Rotifers etc & diatom filters

Matak

Matak

Out of the blue!
Jun 18, 2002
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Near Toronto
To get my water crystal clear for taking some pictures, I plan to use my diatom filter. I have heard that the diatom filter will clean practically everything, including beneficial bacteria etc.

If I held back say a litre (quart) of tank water before filtering, then added it back after filtering, would this be enough to re-establish the bacterial colony in a reasonable amount of time?
 
Get the Vortex XL - you will be amazed!!
Smaller tanks can use the Vortex D-1. The Vortex is not needed or designed to run all the time like regular aquarium filters. A couple hours, at most six hours is all that the filter needs to do the job. I've left mine on overnight, but prefer not to do that, as it's not needed.

This filter even removes Ich from the aquarium. Diatom filters are not needed by everyone, but they sure do work!!

Hogwash, on removing the beneficial bacteria. There's plenty of that going on in the tank. Remember, this is not a 24/7 filter....

What it will do is give you crystal clear water! :)
 
Most of the bacteria in the water column are the heterotrophs that live off organic compounds. The populations in the upper substrate will replenish any removed from the water by a large water change or diatom filtering (if possible). The nitrifiers are attached communities and will be just fine.

As for rotifers; depending on how vigorous your filtration is, you may have very little in the water column.

I’ve been using a Whisper Diatomagic whenever I rearrange a planted tank for over 10 yrs now with nary a problem.



Tom
 
I have a Vortex Freedom filter and it works great (after I finally get it primed that is). My filtering is a RFUGF and is not very aggresive at all so they may be present in large quantities.
 
Originally posted by Matak
I have a Vortex Freedom filter and it works great (after I finally get it primed that is). ....
Click to expand...
Isn't the a newer Vortex Filter? I don't have stats in front of me about the XL, but I think it's for larger tanks like 55+ gallons. I'm still amazed at how good the Vortex XL works! What size tanks are recommended for the Vortex Freedom filter?
 
I haven't used it in over half a year, and I don't have the instructions (at least they're not in the storage box I keep all my diatom filter stuff in). My tank is only a 30g, and the current was a little strong, but it sure cleaned the tank great! Six months worth of poop, uneaten food, dead algae and plant matter that the siphoning didn't get. Talk about clear! I'm just waiting for the bubbles to free themselves from the water.

I bought a 10 lb. bag of diatom powder from a discount pool supplier back in the spring for only $15.00 CDN and I couldn't be happier. I'll probably get at least 50 tank cleanings from that one bag.

I love the performance of this filter, but I could probably design it much better. It looks as if it was designed with 70's technology and hasn't been upgraded since.
 
The Vortex XL needs a drop of oil every other use.
Check yours to see if it needs that too. The motor on the XL can get pretty warm.
 
Is there any great harm in letting one of these things run nonstop. Also would it eliminate brown algea. I seem to be getting quite a bit of the stuff lately.
 
The diatom powder IS the filter, and it clogs rather quickly. So, it's not a good idea to let them run for extended periods. Run it twice if needed. I haven't needed to ....
 
Originally posted by 80gJoe
The Vortex XL needs a drop of oil every other use.
Check yours to see if it needs that too. The motor on the XL can get pretty warm.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up on that. I will do that. Where do you oil?
 
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