# Flow and Filtration for an ADA 60P



## Colinlp (18 Feb 2015)

Hello all, after a long absence from planted tanks in favour of marine I'm hankering after another planted tank (as you do!).

I fancy the ADA 60P and have been thinking about flow and filtration. I guess the 10x is what I should roughly aim at turnover-wise? Is it best to say get an OTT filter (20x?) and fill it up with media to slow it down and maybe add a ball valve for control or to get a more realistic filter (12x?) with less media in it? I suppose the first option gives more flexibility but will over filtration be a bad thing?

Any advice will be gratefully received


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## parotet (18 Feb 2015)

Hi 

I have got a 60 liters tank like this one and I m currently using an Eheim 2215 (660 lph). It has only a coarse sponge and some ceramic noodles, around 1/3 of the canister volume.... and it does its job. However my layout is very simple and I'm sure that with more complex hardscapes I would need more flow. I am actually thinking about upgrading it to a JBL e901, which is 900 lph (plenty of media it makes around 500 lph) and has a very good energy performance. Eheim Pro3 2071 would be the equivalent. Regarding filters my guess is that it is much better to be slightly over than down.

Jordi


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## Colinlp (19 Feb 2015)

Cheers, I suspected as much. I was thinking maybe the Pro 3 350T with 1050 l/h but with the added advantage of having an inbuilt heater?


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## parotet (19 Feb 2015)

Well, maybe there is no need to get to 1000 lph but I guess in this one you can regulate the flow, and if you add some equipment inline (co2 diffuser) you won't notice any decrease in the flow. If it is still too much there's plenty of things you can to to reduce it (long tubing, reducers, etc.), much better than struggling with low flow...

Jordi


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## Colinlp (19 Feb 2015)

I'm planning on adding an inline CO2 reactor/difuser and if I don't get the filter with an inbuilt heater a Hydor inline heater, do you think the 250T would be up to it? That's slightly less than the 350 at 950l/h


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## parotet (19 Feb 2015)

I think it should be ok with the 250....

Jordi


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## Colinlp (19 Feb 2015)

Cool! Saves some dosh too, the missus will love that


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## Colinlp (24 Feb 2015)

I went with the Pro 3 250T, it came today.

There's a lot of media in it for a little tank, a compartment full of small plastic tubes and one full of small ceramic balls. Probably best if I removed one in favour of carbon initially, which do you think it's best to keep? I'm favouring the ceramic balls but for no particular reason


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## parotet (25 Feb 2015)

Colinlp said:


> I went with the Pro 3 250T, it came today.
> 
> There's a lot of media in it for a little tank, a compartment full of small plastic tubes and one full of small ceramic balls. Probably best if I removed one in favour of carbon initially, which do you think it's best to keep? I'm favouring the ceramic balls but for no particular reason


Active carbon is not necessary but of course it won't do any harm... But keep in mind that after a few weeks it won't be working anymore. You can try to empty a little bit the filter because you won't need so much filtering media and you will gain flow. I would also keep ceramic balls instead of plastic tubes, both can be used but ceramic balls will probably have a larger surface

Jordi


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## Colinlp (27 Feb 2015)

I like carbon, I think it does more good than harm, I use it a pint at a time in my reef tank in a reactor and change it every three weeks. I won't need anything like that much, maybe I should add a bit of purigen or zeolites for the first few weeks (ADA substrate)?


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