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Post by Jess Puff on May 30, 2011 8:53:20 GMT -6
Has anyone ever used a Diatom Filter? My dad is really wanting one for his tanks and I'm just not sure it's worth the investment but he seems to think so. What do you all think?
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angel
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My Husband's A Birdbrain
Posts: 40
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Post by angel on May 30, 2011 11:42:24 GMT -6
I've never used one. I don't know that they're worth it. Is it brown algae he's dealing with? A couple of bristlenose plecos should cut down on that.
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Post by ree123 on May 30, 2011 14:59:14 GMT -6
I have 2 of them. Even without the diatom powder they will do a good job for a canister filter, even with just the sleeve in place. You can get charcoal filters for them also.
I use mine with the diatom powder, only on occasions when there is an outbreak of infection, because using the powder allows the filter to filter out even the ick size parasites, which are extremlly small.
I bought these filters many years ago when I raised Tetra's a bunch, as they got ick easily. Lately I have not used them at all. But then I don't do Tetra's any more either.
Does he want one to filter disease or is he just looking for a good cannister filter?
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Post by Jess Puff on May 30, 2011 18:39:56 GMT -6
He said he wants one so he doesn't have to change his water as much. Plus, I'm thinking this would take care of my white fuzzy "things" in my tanks. And would prevent me from breaking down all tanks to disinfect. I know, I'm lazy.  |
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Post by Jess Puff on May 30, 2011 20:25:27 GMT -6
I've never used one. I don't know that they're worth it. Is it brown algae he's dealing with? A couple of bristlenose plecos should cut down on that. Tina, they bought a couple of bristlenose plecos at the last swap meet from Bunnie. They are doing really well. He just wants to buy one so he can cut back on his water changes and make the water crystal clear. He says it's a little cloudy (which may be due to the indirect sunlight hitting the tank in their living room). |
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angel
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My Husband's A Birdbrain
Posts: 40
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Post by angel on May 31, 2011 5:27:10 GMT -6
Is he running aquaclear filters? They do a REALLY good job of polishing the water . Fluvals do too.
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Post by Jess Puff on May 31, 2011 7:10:38 GMT -6
Yes, he is using an Aquaclear.
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Post by mruble on May 31, 2011 9:14:32 GMT -6
A diatom filter will definitely polish the water. As Rick stated - a diatom filter can remove ich from a tank. I have seen algae blooms that were so bad that you could not see the back of the tank - diatom filtration had it crystal clear overnight. The actual diatom filters (used a mason jar) are hard to come by. You can use a Marineland Magnum or H.O.T. - both come with a pleated filter and the Magnum's used to come with a pouch of diatomaceous earth.
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Post by Jess Puff on May 31, 2011 9:58:11 GMT -6
A diatom filter will definitely polish the water. As Rick stated - a diatom filter can remove ich from a tank. I have seen algae blooms that were so bad that you could not see the back of the tank - diatom filtration had it crystal clear overnight. The actual diatom filters (used a mason jar) are hard to come by. You can use a Marineland Magnum or H.O.T. - both come with a pleated filter and the Magnum's used to come with a pouch of diatomaceous earth. Will the cannister filters remove things such as ick, algae blooms, (my infamous white fuzzy stuff), etc.? I don't believe they use diatomacious earth either. I don't really understand the difference between them. My Dad swears by the Diatom filter and says that all you have to do is stir up the rocks and stuff and filter the water through the diatom and you don't have to worry about so many water changes. Does this sound right to you all? Does it do anything to your water parameters? It seems that it might stress the fish out if you stir up all that crap and then clean the water but I have no idea. |
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Post by mruble on May 31, 2011 15:35:48 GMT -6
Cannister filters are not going to remove ich, algae blooms, etc... when used in a normal mode. The diatomaceous earth is so fine that it can remove very small particles. When used with the pleated filter in a H.O.T. or Magnum (or ran thru the original diatom filter), the diatomaceous earth will coat the filter element - allowing water to pass but catching everything else. The draw back is that the filter will clog fairly fast. Your father is stirring the tank to put foreign matter in suspension so the filter can pick it up. You could hook up a gravel vacuum on the suction side of the filter to reduce the amount of foreign matter put into suspension. If there is a huge biological load in the substrate, problems can be created by stirring. IMO you can extend the rate of water change by filtering with this method, but it cannot replace the benefits of water changes.
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Post by Jess Puff on Jun 1, 2011 6:53:57 GMT -6
So it sounds like the only reason to purchase a diatom filter is if you have a problem with ick or algae. It would be more cost efficient to just purchase a cannister filter instead.
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Post by bunnie1978 on Jun 1, 2011 11:17:25 GMT -6
He might look into a UV filter for water polishing and parasite killing - that won't make for more work. Some of the ways to reduce water changes are to set up the tank so that there is a reciprocal balance between fish and plants - hard balance to find but well worth it. There are also other filtration methods. If he is having cloudy water issues, more filtration or better filtration may or may not help depending on what is causing the cloudiness.
Glad the plecos are doing well!
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Post by ree123 on Jun 1, 2011 12:30:40 GMT -6
A diatom filter or a good canister filter sounds like what he wants and either would work, but I do believe a cloudy tank after the initial breaking must be something he has in the tank, possibly dissolving to create the cloudiness. Maybe the substrate or a specific rock or decoration. He must look at the whole picture to figure it all out. Stirring the gravel and filtering out is ok for a while, but remember to tell him that as long as the items he filters out are still in the filter that is running on the said tank prior to rinsing or cleaning the filter, is considered still in the tank system.
Out of sight cannot be out of mind. Follow me ?
Using a UV sterilizer is not a bad idea either.
Water changes are still a must !!! When we water change, we act like nature and rain into the tank some fresh water, and remove or drain some of the old. We are natures substitute.
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Post by Jess Puff on Jun 1, 2011 13:22:40 GMT -6
I think he's just used one before and liked the way it made the water very clear. I don't think his water is that cloudy... however, he thinks it is.
I'm the one with the issue. My tanks still have a problem with the white fuzzy things (not as bad as my 10 gal) but I've noticed it. I can see a bunch of crap growing in one of my filter tubes. I'm not really sure what it is but I hate to break down all of my tanks and start over. Dad said a Diatom would take care of this issue for me as well but I'm skeptical.
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Post by ree123 on Jun 1, 2011 14:26:33 GMT -6
It is worth a try. A diatom will filter very small particles out of the water column. I think I know where mine is and if I could find it you could just borrow it for a while instead of buying one. Unless you want to buy one. I have the old glass jar one and a newer Hot Magnum one. I'll just have to go thru a few boxes to locate it. Can't say I would have any Diatom Powder though, and even if I do, it would be very old.
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Aug 14, 2013 6:59:33 GMT -6