Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

My last working Diatom Filter is croaking. I couldn't be in this hobby without a diatom filter because I run a reverse undergravel filter and it needs by yearly stirring up. I also like to blow detritus out of my 50 year old rocks. Yes, I could use a canister filter as I have 2 Eheim filters but they are not very powerful.

I also sometimes use my diatom filter on newly collected NSW as it is filled with mud and seaweed.

Most of them are pretty rotten


But this one I changed the motor years ago.



I dropped it a few times and it needs some help. I am not sure if I want to put on a new motor or make an entirely new filter so I am in a quandry.

 

[Rybren]

How is your back Paul?

 

[Paul B]

Rybren, my back isn't to good but 75% better than it was before the ablation procedure. The doctor said it takes 6 weeks to fully kick in so I will see. If it doesn't work, I will try laying on my back on top of my bar be cue for a few minutes. :grimacing-face:

 

[Paul B]

I just ordered parts to build a completely new diatom filter. If it works well. I will post a DIY thread. :smiling-face-with-smiling-eyes:
It will be less than $100.00. If it works well, I will post a DIY but if it flops, I will not tell anyone and just go and eat worms. :squinting-face-with-tongue:

 

[Subsea]

My last working Diatom Filter is croaking. I couldn't be in this hobby without a diatom filter because I run a reverse undergravel filter and it needs by yearly stirring up. I also like to blow detritus out of my 50 year old rocks. Yes, I could use a canister filter as I have 2 Eheim filters but they are not very powerful.

I also sometimes use my diatom filter on newly collected NSW as it is filled with mud and seaweed.

Most of them are pretty rotten


But this one I changed the motor years ago.



I dropped it a few times and it needs some help. I am not sure if I want to put on a new motor or make an entirely new filter so I am in a quandry.

In my early days, I used diatom filters to clear up bacteria blooms and for ich management.

 

[Paul B]

Sub, I have been using them since the 60s. They are great in fresh water but salt eats them up.

 

[Paul B]

I received the parts to build my newly designed diatom filter. I won't have time today to do much so maybe tomorrow. It all looks good and "should" work very well and look nice. (I don't like to build ugly stuff)

The filter cartridge is a 30 micron pleated membrane. I picked that one because I figured the one with the smaller pores may not let enough water through and I am counting on the diatom powder doing the work, not the membrane although they do come with one micron pores so you could use that without powder but I feel it will clog easily and not be able to clean as good as the powder which you just dump out.

But I didn't test the one with the one micron pores. The cartridges are cheap so I assume if you don't mind buying them occasionally you could use it without the powder. The one I am using is washable.

This drives me crazy. The "Manufacturer" is only a few miles from my house and it reads on the box
"A Proud American Manufacturer". Under that it reads "Made in China".

You can't be a proud American Manufacturer and build something not from America. The "Majano Wand" is built in Florida but most of the parts come from overseas because they don't make anything here mostly because of PCBs and other things. When I patented the thing most of the parts were made in the US. We don't make any power supplies here any more which is a shame.

When I go near there, I will pay them a visit and express my opinion.

 

[Subsea]

I received the parts to build my newly designed diatom filter. I won't have time today to do much so maybe tomorrow. It all looks good and "should" work very well and look nice. (I don't like to build ugly stuff)

The filter cartridge is a 30 micron pleated membrane. I picked that one because I figured the one with the smaller pores may not let enough water through and I am counting on the diatom powder doing the work, not the membrane although they do come with one micron pores so you could use that without powder but I feel it will clog easily and not be able to clean as good as the powder which you just dump

I am interested in this patent. Do we need lawyers?

out.

But I didn't test the one with the one micron pores. The cartridges are cheap so I assume if you don't mind buying them occasionally you could use it without the powder. The one I am using is washable.

This drives me crazy. The "Manufacturer" is only a few miles from my house and it reads on the box
"A Proud American Manufacturer". Under that it reads "Made in China".

You can't be a proud American Manufacturer and build something not from America. The "Majano Wand" is built in Florida but most of the parts come from overseas because they don't make anything here mostly because of PCBs and other things. When I patented the thing most of the parts were made in the US. We don't make any power supplies here any more which is a shame.

When I go near there, I will pay them a visit and express my opinion.

 

[Paul B]

I am interested in this patent. Do we need lawyers?

No, The word Lawyer is another way of saying, you never want the thing built, you want it to cost many times the original cost and you want to be buried in red tape for years while nothing gets done. :oops:

 

[dennis romano]

Hey Paul, Key in Vortex Diatom filter on your computer. They are available for $120.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Votex went out of business in 2012. New old stock in the box for $449.00 or something like that on Ebay.

 

[Paul B]

Hey Paul, Key in Vortex Diatom filter on your computer. They are available for $120.

I know, I have 5 of them in varying staged of disintegration. I want a better one.

 

[Paul B]

I posted a DIY for the new Diatom filter here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-diatom-filter-for-under-100-00.1023989/#post-12014582

 

[Paul B]

I just ordered parts for a half size diatom filter but this one has a one micron cartridge and it doesn't work with powder. It should work perfect for people concerned about parasites (I am not). I can't find a one micron pleated cartridge to use with powder. I want to see how this one works and how easy it is to clean. The cartridges are only five bucks so even if I can't clean it, it is still cheap enough to change the cartridges occasionally.

Hopefully next week I will be able to build the thing and test it.

It will cost me about $115.00 in parts because I am using a good pump. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Cthulukelele]

Is the main reason you are hot on diatom filters the silicate removal from natural sea water?

 

[fishybizzness]

I will be looking forward to this build. It would work perfectly for my observation tank. I always keep new fish for a month in it just to make sure that they aren't showing any signs of disease. I don't use any meds so this would be great for removing any from swimming pest.

 

[Paul B]

Is the main reason you are hot on diatom filters the silicate removal from natural sea water?

I didn't think they would remove silicate. :anguished-face:

 

[Cthulukelele]

I didn't think they would remove silicate. :anguished-face:

Diatom cytoskeleton is pretty much 100% silica! Fun fact.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Actually I am an idiot and don't know what a diatom filter was

 

[Cthulukelele]

I assumed it was a contraption that removed detritus and organic matter by growing diatoms not one that trapped organic matter using diatomaceous earth