DIY Diatom Filter for under $100.00

[Paul B]

Your canister should have 1/2" inlet and outlet. If it is 3/4", reduce it to 1/2". Then use 1/2" barb fittings with 5/8" tubing. How's that?

 

[Freenow54]

Hi Paul if your talking to me the fittings are 1/2

 

[Paul B]

Yes.

 

[Freenow54]

Yes.

I cannot find a under gravel filter plate here. Found one on Amazon US but wont ship to me . Its old school and No LFS carries them guess I cant do it I have a perfect box. So sorry for wasting your time pretty disappointed

 

[Freenow54]

I joined this forum just because of this thread. My father in law swears by the old DE filters back in his high school years. He has been trying to figure out where to find one since I'm keeping fish and trying to breed them.

Do you have a list of fittings you used by chance? I didn't see them listed in the thread.

Will try give me some time. the most important is on one end a union to take apart for cleaning, Paul also mentioned to me to soak the filter in pure bleach to clean pretty important since expensive

 

[Paul B]

Not pure bleach. Use Regular bleach. About half an ounce in the canister and then soak it in fresh water before you use it and let it air dry

 

[fnsh1st]

Paul, great post, and fun projects thrown in.
I just put a Diatom filter together, to clear up the water, very basic so far, and put it in service, I will clean up the package after I refine how to make it easy to use. I ended up starting unit in tank in a bucket.
I have now read all 13 pages of this post and see that you have gone through multiple iterations of the unit.
I saw that you attempted to place a down tube in the filter to disperse the Diatom but found there was not enough room
I am running the filter under pressure rather than pulling water through.
I am thinking that I would run the filter upside down, so that the incoming flow would mix the Diatom, in hopes of making startup easier.
Is this something you have tried or have a reason not to try?

I am very surprised these are not readily available, they are very simple. No one has posted anything negative about the concept, is there any downside, does it possibly strip out good things in the water. Should it not be used for long periods of time? Heck , your 50 year tank makes me believe you are pretty good at reefing. I am 6 months in.

 

[Freenow54]

Paul, great post, and fun projects thrown in.
I just put a Diatom filter together, to clear up the water, very basic so far, and put it in service, I will clean up the package after I refine how to make it easy to use. I ended up starting unit in tank in a bucket.
I have now read all 13 pages of this post and see that you have gone through multiple iterations of the unit.
I saw that you attempted to place a down tube in the filter to disperse the Diatom but found there was not enough room
I am running the filter under pressure rather than pulling water through.
I am thinking that I would run the filter upside down, so that the incoming flow would mix the Diatom, in hopes of making startup easier.
Is this something you have tried or have a reason not to try?

I am very surprised these are not readily available, they are very simple. No one has posted anything negative about the concept, is there any downside, does it possibly strip out good things in the water. Should it not be used for long periods of time? Heck , your 50 year tank makes me believe you are pretty good at reefing. I am 6 months in.

I got a tube into my unit. Priming it in a pull set up is very tricky. I used a three way valve and switched it quick . Now You probably missed it but Paul said he does not bother anymore as He found that a 5 Micron Filter works without the Powder. If your running it under pressure throughout the old discussion there was a concern with the filter collapsing. I now use a Marineland water purifier, I was also mentioned in the thread by someone. You can and they actually tell you that you can use the powder with the unit. I believe 6 Tablespoons in an appropriate bucket and it will take the powder in. I tried rolling the filter in the powder It was wet of course. That worked for me. Anyway Marineland puts a plastic tube the size of the inside of the filter in that is perforated. The unit works great but the filters are expensive. You must have missed all that but its there

 

[Paul B]

I have been using a diatom filter even before I had salt water in my fresh water tanks and found them indispensable. I doubt I would be n this hobby without one. I would not run one all the time because corals do use those microscope particles as food. And what was said, I no longer use the powder because the 5-micron cartridge is perfect for my purposes which is cleaning my rocks and gravel, so it doesn't clog.

A little bleach in the unit for an hour after it's done brings the cartridge to a like new condition, so it is almost free.

 

[Amstar]

I have heard and seen others suggest that this could help with parasites? how so - what would be the best way to use it to help with that? 1 micron -- filter I would think?

also what pump to use on the 10" filter?

 

[Paul B]

They do have a 1 micron filter but I don't use it because I don't want to kill parasites. But you can if you like. Of course it won't remove all parasites, just the ones that get sucked in. I believe even the 5 micron will eliminate parasites

 

[Freenow54]

I have heard and seen others suggest that this could help with parasites? how so - what would be the best way to use it to help with that? 1 micron -- filter I would think?

also what pump to use on the 10" filter?

Paul instead of his original suggestion of 1 micron , plus detritus earth which is a huge challenge uses a 5 micron . and no earth , Hugely Simpler. Read the entire thread. I made one , and can get the earth in it . But now I wont bother. I have no idea about parasites per say ask Paul . For Parasites I would plumb in a UV ( 55 ) Watt as rated Light intensity is way less than rated . Also flow is a huge factor for parasites. Some parasites can only be controlled not eliminated . However I assume chemical warfare is different. I researched UV lights for hours. Ask if interested and I will get way more specific

 

[Freenow54]

They do have a 1 micron filter but I don't use it because I don't want to kill parasites. But you can if you like. Of course it won't remove all parasites, just the ones that get sucked n.

Thanks Paul I thought and I just posted that you use 5 now . Am I wrong ?

 

[Freenow54]

Hey I was going through all the articles . I see yours . Why don't you do a short one with the subject being Quarantine ?

 

[Freenow54]

How is the shoulder ?

 

[Paul B]

Thanks Paul I thought and I just posted that you use 5 now . Am I wrong ?

Yes, I use 5 micron without powder.

. Why don't you do a short one with the subject being Quarantine ?

I obviously don't believe in quarantine and would not put a quarantined fish in my tank.

How is the shoulder ?

The shoulder is great as long as I don't have to use my arm. So if I see a pretty girl, I have to ask my wife to wave to her for me.

 

[Freenow54]

Yes, I use 5 micron without powder.


I obviously don't believe in quarantine and would not put a quarantined fish in my tank.


The shoulder is great as long as I don't have to use my arm. So if I see a pretty girl, I have to ask my wife to wave to her for me.

no sense of humour yet I see

 

[Paul B]

Hey I was going through all the articles . I see yours . Why don't you do a short one with the subject being Quarantine ?

I did.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-other-way-to-run-a-reef-tank-no-quarantine.573/

 

[Tazman]

Here’s my set up based on Paul B design

 

[Paul B]

Looks good to me.