# ADA Mini-M Filtration



## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

I have a Tom's rapid mini cannister, and I broke it. Are there any other options out there? 

I am injecting DIY Co2 into it and it worked well untill the mishap.

What do you have on your Nano (~7g) with co2 on it?


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## Halibass (Jan 29, 2007)

bsmith782 said:


> I have a Tom's rapid mini cannister, and I broke it. Are there any other options out there?
> 
> I am injecting DIY Co2 into it and it worked well untill the mishap.
> 
> What do you have on your Nano (~7g) with co2 on it?


I have a 5.5 gallon CRS tank that's overfiltered with a Zoomed 501 and a sponge filter and another 8 gallon with a Aquaclear 20. The Aquaclear works well but sometimes the current is a problem when it comes to uprooting new plants.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Halibass said:


> I have a 5.5 gallon CRS tank that's overfiltered with a Zoomed 501 and a sponge filter and another 8 gallon with a Aquaclear 20. The Aquaclear works well but sometimes the current is a problem when it comes to uprooting new plants.


How do you like your zoomed, its a cannister right? From the looks of them they are preacically the same thing as the tom's.

Do you use co2?


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## Halibass (Jan 29, 2007)

I like the zoomed. It's quiet most of the time and has good flow. Like the Toms, it has to sit at the same level as the tank. I don't use CO2 in that tank, but it should do fine. I use pressurized CO2 in the 8 gallon with the Aquaclear.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Halibass said:


> I like the zoomed. It's quiet most of the time and has good flow. Like the Toms, it has to sit at the same level as the tank. I don't use CO2 in that tank, but it should do fine. I use pressurized CO2 in the 8 gallon with the Aquaclear.


Yeah, if I had pressurized I wouldnt care about the gas off with a HOB, id just crank it up.


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## dshreter (Apr 5, 2008)

I'm using an eheim 2232. It's overkill so I keep the outlet valve cranked down a little bit, but its great. The 2211 is probably ideal if you can find it, but I couldn't in the amount of time I was willing to look.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

dshreter said:


> I'm using an eheim 2232. It's overkill so I keep the outlet valve cranked down a little bit, but its great. The 2211 is probably ideal if you can find it, but I couldn't in the amount of time I was willing to look.



What size tank?


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## screename (Dec 8, 2004)

eheim 2011 or 2211. Perfect.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

I was looking at those because of the above comment about it. 

I cannot find anything on the filter but replacement parts????


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

What do you guys think about an ecco 2232?


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## chadly (May 17, 2005)

If you do filter it, I'd go with the zoo med 501. An eheim would be bigger than the tank itself. A zoo med 501 IMO is perfect for any size nano up to 10 gal. I'm actually using a zoo med temporarily on my 28 right now.

OR you could just get a tiny pump or tiny internal filter and use that to diffuse your co2. You aren't filtering much except fish waste in the filter anyway.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

that zoomed filter looks like the toms filter just 2x's as much.


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## chadly (May 17, 2005)

not necessarily:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=404


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

I just typed it into Google. There rated at the same gph aswell, or really close atleast.


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## not_sponsored (Mar 29, 2008)

Does the zoomed filter need filter bags for the carbon? I once put straight carbon in my tom filter and that was bad... However it's hard to fit a good amount of carbon in the chamber because of the way the intake is.


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## chadly (May 17, 2005)

I'm partial to the ZooMed because I have one and I like the tubing. But I've always wanted to try the toms canister as well to compare the two side by side. IMO either will be fine.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

not_sponsored said:


> Does the zoomed filter need filter bags for the carbon? I once put straight carbon in my tom filter and that was bad... However it's hard to fit a good amount of carbon in the chamber because of the way the intake is.


Dont use carbon get seachems Purigen, much better, lasts longer and will not remove nutrients that our plants need to thrive. And for goodness sake dont ever put any carbon/purigen in your filter w/o a bag.:icon_roll


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## not_sponsored (Mar 29, 2008)

Yea I never used a canister before, always just sandwiched carbon between sponges in my aqua clear filters.

I think I have some purigen lying around, will do.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

chadly said:


> I'm partial to the ZooMed because I have one and I like the tubing. But I've always wanted to try the toms canister as well to compare the two side by side. IMO either will be fine.


I have a toms right now, and it does an adequite job for the money. I just broke it after I did some cleaning and modification and am just looking for some oppinions.



not_sponsored said:


> Yea I never used a canister before, always just sandwiched carbon between sponges in my aqua clear filters.
> 
> I think I have some purigen lying around, will do.


okay.


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

I love the Rapids Mini


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

John7429 said:


> I love the Rapids Mini


I liked mine too..... untill I broke it. :eek5: 

It still works, but the water doesnt come all the way to the top of the cannister and I feel that is inhibiting the co2 from being dissolved into the water efficently.


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## screename (Dec 8, 2004)

The eheim 2011 and 2211s were discontinued a while back. You can find some on ebay sometimes but they are very hard to come by. Eheim ecco 2232 should be fine. Take a look at the hydor prime 10 as well. It way be a little too much flow but you can always stuff it with media. Rather have more flow than less. Remember, you get what you pay for!!!!! You know that first hand because you now have a $25 broken pump.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

screename said:


> The eheim 2011 and 2211s were discontinued a while back. You can find some on ebay sometimes but they are very hard to come by. Eheim ecco 2232 should be fine. Take a look at the hydor prime 10 as well. It way be a little too much flow but you can always stuff it with media. Rather have more flow than less. Remember, you get what you pay for!!!!! You know that first hand because you now have a $25 broken pump.


Ill check those out.

As far as the tom's being broke thats totally my fault. I tried to remove the "flow meter" and by doing that I messed up the suction/seal. Other then that I cannot complain about it at all.


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## charpark (Jan 29, 2008)

Bsmith, I'm a big fan of the Aquaclear 20 for my seven gallon bow. It sounds like you're going for canisters, but I've found the AC20 to be plenty sufficient. You mentioned your concern about needing pressurized CO2 for the AC20, but this is also not necessary.

I simply place my DIY CO2 output into the bottom of the filter intake. The way the AC20 is designed, the water is pushed downward after the impeller, then filters up through the media. With this type of HOB filter, the CO2 is broken up by the impeller, then pushed downward. At this point, some bubbles attempt to float upward and get more dissolved by a revolving type action. Whatever bubbles are left get stuck to the bottom of the filter media and slowly dissolve. A fair number of bubbles make it through the media, but get poured into the tank and then dissolve as they float up. 

I imagine there is off-gassing where the water rises to the surface of the filter before flowing into the tank, but with a seven gallon you don't need that much CO2. Even with some off-gassing you get plenty of dissolved CO2. I'm using a 1L DIY CO2 btw.


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## sadistic-otaku (Feb 2, 2008)

there's a slot where you can stick carbon in. It would probably be easier to take it out if it was in a filter bag. I have a bag of purigen in it right now.

My zoomed is below the tank for my Mini-s, and it works pretty well.


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## blizzack (Feb 12, 2008)

chadly said:


> not necessarily:
> http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=404


Is the Zoo Med Turtle filter the same one everyone is using for their fish tanks (vs a Zoo Med aquarium filter, or something)?

Thanks!


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

blizzack said:


> Is the Zoo Med Turtle filter the same one everyone is using for their fish tanks (vs a Zoo Med aquarium filter, or something)?
> 
> Thanks!


yup.


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## sadistic-otaku (Feb 2, 2008)

blizzack said:


> Is the Zoo Med Turtle filter the same one everyone is using for their fish tanks (vs a Zoo Med aquarium filter, or something)?
> 
> Thanks!


Yup. i'm using that one too


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## not_sponsored (Mar 29, 2008)

Do you guys reuse your purigen?


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

not_sponsored said:


> Do you guys reuse your purigen?


Heck yes.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Check this out, here is an Eheim I found on Craigslist!

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/for/667458354.html

Please dont buy it out from under me if you live near them!!!


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

That's a lot of filter for your tank... lol


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

John7429 said:


> That's a lot of filter for your tank... lol


Well what do you think.


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

Its a great filter (I've got one) and that's a good price. It's rather difficult to control the flow rate though and it might be too much flow... But I don't think its possible to have too much filter...


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Im gonna have shrimp blowing all over the tank if I get this beast?


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

LOL 

something like that... unless you get creative with the return... Some people say that stuffing more media will help but 100+gph is a lot for a 7g


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

Maybe use SUPER long tubing and put the filter a distance from the tank?


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

16.7 x's tunover an hour FTW!!!


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

Let me know how it works out if you get it... 

major overkill lol


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## screename (Dec 8, 2004)

Quick disconnects are your friend. Fine tune your flow however you like. Go for it.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

screename said:


> Quick disconnects are your friend. Fine tune your flow however you like. Go for it.


What do you mean?


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## Austinv (Jan 8, 2008)

Add a valve on it, cut the tubing, go to walmart or homedepot and get a little valve for a hose with a female end and voila!


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Quick disconnects have a flow control lever on them, just adjust the output.

I use a 2232 on my mini-m and I HAVE to adjust the lever or else I would have shrimp flying all over the place.


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## screename (Dec 8, 2004)

see those 2 gray things at the bottom? One goes on the intake, one on the out. EACH one has 2 levers that cut off flow. They disconnect in the middle to aid in water changes. This way you dont have to turn your filter off and spill water everywhere. Anyways, you can put these on and simply turn the levers to cut flow down to whatever you would like it to be. Good luck.


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## mahoro (Dec 18, 2007)

bsmith782 said:


> How do you like your zoomed, its a cannister right? From the looks of them they are preacically the same thing as the tom's.
> 
> Do you use co2?


i use the 501 on a 10g dwarf crays and betta tank and a 20g (but it also has a internal filter in it as well) for a turtle and 7 cories.. it works supber, if ur going to run co2, don't run it into ur cannister, its bad for it, the traped co2 can do more harm then good...


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