Is this Diatom powder going to kill my fish?

Karlsbad

Karlsbad

Sharkbait
Sep 23, 2003
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Chicagoland
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This thing spewed like a little bit of powder in my tank. Is it going to kill my fish? I'm giving up on it it's not like the drawing and its too risky.

I did the alternate method of charging and its fine running and clear then every few minutes the motor makes like a peeing noise and it expels more of this powder into my tank. There's a seal shown in the instructions between the bag and the motor housing, but mine doesn't look like the drawing at all. I have no seal though, I don't know if thats the problem, it seems like getting this thing to work right is the only way I'm going to get this crap out of my tank. I remember now planning to try it on an empty tank I have setup.
 
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No, it will not harm your fish.
 
basically fish safe.

no seal there, the top of the bag just plugs into the base of the machine.

the peeing noise....... watch it when it does this and i think you'll find it's blowing bubbles, not powder.

my first experiences were sort of bad too, i turned one tank into diatom "milk". :D
 
My first try with it was 80 gallons of powdered milk look! :eek:

The "alternate method" they mention is the best way to use the filter!

Using Diatom Filter
 
...tiny air bubbles being pushed around under pressure.....
 
The seal your talking about, is it the o-ring? The o-ring is so that the lid and jar won't leak. I don't have a seal on my filter bag.

I have the vortex xl diatom filter. The instructions from them are total crap. The support they have is non-existant and Vortex won't answer e-mails either.


I still think this is a good product though. Its just a little bit flawed, and can be fixed if you like to improve things and grunt (like Tim Allen) "need more power". The filter makes the water amazingly clear. My tank water is probably cleaner than my tap water due to this filter.

Right now, I probably use my diatom filter more than most people, I use it everyday for about 12 hours on my new tank. I have a pre- filter on the intake so it doesn't take in large particles. This way it doesn't turn into an ammonia bomb overnight. I'll use it much less when I get the new filters that I just ordered from Big Al's. The plumbing that comes with the Diatom Filter, for me, isn't worth a crap either. I've replaced all th original tubing with some better 1/2" tubing. The u-tubes, I don't even use, because the 90 degree bends in them slowdown the water flow, and make moving the filter around a big head ache. The shorter the tubes are, the stronger the output will be. I get an average output of about 225 gph. I have my filter on a cart that is the a little lower than my tank stands. If you run the filter from the floor, the motor is more stressed and is much less efficient.

Do you have the "Recharge Valve" for the filter?

All the instructions I've ever read about recharging the diatom filter are much too difficult. I'll never understand why you have to flip the thing over to get the siphon started. I take a funnel with 1/2" tubing on one end, and connect it to the intake of the recharge valve (if you don't have a recharge valve, get one, then You'll never get diatom powder in the tank again.) Then I mix the diatom powder with aquarium water in a pitcher, then I pour that into the funnel, and keep mixing in more water until all the powder is gone. Then I pour more aquarium water in, until the diatom filter is full, and until the water line reaches the recharge valve. Then I close the valve on the recharge valve, then I turn on the filter and let it run for a few minutes. Then re-attach the hose on the intake. To run it, just open the valve; you don't have to shut the motor off to move it, you just shut the valve on the recharge valve.


I hope I helped instead of creating more confusion.
 
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I love the product for how it works, but...
I think the filter was designed in the '70's and hasn't been inproved since. I'd be willing to bet that if it was redesigned it could be greatly improved.

Karlsbad, I have found that the biggest cause of the filter running poorly is air trapped somwhere inside. What works for me is (slowly, carefully) turning the whole filter upside down, then rightside up, and repeating this untill most of the traped air is released into the tank. Give it a try.

BTW, what are you paying for your diatom powder? I got mine bulk at a discount pool supply company for about 10% of the cost of what the aquarium supply places were charging, even the big guys.
 
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