less than two months. Time to try a different brand as these are getting too expensive to keep wasting my money on.
perlaT (verified owner) –
I’ve had this filter system for about 2 years. It just stopped working and I did exactly what the replies said to do here on this thread and it picked right back up! I love that it’s pretty quiet, it’s pretty and it is extremely durable. I’m very pleased.
Billy C (verified owner) –
We found tadpoles in our pool cover, used this for stage one and when they sprouted legs and became frogs, we filled in more gravel and moss, kept this on the whole time, worked great. Let the frogs go in spring. Now we have turtles, who are dirty creatures, I anticipate needing to up the filtration. No complaints, 2 years now
fae413 (verified owner) –
My filter works great, and my turtle really puts it to good use! The only problem I have is that the mesh things that go inside sometimes keep water from actually going through. But that’s probably my fault. Once I figure out what I’m doing wrong, it works so beautifully I want to cry. (mainly because I don’t have to constantly clean it)
Bugsmama (verified owner) –
I bought this and when i received the item the rock it self was broke and had a hole. When i used the pump it doesn’t filter the water constantly. It stops and Starts going again.
Rach86rey (verified owner) –
Bought this for our new pet turtle and it looks great in the terrarium & works with wonderfully
Chelseamapes111 (verified owner) –
I have a hatchling pet common snapping turtle that seems to love to sit on the filter and let the water run on his head. I wasn’t sure he’d like it but he loves it. I heard a weird noise from what I assumed was the water pump so I added more water into the filter and it stopped. I read a couple of reviews and I too smell the chemical smell. Is that because there wasn’t enough water in the filter or something so that was causing it? I have the proper amount of water in the tank I just feel like I need to add water into the filter and that’s the problem. Any answers? I love the product I just want to know what I’m doing wrong the chemical smell scares me
HerpWorks (verified owner) –
Bought two of these and within a couple of months both make loud grinding noises coming from the pump. They still function but are terribly loud. I’ve tried adjusting the metal rod that the prop fits onto but no luck. Don’t buy this product if you are working with sand base. That is the only thing I can figure would do this unless it happens to all of them .
SueVis (verified owner) –
I got the Decorative Reptofilter and it was great but I also had a problem; the pump stopped working after about 3 months. The pet shop does not sell the 80 GPH submersible pump and I can’t seem to find one for sale on your site either.
Isabella Rose (verified owner) –
My fountain for my turtle is making a really weird almost like a creaking sound.
Tyesha (verified owner) –
Now I’ve read a lot of Mixed Reviews about this Product but I decided to Purchase it anyway ! I had a filter that did keep my Turtles water clean so I knew I had to find something else . I’ve had this filter for about a week and a Half and my Water is still Clear ( I added a Moss Ball to the Tank ) . I love how it looks inside of my Tank and it’s so Quiet . My turtle tries to climb it so I’m guessing he Likes it lol , but overall I am very pleased . I did insert both filters so maybe that’s why it’s been working so well ? I’m not sure but I absolutely LOVE this product and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a filter that actually works by keeping your water clean for longer than a week.
ziggy (verified owner) –
The filter stop working after a month. I can’t find any help at all on Tetra’s webpage. Very disappointed.
BeachMonkeys (verified owner) –
We bought ours about 4 years ago…no issues with it and it was still working great when it got left behind in a move. We will be buying another one soon to replace it. I think the key issue, as with any filter, is to keep it clean and then the pump won’t jam up. We had ours in a 55gal tank with a good sized mature turtle.
Ourbabies (verified owner) –
I have a baby red eared slider that I found – her home for now until I upgrade to a 180 gallon tank is a 55 gallon the the Repto Filter and Heater. They work great and she loves her home. The Rept Filter does a fantastic job of filters with little drag on the water since she is not that big and not that strong of a swimmer yet the filter does not effect her at all. She loves to hug the side of the filter. Thinking that I might upgrade to the Viquarium shortly for her. I would recommend this filt to anyone.
Cass101 (verified owner) –
It’s perfect for my turtle Yoshi. It is exactly as described.
maryk60 (verified owner) –
The set-up was so easy. I have used a canister filter for the past five years and it got to be an ordeal to clean and reassemble. This was a breeze. Diesel loves his newly clean tank. I keep the water brackish.
IreneD (verified owner) –
I’ve had these filters for quite a few years. They are great! I use two in my turtle tank (50 gallons, 2 turtles) and they keep my tank really clean! However, I just bought 2 new ones and one is the normal quiet and the other one hums really loud. Kinda disappointing.
walk6768 (verified owner) –
I bought this and as soon as I raised the water level the water struggled to stay clear and I had to continually clean it to stop the tank from stinking
RNash (verified owner) –
Found the pump wasn’t working, so took off covers, cleaned impeller – found that impeller will start if I jog it with a screwdriver. But won’t start if you just switch pump off and on again. Was hoping to get replacement pump – but can’t see any for sale.
PetrF (verified owner) –
It barely filters the water for my 2″ turtle. The flow is very weak and the water level cannot be raised very high. The water gets filthy very quick even with water and filter changes. Very disappointed.
My turtle (verified owner) –
I loved my rock only its to tall for my turtle to get on top
Kat M (verified owner) –
I just bought it because it looked awesome and my turtles can easily climb to bask. The water level is just below the max line. Unfortunately within 24 hrs. the water was very cloudy. I did rinse it well before installing in the tank due to the smell of chemical. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Unhappy customer 24 (verified owner) –
I bought the small filter and this large one. My tank is only 10-15 gallons. I have replaced the inside cartridges twice. It was clear at first but then the motor stopped running after 4 months. Also the picture shows a turtle basking on it but my turtles could not get on top of it.
turtleking (verified owner) –
i bought this about 2 months ago and i stuck my hand in the water last night and got electrocuted. my turtles, deep fried.
ashley614 (verified owner) –
i bought this a few weeks ago for my chinese water dragon i cleaned everything before use and everyday was set up correctly but this product made my water dragon sick he was very weak not running around sleeping all day would not eat and kept his mouth wide open while sleeping as soon as i took this out of his tank and put his still water dish back he already started to feel better i think the filters did not filter his water as good as needed causing him to get sick
Mandiness (verified owner) –
I bought this filter two months ago and have had three serious mold outbreaks in those two months due to poor flow/circulation from the water pump. My most recent mold outbreaks resulted in my brand new filter cartridges turning completely black and smelling absolutely terrible.
Mbt122689 (verified owner) –
I have the same problems most of the other reviewers are having.I clean every inch of the rock and the pump as well as replace both filters and the water is dirty in two days.i have a 20 gallon tank with a baby painted turtle and snail.also if I only put the water to the max level line, my turtle can’t seem to get up there and bask.highly inconvenient and the price should be ten bucks.i am tired of wasting my money on junk
LeslieTheTurtleMom (verified owner) –
I wish they had made it easier for turtles to climb on it or had the maximum water line higher so they would be able to climb and bask. It’s way to steep. I don’t recommend. Also I added ghost shrimp to keep the tank clean and to see if the turtles will eat them but they got sucked into the hole of the filter. So people do not put itty bitty fish or ghost shrimp.
Sophia450 (verified owner) –
I was a little skeptical about buying this due to the reviews. I’ve had it for about a week now. My turtles water is clear, the filter works so great. It is really quiet too. The fact that the filter is hidden inside it makes everything even better.
It took maybe a minute to fidget with the pump and put the lid on so it sat still and in place, wasn’t difficult at all though. Beyond glad I bought this!!
So, don’t doubt this product. It is fabulous!!!
Lecia81 (verified owner) –
I bought this 2 months ago and I am very impressed. It keeps the water clean and the waterfall looks exactly as pictured. Also it is very quiet.
beck72349 (verified owner) –
The description indicates it’s supposed to work in as little as 2 inches of water. The ‘minimum water line’ is at over 4 inches. If I had the box it came in, they would be getting it back.
TonsOPets (verified owner) –
I have 2 of these in separate tanks, both pumps stopped working after just over a year, first there was a humming noise happening then they both completely stopped. petsupplycanada apparently doesn’t carry replacements either, I tried the ExoTerra pump but the wire is too fat to fit into the little notch so the lid doesn’t close. I checked the Tetra website and there’s nothing there, so I’m not sure if there is even a replacement pump available.
Caged Animal (verified owner) –
I thought our two year old pump was broken because it would intermittently vibrate, but wouldn’t pump. I am thankful I called Tetrafauna and found out I could take the pump apart to clean it. It’s working well again.
DartFrogDad (verified owner) –
This filter is the best decorative waterfall with filter available if used correctly. Make sure to use carbon in the filter periodically (depends upon how many animals in the tank), and your water will keep clean and clear. I have used this filter for about five years, and I love the way it looks and I love the way it filters. I use this in a 65 gallon viquarium (vivarium) with poison dart frogs. I have the Tetrafauna Viquarium with the filter on one side while utilizing this Tetrafauna Decorative Reptofilter on the other side of the tank.
Machetes (verified owner) –
This is my second purchase for this phenomenal filter system, it does the job!
mustanghotty09 (verified owner) –
I was afraid of buying this for the reviews. But decided to take my chances. I have owned it for about 2 weeks now. Turtles are messy eaters but I have had fish filters in the past work better than this turtle one. It is a lot heavier then I expected which is good. It does not keep the water crystal clear but there is only about 5 to 6 inches of water in a 20 gal tank. The less water there is the dirtier it will look. Not sure how it does when it is full. There is a min and max water line on the side of the filter i had to up my water level just for it to be at the min line. That put my turtles basking area under water and had to be lifted. The turtle how ever likes the filter it is where I have found him propped up against sleeping at night. Being on sale for a little over $20 is worth it. I would not pay the full $50 price.
Ash0469 (verified owner) –
I bought this a few months ago for a tiny baby turtle my daughter found. I loved the waterfall sound it out off, however it doesn’t do that anymore. We can’t hear the water at all. Is this normal?
Anonymous (verified owner) –
I bought this and had it delivered. Upon opening the box, I discovered dry macaroni and cheese on the product. Then I found heavy mold growing on the inside of the filter and all over the filter cartridges. Of course I can return but this is weird and gross.
Agoti (verified owner) –
I bought it today and the turtle loves it already surprisingly
Raykwon (verified owner) –
My fish swam in the whole at the bottom for the filter an eventually died. If I could return this item I would.
Eden (verified owner) –
I bought this filter because all the websites were saying it was one of the best filters. I haven’t had it for even a week with my turtle tank and it’s making weird noises. It’s not cleaning the water anymore and it’s making sputtering noises that is stressing out my turtle.
swninetails (verified owner) –
However the pump does burn out every couple years but you can buy a replacement: http://www.tetra-fish.com/Pond/Products/garden-fish-pond-equipment/garden-pond-pumps/statuary-fountain-pond-pumps.aspx but I have yet to purchase one, just found this out today. The filters cost is annoying, if you changes filters every week the water will stay really nice but you will still have to get in and scrub gunk out twice a year. Still best pump I have ever had.
Sharon_k1 (verified owner) –
We bought this because we were assured that this was just what we needed for our Turtle tank. It is a non functioning Deco item and I would not recommend it to anyone.
Gordon24 (verified owner) –
Been using this product for three years, no problems
OGNor176 (verified owner) –
Can’t be used with gravel or small pebbles, they get caught in the lower ports also sludge builds up at the bottom. Waste of money.
ShellbyTank (verified owner) –
Was hoping that the filter is strong enough. I have a 29 Gallon tank, the filter can’t keep up with 1 turtle, water is murky. I have the tank filled to the max water level for this filter.
Jshdjejshsj7872882 (verified owner) –
I bought this two weeks ago, it stopped working. Took it apart, cleaned it, let it rest, changed the cartridge, added more water and still nothing. Don’t bother spending the money
Katie1030 (verified owner) –
I bought this filter maybe 5 months ago and now it doesn’t even pump the water correctly. It says a 2 year warranty but it’s already not working. Even with the filter I clean out the aquarium every 2 weeks for a thorough clean and expect the filter to work between those time frames. The filter isn’t sucking in the water to filter so it sits standstill.
sorethumb (verified owner) –
I used nylon mesh stockings around the pump and shaved an arch in the lip
Ofthe lid to allow a better flow
Sad turtle (verified owner) –
Interesting there is another review in regard to chemical odor. I called cust service and the gentleman asked what I had done to cause the odor?! He also said cust must pay return shipping. I have used Tetrafauna products for many years, but after ordering a second filter, paying overnight shipping cost, turns out smells just as bad as the first which contaminated the entire tank. I’m done!
Twill1010 (verified owner) –
I bought this and absolutely love how well it filters the water!
me79 (verified owner) –
Bought this thinking it would be a great addition to my turtle tank. After running it for 2 days the water in the tank began to get slimy and stink. After removing the device from the water noticed all kinds of sludge/debri laying in the bottom allowing it to recerculate causing the water to become disgusting.
Britt123 (verified owner) –
We bought this yesterday. It has only been in our tank for about 12 hours. The water is already merky . It looks great for decor in our tank but it does not keep the water clean at all.
Laguera_1012 (verified owner) –
I just bought this yesterday anx am wincering hiw long til my turtles crawl up it to bask. I was usung a ramp style one and they had no issues getting up to bask.
Filbert2020 (verified owner) –
I bought this filter a week ago. I have it in a 20 gallon tank for my turtle. First day clear water, third day, cloudy:. fourth day, water is foamy. The waterfall seems like it moves very little water. Not working.
TurtleLuv (verified owner) –
I just bought this because my old filter broke the turles love it. Great bargin plus it comes with two filters inside already. Keeps the tank clean and best of all the turtles can climb on it to get some basking time.
Iheartturtles (verified owner) –
I bought this for a 40 gallon tank that only has 15 gallons of water in it and the first month or so it was great then I started to notice I was having to clean the tank and replace the filter cartridges sooner and sooner, now I have to switch the filters every week sometimes less time than that. I was told it would keep the tank clean for a month not true, another thing that bothers me is it takes two filter cartridges and they only sell replacement filters as a 3 pack so if you don’t want to be at the pet store every week you need to buy more than one package at a time. I have a baby red eared slider just fyi. I tried to return it but didn’t keep the receipt so I’m going to sell it and try something else.
Nunya89365r (verified owner) –
This filter is so loud. Had to pull it out and return it. Top of filter also didn’t fit. It just ballanced on top. Advertising makes it look like it’s a water fall. It’s not. Just a ugly green poorly built pump.
Sloart (verified owner) –
This will be my third one I’ve bought with in 2yrs. Randomly the filter would stop. I would pull the plug out and try a new socket , change the filter, clean the tank and nothing works. It turned off when I was sleeping amd I have my turtles in my room. So I woke up to bad turtle smell. Only reason I get it because it’s cute and that’s it honestly. It’s only nice when it works
Dimitria (verified owner) –
We purchased this 4 or 5 years ago, and me and turtle love it! I take apart the motor and brush off the gunk with a toothbrush every time I change the filters. I then have to give the propeller a push to get moving again when I plug it in, but it has lasted so well for the cost. The only thing I wish it had was a higher max water level, but then I read another user put hers on bricks! I’m going to buy a replacement soon (my sister dropped and cracked the lid) and a brick, so turtle has a little more water depth. She tries valiantly to climb to the top of the waterfall, but can’t. It’s good exercise, I think.
Marlm35 (verified owner) –
Tying to find a replacement pump for my decorative pump and can’t them no where. Pumps do go out I’ve had mine for a long time but I don’t to buy the whole thing just a replacement. Wish you have had pump replacement for my decorative pump,
Jrq1355 (verified owner) –
I originally bought the first one a few weeks ago and it worked fine for the first few days then it started making this weird sound from there it just stopped working all together for minutes at a time and then turn on for a couple minutes and repeated that over and over again. So I took it back to petsupplycanada on Monday got a replacement and everything was was good until today which is now Friday the noise is back and the filter keeps going on and off again
BronxNina (verified owner) –
I have 2 of these 1 in each of my turtle tanks. It gives them a platform to bask under the light. The filters for it are easy to get and reasonably priced. I only have to clean the tank fully once a month. Easy to clean.
Muldoon (verified owner) –
This is my third one in 15 years. It is in a turtle tank, does a great job and looks beautiful.
EllyMay (verified owner) –
I absolutely love this waterfall, and so does my turtle “Shelly”. I’ve had to replace the water pump twice since I bought it about 2 years ago, however, that is my fault, sometimes I forget about the water pump when I change the filters and clean the aquarium…oops. The aquarium is setup in my bedroom and listening to the water is quite relaxing at bedtime. My only “complaint” is that the rocks in the aquarium get sucked into the holes in the waterfall and cause clogs. I will definitely continue to recommend this product.
Howdo43 (verified owner) –
We bought our rock filter filter 3 years ago,our 3 turtles love it. With 3 turtles we have to clean filter every 2 weeks. First we thought rocks to steep so we built a ramp, then we found turtles climbing up the steepest side no problem and took ramp out. Filter does keep water clean, we rinse out filters every 2 weeks and only replace every 2 months, keep cost down. If we every get another tank we will get another rock filter.
cpl_T (verified owner) –
I have one already that Works great. I want to use 2 in opposite corners of the tank. Will look good.
Nobosos1 (verified owner) –
I bought this for baby turtle with only water in tank worked for a week and then stoped sucking water motor still works I’m very upset cause with all the expensive equipment for turtle this was only filter I could afford and can’t afford to by other have tried priming it cleaning nothing work
MrsLos (verified owner) –
We purchased this filter 3 months ago and the paint is already flaking off of the outside and it does not keep our 10 gal tank clean. I understand that turtles are dirty, but I change the filter cartridges every 2 weeks and do a 50% water change every week. I am attaching photos of where the paint is coming off.
luvmyduango (verified owner) –
THE GOOD :It looks awesome, the waterfall is cool, water stays clear because of the biological filtering of the waterfall.
THE BAD: There is little circulation of water since the water drips down the waterfall, which causes the leftover food to hide underneath the filter.The “suction holes” have no suction power , what happens is the food and feces settle inside them since there is no current, it provides an ideal place for larvae of flies to thrive since there is food available and the water is warm.It does have two filter cartridges that only the bottom part is gonna be used, they are expensive to replace often and when you replace it the dirt that is stuck on the suction holes goes into the clean water chamber.
Katibug2472756 (verified owner) –
I bought this about a month or two ago and the turtles love it even though it’s a little hard for them to climb on. The waterfall part of it keeps screwing up. It will not sit in the slot where it is suppose to well I can not get it to which then cancels the waterfall. I have now managed to really screw it up and was curious is there a way to buy just the hose and the little black tip where the water comes out to create the water fall?
Jet22 (verified owner) –
I got this rock and filter as a starter for a tiny small yellow-bellied slider turtle, but it proved it was not up to his standards. after 3 months it has broken holes into it, create a mass production of algae, is not easily cleaned, and gets the filters clogged a lot so it produces a very annoying sound. the suctioning of the filter comes up a lot and makes a very annoying loud sound. If you have experience with turtles or aquatic animals I would advise trying something a little simpler like a floating Rock. In my experience, it is not worth the money. Our newborn yellow belly slider would not even crawl up the rock. I changed to a floating island and he loves it.
PoppaGator (verified owner) –
I bought this filter and love it! I have 4 turtles and a few fish in my aquarium. My only problem is that I lost the top to it and am currently using a flat rock in it’s place. I’m wondering if it is possible to purchase a replacement lid?
keeperof3turtles (verified owner) –
I’ve had this filter for a year and it works AMAZINGLY, but my only concern is that it wears out quicker then you would expect. I had to buy a new one today because the side cracked. Besides that it has so many uses and worth the money.