# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Diatomaceous Earth



## something fishy (Aug 12, 2004)

Does anyone have experience with using DE from a pool supply company compared to the stuff specifically sold for use in an aquarium?
I ask because its about $15 online for a 5lb bag without shipping.
I know I can get it locally for $13.99 for a 20lb bag, other than making sure it doesnt contain chlorine what should I look out for?

Thanks
Adrian


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## something fishy (Aug 12, 2004)

Does anyone have experience with using DE from a pool supply company compared to the stuff specifically sold for use in an aquarium?
I ask because its about $15 online for a 5lb bag without shipping.
I know I can get it locally for $13.99 for a 20lb bag, other than making sure it doesnt contain chlorine what should I look out for?

Thanks
Adrian


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## Detox (Feb 26, 2004)

I buy DE from my local pool supply store and use it in my Vortex XL.

No Problems identified and it works great. 

Cheers, 

Detox


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## Margolis (Sep 22, 2004)

as long as it is pure de it should be fine. Just look for any other ingredients.


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## something fishy (Aug 12, 2004)

Thanks, 
I just needed that reassurance before I went and got it.
Also detox, I know you have the XL and I have the smaller D-1 but have you had your DE get clogged quite quickly when clearing green water? I had pea soup and its still cloudy, I ran the filter over night and it just wont clear it, hence I am getting more DE.

-Adrian


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## McKee (Feb 7, 2003)

Is there a way to use DE with a cannister filter?


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## gsmollin (Feb 3, 2003)

I use pool DE too. Ordinary aquarium filters lack the power needed to pump water through a DE filter. They work, but clog very quickly. With a GWA problem, it would be a minute or two. The Vortex can clear the water, but the GWA usually comes back, and the Vortex also clogs up, maybe in 30 minutes with pea-soup.

If you want a high-tech solution for GWA, get a UV sterilizer. That will get rid of GWA.


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## Margolis (Sep 22, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by McKee:
> Is there a way to use DE with a cannister filter?


what kind of canister filter? If it is a magnum canister it comes with a micron cartridge to be used with de.


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## McKee (Feb 7, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Margolis:
> 
> ...


Nope, Fluval, Eheim, or Filstar.


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by McKee:
> 
> ...


Sorry, those cannisters all use baskets to hold their filter media and don't have any way of sealing the outlet port from fine particulate matter.


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## gsmollin (Feb 3, 2003)

The Magnum 350 is the only cannister I know of that can take DE on its micron cartridge. You can add it to the inlet with the filter running. However, in tests I conducted, the DE-coated Magnum clogged up in a couple of minutes with GWA. It is not powerful enough to be practical.


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## Margolis (Sep 22, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> However, in tests I conducted, the DE-coated Magnum clogged up in a couple of minutes with GWA. It is not powerful enough to be practical.


thats funny, I've been using 330's and 350's for 20 years now and have never had them stop up in a couple of minutes. It usually takes a day or 2 before the flow is really affected much.


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## gsmollin (Feb 3, 2003)

Did you have a GWA problem? Yes, it will run for days with clean water, but the GWA rapidly clogs the DE. There is no way to bump the filter either, although I suppose you could let some water out of the cannister and shake it.

Anyway, that was the result of my tests. The GWA clogged the Magnum 350 in a few minutes. We're talking real pea soup here. I couldn't see the back of the tank. I used a UV sterilizer to get rid of it. That did work, and it did not come back.


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