# Magnum HOT 250 with diatom powder?



## snoopfish (Dec 19, 2005)

Has anyone done this and was it successful?
Thanks


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

It works but the flow is severely reduced to not more than 50 gph. If you want to clear up a tank fast (30 min or so) then the tank has to be less than 20 gals.

Commercial diatom filters used in water supply systems for engine cooling and such don't filter 100% of the water volume but only about 10% of the it. They are being run continuosly so over time the water is cleaned completely. 

You can run the diatom loaded HOB 250 on a bigger tank continuosly but chances are it will plug up and the flow will stop between 1 to 3 days. From my experience though the HOB 250 can run completely plugged up, without any flow, for a few days with no problems.

--Nikolay


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## jerseyjay (Jan 25, 2004)

snoopfish said:


> Has anyone done this and was it successful?
> Thanks


I did try it about 5 years ago. I just did quick search on google and found my old pictures  Here is step by step:

Tank before filtration









1. Use any diatom filter powder. They also sell it in Pool Stores.









2. Use about 1 cup of powder









3. Dump entire cup in the filter and lock it









4. Mount the filter / tubing and place inlet / outlet in 1G container 









5. Let it run / circulate and prime for few minutes. There should be no floating powder in 1G container









6. Couple hours later you should have crystal clear water


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## titan97 (Feb 14, 2005)

Also, please be aware that there are several grade of DE (Diatomaceous earth aka diatom powder). The kind used in filters is usually called "filter grade" and given a rating in microns. The smaller the rating, the finer the powder, and the more it will remove small, floating debris. I suspect that most aquariums would work well with 10-50 micron powder. Anything less than that and you may have to change it too often, and/or the flow rate will be so low that it won't be useful as a filter.

-Dustin


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I have a HOT Magnum that I purchased specifically for using as a diatom filter. It cleans my 75g tank overnight in most cases and my 30g tank in a couple of hours. I use a charge of between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of diatom powder (same brand as in Jay's picture) for the HOT. It works very well for green water and leaves the water crystal clear. It will plug if used continually as Niko mentioned but I have never had to use mine for more than 24 hours or so to clear up green water.


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## snoopfish (Dec 19, 2005)

Thanks for all the help....I am going to get one and give it a try.
My tank is 33 gallons and I am not liking the mess after a h20 
change and major plant trimming. Other than figuring out why I 
am getting hair algae, (I think I may be dosing too much iron),
things are going fairly well !!


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## AMP (Nov 11, 2006)

After reading through all this about Diatom Powder , Blackouts Ferts Dosing and all, I left here bewildered and got a Magnum 250 for my 55. Managed to find Diatom Powder at a Pet discount store of all places.

My GDA Is not all that bad I have been keeping it in check for some time by doing all the Basic Methods. But I can't get rid of it entirely and that Light Haze in the water is driving me Nuts.

So I put the thing on the tank even after running it in a Bucket for a half hr first and still managed to get some Diatom Powder in the water, It cleared up fairly fast though with the Mag running and Three Other Canisters going. 

My Fish kind of spooked when the Tank when white for a few, but seem to be relatively fine and healthy  I am going to leave it on for 8 hrs and see how it goes, while I am at work.

I noticed the Powder seems to accumulate on the Bottom of the magnum, Is this Normal? I figured the bulk would adhere to the micron cartridge, which in turn would explain why it would clog easily....


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

AMP said:


> So I put the thing on the tank even after running it in a Bucket for a half hr first and still managed to get some Diatom Powder in the water, It cleared up fairly fast though with the Mag running and Three Other Canisters going.


I have found it to work much better by using a 500ml rubbermaid container for the diatom powder and water. I mix it up and place it under the intake of the HOT. There is very little powder released into the tank this way. I've never had luck with the bucket method using either the HOT or the Magnum 350. The powder always gets tossed about the tank when I use the bucket method 



AMP said:


> I noticed the Powder seems to accumulate on the Bottom of the magnum, Is this Normal? I figured the bulk would adhere to the micron cartridge, which in turn would explain why it would clog easily....


How much powder did you use? Some will collect in the bottom of the filter. You can give the filter a shake while it is running to get the powder up into suspension again and hopefully sucked into the micron filter. I've had some luck with this method.

Definately let us know how it works out for you. I'm betting 8 hours will be plenty but you may need to let it run overnight if you have a bad case of Greenwater or GDA (along with multiple glass cleanings, you do have an algae magnet don't you).


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## AMP (Nov 11, 2006)

MatPat said:


> How much powder did you use? Some will collect in the bottom of the filter. You can give the filter a shake while it is running to get the powder up into suspension again and hopefully sucked into the micron filter. I've had some luck with this method.


About a Half Cup, Bad Idea shaking it, Major White out again  The Vortex Powder is probably just a Tad Fine for that Micron Filter, But I Talked to my Aquatics expert he said not to worry to much about the Powder White out It will filter through again and what deposits are left wont hurt the other Filters I have running.

So Far though I have seen an 80% Improvement in Water Clarity, I will most likely leave it on all night until Morning.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

AMP said:


> About a Half Cup, Bad Idea shaking it, Major White out again


I would say something is not setup right with the filter then. I don't get any bypass when I give my filter a shake. I do sometimes have trouble getting the micron filter seated on the bottom plate...



AMP said:


> The Vortex Powder is probably just a Tad Fine for that Micron Filter, But I Talked to my Aquatics expert he said not to worry to much about the Powder White out It will filter through again and what deposits are left wont hurt the other Filters I have running.


Same powder I run in my filter. It works well.



AMP said:


> So Far though I have seen an 80% Improvement in Water Clarity, I will most likely leave it on all night until Morning.


Let us know how it works


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## AMP (Nov 11, 2006)

MatPat said:


> I would say something is not setup right with the filter then. I don't get any bypass when I give my filter a shake. I do sometimes have trouble getting the micron filter seated on the bottom plate...
> 
> Same powder I run in my filter. It works well.
> 
> Let us know how it works


I will Let you al know in the morning, Just got home from work the Moon lights are on until 1130 EST I can see a Dusting of powder on the flourite Bed, Looks Like a Water change and bed cleaning again in the Morning ](*,)

Lessoned learned On this unit :lol:


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

Yes, me too! I surely had a learning curve when trying to master the DIY diatom filtering w/ my Magnum H.O.T. The first time I tried it I managed to get some of the white powder spilled into my aquarium. My fish were unharmed; however, with in the next 24 hours I saw several of my Amano Shrimp go thru convulsive fits and die. I had about 3 in this tank which I saw regularly after introducing 5. After letting some diatom escape into the tank I never saw any Amanos still living. It may be coincidental, but I don't want to ever see that again! 

Tips / Tricks / Techniques - I learned:

For my 250 Magnum H.O.T, a charge of 1/4 - 1/2 cup was all that would hold on the cartridge. Anymore than that was always loose and just on the bottom.

On my 75g tank if the green water was very bad and thick it might take more than one run. The cartridge would become so clogged and the flow would be greatly reduced, yet the water would not be fully cleared. I would pull and clean the filter and then start it fresh with another charging of the diatom powder.

Doing a large water change first and before using the filter to clear green water was better.

You cannot charge the filter, then turn it off and back on again!!! Somehow some of the powder becomes loose again.

I found it easiest to charge the filter while it was on the aquarium by having both the intake and output tubes isolated into a plastic container. I used a container from the large-size cottage cheese. I would take off the strainer from the inlet then both tubes would just fit the container. I kept the strainer right at hand so that when my charging was complete, I could quickly replace it as I removed the plastic container so my fish were not at risk of ....you know. Also, I needed to be sure to position the plastic charging container so about a 1/2" of the top remained up above the level of the aquarium water. (Just don't let the container fill with the aquarium water all the way to the top.) This helped keep the diatom powered water from spilling or splasing into the tank while the cartridge was priming.

And lastly:
After my third or fourth battle with GW...I caved and sprung for a UV!!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah....I know everyone always talks about just balance your tank! Well, my tank can be balanced for four or even five months - just sweet as pie. *BUT* then there's that ugly urge to remodel! Someone else's tank has inspired a new idea. Or I'm jealous  ! New plants to try-out! A different hardscape? Maybe that honking-big, 100-leaved stand of Cryptocoryne walkeri would be great to use to build that new 20g long around? (Ooohh, it has an 18" rootball!) Or old plants I've grown tired of looking at, or tired of pruning because it just grows way too fast. Perhaps, I've still a long way to go before I get past my learning curve on the artistic side? ....if ever? You name it, there's just too many reasons my tank does'nt remain balanced with me around. My UV sterilizer is my saftey net. Sure I've read how black outs are free; but to me I think the withdrawl will be _too_, too torturous.

The Magnum has been retired to the official job of fancy water polisher for after aquarium re-scapes.


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## AMP (Nov 11, 2006)

Interesting Story, I woke up this morning everything seemed a bit clearer, I Pulled the magnum,, cleaned the Cartridge out which was somewhat brown, as to be expected  

Redid the system again with a half cup dilutes in a one gallon jar, ran it for 20 minutes or so and shook it and it poofs white DE again, so i let it go awhile longer and the jar came clear, Put it in the tank, only got a wee bit this time in the tank.

After the first dose the tank became 90% clearer, I Left it running did a thorough wall cleaning while it was running, the water is becoming sparkle clear now, going to let it run over night again, I even noticed the GDA is not on my drift wood, it started to disappear I have a Little BBA I believe on my swords, just looks like Little black dots, But all the Plants look healthier after the first round.

So Far I am quite pleased with the results, Pres. Co2 is next, And I am still following a Dosing schedule, and all is going well, Best 80 bucks I spent on a Filtration set up.

Hopefully once I am Pressurized and balanced, I will be doing as you Mama, Putting the Mag on the shelf for polishing use only


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