Diatom filters, anyone?

[gfox]

I still have one put away with the other fish junk that i don't use anymore.Used it on fish only systems.Worked great,but a pain to use.

 

[Jolanta]

Do you think Diatom filter will filter out bacteria too or its too small to stay in the bag and will pass true?

 

[Paul B]

It will also filter out bacteria, probably not all of it

 

[reefwiser]

Bacteria lives on surfaces not in the water column. So no worry there. [emoji3]

 

[Jolanta]

Bacteria lives on surfaces not in the water column. So no worry there. [emoji3]

Im asking couse I syphon my rocks directly with the intake hose to remove ciano and dinos from the rock.

 

[reefwiser]

It would be tough to remove bacteria. As the grow in the smallest areas of rocks not on the top like Algae. It's best to use the diatom filter as a filter of the water itself not as a vacuum cleaner. I use it to pick up all the cloud that you stir up in a tank. Example I use a turkey baster to blow off the rock then the diatom filter removes the debris. You can clog the filter fast trying to pick up sand and such with it. I use it for the micro cleaning.

 

[Jolanta]

So I will better use it when the lights are off and dinos stay in the water column and blow my rocks to take as much of it free floating as I can. Thanks.

 

[reefwiser]

Finally had a few minutes to finish the video up.

 

[JasPR]

one tip--- rinse the INSIDE of the filter when you clean it-- that will amaze you. also soak the pleated filter over night in hot water and a splash of chlorine bleach. rinse it after 24-48 hours, over night, run it under the tap and let it dry out. Its a good idea to have at least two pleated filters that you can rotate between cleanings

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

I'm sure people here know what they are doing but IMHO, just sayin' that I wouldn't run a diatom filter unattended or even more than an hour at a time, much less allow it to run all night in a display tank.
Put briefly, I think running it for hours at a time would strip the water column of more "things" that are beneficial than harmful.
Just a word to the wise.

 

[reefwiser]

Acutally I have done this for 35 years on marine tanks.

 

[biecacka]

This is a great idea. Do you leave the other pumps running? Can it be inserted into the sump too?

Corey

 

[Paul B]

Acutally I have done this for 35 years on marine tanks.

I guess I am older than you.

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Acutally I have done this for 35 years on marine tanks.

So then it should have been "word to the wiser" ? hehehe

 

[jason2459]

one tip--- rinse the INSIDE of the filter when you clean it-- that will amaze you. also soak the pleated filter over night in hot water and a splash of chlorine bleach. rinse it after 24-48 hours, over night, run it under the tap and let it dry out. Its a good idea to have at least two pleated filters that you can rotate between cleanings

I've never taken mine apart. Just back flush it.

 

[Black Pearl]

I used my vortex, this past week and I actually had to raise my MH a few inches, coral at the top of my tank started to bleach

 

[Randy Walker]

Are you sure to buy pool grade? Food grade imo would be better no?

For some reason food grade is different, finer, not pure white. After many tries ordering different types on Amazon, I finally went to pool supply and picked some up. Works great, only downfall is it usually only comes in 25# boxes, $20.00 so not bad, and you will have a but load of it !

 

[reefwiser]

I guess I am older than you.

Just turned 64 last week Paul.

 

[Paul B]

Just turned 64 last week Paul.

Happy belated birthday. Yep. like I said, I guess I am older than you.

You can't use food grade diatom powder. I have a big bag of it. Water doesn't go through it and it just clogs. You can eat it though for some reason.

 

[reefwiser]

Maybe they want you to clog up. They also had a product call Alternative DE. I asked what that was and the guy said shredded paper.

http://www.poolproducts.com/p/aquaperl-de-substitute-pool-filter-media

Which wouldn't work for our use.