# [Wet Thumb Forum]-diatom filter - VORtex



## Shoot_me (Jul 5, 2003)

I got one of these and am wondering what experiences other people have had using it for green water. I used it on my 80gallon for hours and could not see any improvement. I have to admit it was my first time using it, but i followed the instructions and used a lot of powder, as recommended.


----------



## Shoot_me (Jul 5, 2003)

I got one of these and am wondering what experiences other people have had using it for green water. I used it on my 80gallon for hours and could not see any improvement. I have to admit it was my first time using it, but i followed the instructions and used a lot of powder, as recommended.


----------



## gsmollin (Feb 3, 2003)

Which one are you using?
Did the filter clog up before it cleaned your water?
If "no" to question 2, are you sure you charged it correctly, and that the grid is not leaking?


----------



## imported_George (Mar 28, 2003)

It's difficult to imagine that if the filter was charged with diatomaeous earth (D.E.) that you would not see an improvement...rapidly. If the D.E. was present in the canister and not "caked" onto the filter it would of ended up in the aquarium. If the filter was clogged, there would be very little water coming from the return hose back into the aquarium. Charging the filter with D.E. can be a little tricky but you should see an improvement in the green water. It does not solve the cause of the green water but you should see an improvement at least temporarily.

George


----------



## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

I have a Whisper Diatomagic, but I haven't used it for green water. However, it says right in my instructions that if you're using it to clear green water, you might need to recharge the powder (i.e., add more) in as little as 30 minutes, and that it might take a few charges to clear the tank. Most likely your D.E. became clogged well before you stopped using the filter; you might try again, and try recharging the powder at least once and see if that does the trick.

http://www.wheelpost.com


----------



## imported_George (Mar 28, 2003)

Vicki,

I had a Whisper Diatomagic for several years before adding CO2 to the aquarium. Because of the strong surface agitation that is created by the return spout, I have been reluctant to use it assumming that it would rapidly deplete the CO2. I have never gone to the trouble to measure/estimate the CO2 concentration before and after using the Diatomagic. Have you noticed a difference in the CO2 after using it or do you just not worry about it?

Shoot_me,

What size of Vortex diatom filter are you using? I have the small model, D-1, for use in a 55 gal. and it works well. You should probably be using the larger model in a 80 gal. There is a large difference between the two in the surface area of the filters. When I started an aquarium with a Flourite substrate, I used the Vortex to remove the suspended particles that resulted from filling the aquarium...thought I had rinsed it well. It eventually did clog but it did a great job of removing the particles. Check the top of the filter mesh where it attaches to the base. Sometimes it may tear and may affect the efficiency of the filter. They recommend sealing around that point with aquarium silicon.

George

[This message was edited by George on Sat August 16 2003 at 04:04 AM.]


----------



## Guttboy (Jul 27, 2003)

I have had success with the Magnum HOT 250 for polishing the water. I bought some Diatomaceous earth from the pool store 25lbs for 10 bucks or so...that will last forever. I then use the micron filter in the HOT and charge it up with DE...just be sure to not turn the power off to transport to tank...this causes the DE to fall off the pleats. 

I actually charge it in a bucket in the tank...when the water in the bucket runs clear..not clouded from DE....I remove the bucket while the filter is running....polishes up the tank nicely!

Mike

100Gallon/Rena Filstar XP3/Icecap660 with 4x4' Ge Aquarays/Flourite Gravel mix/Malaysian driftwood


----------



## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

I don't worry about it, George; I never use it for more than an hour or so at a time, and in fact, I hardly ever use it at all anyway. It's a great tool when you're setting up a new tank, and can be useful in the first few weeks when you have lots of fast growing stem plants and more plant debris than you'd like, but once the tank becomes stable and has matured, I haven't found any need for it.

http://www.wheelpost.com


----------

