Huge diatom filter for crystal clear water

[Cabinetman]

I’ve been using one of these designed for a swimming pool on my 560 gallon fowlr tank and I couldn’t be more impressed. My water is always crystal clear. I basically change the diatomaceous earth out once a month and that’s about it. It’s the best thing I’ve ever added to my system to date.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000EVOM5Y/ref=ya_st_dp_summary?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[NowGlazeIT]

What pump do you run with it

 

[Cabinetman]

I got a jebao dcp or dct 18000 to feed it.

 

[cracker]

Do You use the diatom earth from the pool supply? If So, do You have concern over impurities or unwanted chemical etc? I also wonder what if any biological aspects of using this type of filtration. Always wondered about this. I do have an old diatom filter it's old & difficult to get started but does a tremendous job clearing water !

 

[HippieSmell]

I’ve been using one of these designed for a swimming pool on my 560 gallon fowlr tank and I couldn’t be more impressed. My water is always crystal clear. I basically change the diatomaceous earth out once a month and that’s about it. It’s the best thing I’ve ever added to my system to date.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000EVOM5Y/ref=ya_st_dp_summary?ie=UTF8&psc=1

How much are filters and how difficult is the filter replacement?

 

[Cabinetman]

Do You use the diatom earth from the pool supply? If So, do You have concern over impurities or unwanted chemical etc?

The brand I used says 100% pure so I’m confident it’s ok. So far so good anyway. It’s been a few months.

 

[Cabinetman]

How much are filters and how difficult is the filter replacement?

The filter itself seams to very by price on amazon quite a bit. I paid $93 plus tax for my first one. I ordered a second for my pool and paid $145 plus tax. To clean it I simply shut the pump off. Pump a handle up and down a few times to release the diatomaceous earth then open the drain valve and close the return valve that goes back to the tank. Then start my return and pump the contents out... the drain is at bottom and the diatom earth settles after pumping handle and it falls off the fingers that hold it. It’s pretty simple and only takes a few mins. Then I close everything up and once the pump is running I mix up a new batch of slurry of diatom earth and feed it into the return pump which coats the membranes again. Hope that makes sense

 

[cracker]

Sounds pricey but for a Monster tank your size, not so much !

 

[Cabinetman]

Really it’s a cheap filter compared to other gear...

 

[HippieSmell]

The filter itself seams to very by price on amazon quite a bit. I paid $93 plus tax for my first one. I ordered a second for my pool and paid $145 plus tax. To clean it I simply shut the pump off. Pump a handle up and down a few times to release the diatomaceous earth then open the drain valve and close the return valve that goes back to the tank. Then start my return and pump the contents out... the drain is at bottom and the diatom earth settles after pumping handle and it falls off the fingers that hold it. It’s pretty simple and only takes a few mins. Then I close everything up and once the pump is running I mix up a new batch of slurry of diatom earth and feed it into the return pump which coats the membranes again. Hope that makes sense

It costs a hundred dollars a month in maintenance?

 

[Cabinetman]

It costs a hundred dollars a month in maintenance?

No lol. It only cost a few bucks a month to replace the diatom powder. I loved this filter so much I bought a second one to run on my pool this summer coming.

 

[HippieSmell]

No lol. It only cost a few bucks a month to replace the diatom powder. I loved this filter so much I bought a second one to run on my pool this summer coming.

Haha, ok. That sounds better. Is there a difference between pool grade and food grade diatomaceous earth, for our purposes?

How do you think this compares to something like a rollermat? I like mine, but I'm always on the lookout for an upgrade, lol.

 

[revhtree]

Hmm very cool!

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Diatom powder is silica based, so I'd be concerned about running 100% of the time. I've had good success running diatom filters for short periods of time (a few hours at a clip) but would be concerned about potential for algae blooms with tank water constantly flowing over the media.

Again, I've never run full time, so can't say from experience, but that would be my hesitation...

 

[HippieSmell]

Diatom powder is silica based, so I'd be concerned about running 100% of the time. I've had good success running diatom filters for short periods of time (a few hours at a clip) but would be concerned about potential for algae blooms with tank water constantly flowing over the media.

Again, I've never run full time, so can't say from experience, but that would be my hesitation...

Is the media fully submerged, or does it act as a wet/dry filter?

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Is the media fully submerged, or does it act as a wet/dry filter?

It's not biological media; more of a very, very fine mechanical media (fine enough to filter ich). I've only ever seen it fully submerged; pretty sure that's how the filter in the OP is setup too.

 

[HippieSmell]

It's not biological media; more of a very, very fine mechanical media (fine enough to filter ich). I've only ever seen it fully submerged; pretty sure that's how the filter in the OP is setup too.

No, I understand that. You just made it sound like maybe it would create nitrates. A wet/dry filter does that because the bioballs are exposed to air.

 

[Blue Ring Octopus]

300 and 5 bucks now I guess someone is making good money.

 

[Cabinetman]

Diatom powder is silica based, so I'd be concerned about running 100% of the time. I've had good success running diatom filters for short periods of time (a few hours at a clip) but would be concerned about potential for algae blooms with tank water constantly flowing over the media.

Again, I've never run full time, so can't say from experience, but that would be my hesitation...

If anything I seem to have less LG blooming in the tank. I only clean My glass about once every week or two at best. I have absolutely zero hair algae

 

[Cabinetman]

300 and 5 bucks now I guess someone is making good money.

It’s funny how it veries in price. I’ve only started Using Amazon in the last few months really. I added the first one to my cart and it stayed there for a few days and I got an email saying the price went down and it dropped like 20 bucks off of it. But then I deleted it and added it again and it did the same thing and I just kept doing that and eventually got it down to 145 bucks from 320. When I click on the link above my price is now $614 LOL