Diatom filter for bottom cleaning - read on

[FrankR]

I have been using my diatom filter now about every 1 to 2 weeks for water polishing. It is an awesome site to look at the tank when it is all polished.

I had an idea to use it to clean the tank bottom. I have a heavily planted 125 gallon tank with sand as the top substrate and siphoning is not as effective as it could be.

One thing I noticed about the good old diatom filter is that nothing, and I mean nothing that gets sucked into it ever returns to the tank. It is a vacuum cleaner for sure. Since there is no need to replace massive amounts of water as there is with siphoning it seemed to me that this might be a very effective way to remove mulm from plants, sediment, snails, etc. Not replacing massive amounts of water is a good thing in my opinion as I have always felt that the law of averages will deal you a bad water change eventually.

I bought a 10 foot section of 5/8 inch id hose and made an extension for the intake on the Vortex Diatom filter. It took some work to prime the thing, but once it got going I was very impressed with how effective this is as a tool for bottom cleaning.

Has anyone else tried this and if so did you have any nice tips or tricks to add ?

[brewmaster15]

I think magnum makes a cleaning attachment for its cannister filters...particularly the H.O.T. systems.. These filters have pleated cartridges that act in many ways like a diatom. Water polishing is one of the things they are good for.., but they don't need priming like the diatom. You might want to look at that system for ideas.

I'm not very familar with Diatom filters but you may want to build in a prefilter into the system..something as simple as a placing some filter floss in line before the diatom filter....this would catch most of the large debris from the plants.

Hope that helps,
al

[Anonapersona]

Siphoning does not require a lot of water removed from the tank.

You could also make a siphon wand... I made one and I think Carol (?) posted a photo of hers. I used a 3/8" clear rigid tube from the local pet store, then glued on the end a 6' length of 5/8" clear vinyl tubing. (Or some dimensions like that, I don't have it handy in the computer room to check)

The narrower the tubing the less water you will remove while cleaning. You only need a tube big enough to fit over the fish poo. Trying to siphon a bare tank with a gravel cleaner is silly. The large diameter on the gravel side makes for slow flow rate -- so you don't actually remove gravel -- but it makes big fish poo harder to raise. So, just go to a small diameter tube for higher velocity, 1/4" or 3/8" will be fine.

I don't remove much more than 1/2 gallon when siphoning the 55 gallon tank, since the current tends to make the poo gather at one end I only have to clean a 8" square plus some stray bits. Even if I do the whole tank, that's about 1 gallon removed. I don't have to replace it unless the filter splashing gets annoying.

[Mr. Limpet]

Hi everyone,
I have not used a magnum filter with a micron cartridge, but until I do, Diatomaceous Earth filters Rule! I have used a Vortex XL for 20 + years when needed or wanted, and the water clarity and solid material removal is stunning.
Yes, thay are a pain at first, but the cost and results speak for themselves.
JMHO paul.

[Webzilla]

All,

I have used my magnum for about 2 months now with the pleated cartridge to clean the waste off the bottom of my 175. It works great. I do this everyday or at the ver most every other day. The magnum 350 is an awesome peice of equipment. They are east to move around and pretty easy to clean. The pleated cartridge does a wonderful job polishing the water as well. You can even use it with carbon if you need to temporarily. I can't say enough of the magnum filters.

I bought more hose - 15" and added my python vacum to it.

I do however find the priming it is a pain in the butt sometimes, other times it starts right up. There is no rhyme or reason to this mystery that I can find, one of those wierd things..

Webz.....

[brewmaster15]

Webz,
I have the magnum 350 and the HOT's. TRy the Hots.. They don't seem to have the priming issues.

IF you invert the cannister 350 , it usually Primes, and you can also use a water hose directed into the either the inlet or outlet to get the prime going. I have also found that it primes better if the cannister is only filled with about 75%water.

hth,
al