DIY Diatom Filter

[robert]

If you've never run one or maybe never even heard of one, check out this thread:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diatom-filter-for-treating-external-parasites.212429/

These have been around forever. They produce sparkling clear water, remove free parasites, and don't interfere with water chemistry or medications.

You can still find some of the old vortex filters online - many of those who know of them swear by them (and at them at times) If your in a pinch - sick fish - velvet or ich - this is the only in-tank treatment that is proven to work. (Ok - if you don't believe it - read up on the other thread.)

What you will need:

A salinity sant bucket with the screw on lid and the gasket in place.
A high flow submersible pump - the higher the lift the better.
A water filter pleated paper cartridge.
Some fittings, pvc and and three bulkheads.
Some epoxy putty - otay is good.

For this build I hunted around the garage and found what I needed...If you don'h have exactly what I have, don't sweat it - make due with what you have.

The pleated paper filter goes to a water filter or small above ground pool (walmart/home depot) - the only requirement is that if fits easily inside the bucket with the lid on when attached to the submersible pump.

I'm using an old odyssea pump. Its cheap - new ~$28 dollars. Its label says 1325 gph and 4.5 m lift, but I'm skeptical. I figure its closer to 750 gph when plumbed.

The pleated filter has ~1" holes in each end that can be screwed to 3/4" fittings. They are not threaded - but if you need to snug them up - wrap with some silicon tape or teflon tape - whatever you have - works.

Plug one end of the pleated filter with a 3/4" pvc plug.

The other end use a 3/4" thread to slip fitting and a short piece of 3/4" pvc to mate to the fitting screwed into the pump - again tape to make snug.

I'm using a threaded male 3/4" (90 to slip) to come out of the pump - again use what you have to attach the filter to the "INTAKE" of the pump. But just ake sure it will all fit in the bucket with the pleated filter completely submerged - this is important. The pleated filter must remain underwater at all times while running.

Now mate the filter to the intake of the pump.

Ok - no glue is required - this is the intake of the pump so its going to "suck" together as it runs, still stuff needs to be snug. Plug is in the top of the filter.

Now I had an old flex hose that fit 3/4" pvc perfectly - I cut it so that when attached to the pump it extened to the top of the pleated filter cartidge. This slip on flex tube is really what you want here - but again do what you have to...rember this is the outflow so things need to be snug so as to not come apart under pressure.

Finished assembly:

Now the top -

Two 3/4" (internal) bulkheads and one 1" internal bulkhead.

I was being lazy and added the 1" bulhead because the plug went through it without cutting the cord. I didn't have a washer for it so I cut one out of some old neophrene I had.

Sill, you can't have a hole where the cord exits - so I filled around the cord with otay epoxy putty.

Pack it in tight - no gaps and hurry before it sets up...This won't leak...If you don't have the bulkheads you can use only 1 type of glue with any chance of success. See my post here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-glue-polyethylene-hdpe-ldpe.211986/

Alright, the pump assembly is done - the lid is wired - put them together - you'll need to cut a length of 3/4" pvc to connect the bulkhead to the flex hose on the pump. again - no glue required unless you just want to.

Close it up - tight - when you think its tight twist some more....The sality buckets are great for this as they have that ratcheting seal and thumb release.

Done - Next we will add the plumbing to the top and test it.

Its dark here - so I'll show you how to connect it up and charge it in the morning.

Any questions - chime in - I'll explain what isn't clear (I hope)

 

[Humblefish]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Dtackett]

nice. let us know how it works

 

[robert]

Well its finished and running on the fountain in my back yard.The water in that thing is totally filthy...

A couple of things I learned - the gasket in the lid of the salinity bucket leaks air if under any negative pressure. I replaced it.

With the new gasket it doesn't leak air under negative pressure - instead - if the return tube gets pinched - the pump continues to push water out and the salinity bucket crumples of like a beer can.

I've built these inside of old cannister filters with ridgid walls - but soft wall containers are not going to cut it - the LDPE bucket is a no-go.

If everything is flowing properly the thing works great - would work nicely in a pinch - but definately not robust enough for long term use.

Pics in a bit.

 

[robert]

So I would call this a failure - The housing is the key - everything else worked as intended.

 

[robert]

Two things wrong with the salt bucket housing - first it leaked air - when that was fixed - it was easily crushed if the intake clogged - and when that was fixed - it leaked if the internal pump was turned off - both positive and negative pressure issues.

The filter portion worked fine.

 

[reefwiser]

Yes salt buckets can be used for non pressurized uses only. They make good trickle filters but under pressure they fall apart. I water filter canister would do the job.

 

[143MPCo]

Very nice DIY setup...

Question:
...as the shells, or parts of shells, have many pores that give diatomite its valuable properties. The pores are 1-3 microns in diameter; some species have a finer network of secondary pores of about 0.5 micron diameter within the primary pores.

Thinking outside of the box Purtrex Depth Sediment Filter claim to trap down to 0.6 microm as noted by the Specifications below, additionally they are designed to work in an upflow reactor, does anyone see why they could not be used to achieve the same purpose?
*******************************************************************************************************************************
This means the Purtrex Depth Sediment Filter will trap particles throughout the entire thickness of the filter.

Specifications:

• 0.6 Micron nominal filtration
• Fits all standard 10" RO units
• True Graded Density

 

[kschweer]

Very nice DIY setup...

Question:
...as the shells, or parts of shells, have many pores that give diatomite its valuable properties. The pores are 1-3 microns in diameter; some species have a finer network of secondary pores of about 0.5 micron diameter within the primary pores.

Thinking outside of the box Purtrex Depth Sediment Filter claim to trap down to 0.6 microm as noted by the Specifications below, additionally they are designed to work in an upflow reactor, does anyone see why they could not be used to achieve the same purpose?
*******************************************************************************************************************************
This means the Purtrex Depth Sediment Filter will trap particles throughout the entire thickness of the filter.

Specifications:

• 0.6 Micron nominal filtration
• Fits all standard 10" RO units
• True Graded Density

This is interesting and I would love to hear how it works out if you try it. I know of a few tanks that run micron filters 24-7 and they really do polish the water. You can also take a bucket of tank water and mix in some diatomaceous earth, run a micron filter on the bucket until it clears up and then use the filter on your tank to really clear up the water. The micron filter catches the diatomaceous earth and it lowers the micron size down even further.

 

[143MPCo]

You can also take a bucket of tank water and mix in some diatomaceous earth, run a micron filter on the bucket until it clears up and then use the filter on your tank to really clear up the water. The micron filter catches the diatomaceous earth and it lowers the micron size down even further.

...I will try it both ways to see, I have no doubt that adding diatomaceous earth will aid the Sediment Filter, and it will be interesting to see how long it last before it's completely clog and non-functional.

I don't want to hijack this thread any further so will start a new one.

 

[Harold Green]

I don't know if they are still available but at one time I had a pleated micron filter that would fit in a whole house water filter. The kind you buy for your home water filtering. It had half inch taps for intake and return. Took a submersible pump (little giant) and half inch tubing over to the filter and tubing back to the tank. Dropped in the pump and instant low speed diatom filter. I used it for ponds or tanks that had turned green and it would filter out all the algae overnight.

 

[143MPCo]

I don't know if they are still available but at one time I had a pleated micron filter that would fit in a whole house water filter. The kind you buy for your home water filtering. It had half inch taps for intake and return. Took a submersible pump (little giant) and half inch tubing over to the filter and tubing back to the tank. Dropped in the pump and instant low speed diatom filter. I used it for ponds or tanks that had turned green and it would filter out all the algae overnight.

these type?

 

[Harold Green]

If those are micron filters instead of standard paper filters then yes if they fit in a house water filter canister. If memory serves the one I had had green end caps but that really doesn't matter as it was a long time ago.