Diatom Filter

[deli_conker]

Ok. I've read the hype, now I need to hear from people...

Realistically speaking, how well do they work? Will using one every now and then to polish the water keep it crystal clear? Will it pull out that tannic acid discoloration from driftwood?

I'm thinking about buying one to use for a couple of hours every week (after a water change) to "clear" the tank a bit but I don't want to drop $80 on something that really doesn't make that much of a difference...

[Fruitbat]

deli_conker....

The Diatom filter works GREAT as long as you follow the instructions carefully. If you don't then you're likely to end up with a great cloud of diatomaceous earth in your aquarium. Yes....they'll polish your water up very nicely....and yes, it will be crystal clear. Whether it stays that way or not is, of course, up to you! No...the Diatom filter won't take out all the discoloration due to tannins from your driftwood.

[deli_conker]

I do 10-15% water changes weekly, religiously (right before I water my plants ).
I do not over feed either so my coral and water stay very clean.
The water itself looks good at the moment, but I threw some carbon in my canisters when I first set it up to get a good start on the initial water quality. I'm not going to change it out though. It makes a great place for bacteria to grow.

the Diatom filter won't take out all the discoloration due to tannins from your driftwood.

How much discoloration will it remove if not all? Other than carbon, what would take out the discoloration?

Thanks...

[Fruitbat]

Diatom filters work by drawing the water through a surface that is covered with diatomaceous earth.....it will filter out things down to the bacterium size. It does not, however, removed chemical compounds that are dissolved in the water. If you want to get rid of the discoloration you're pretty much limited to activated carbon.

[BrianNY]

I diatom each of my tanks a minimum of 1 to 2 hours weekly. The big advantage is it pulls everything out of the tank down to 1 micron. This includes parasites.

The problem with activated carbon is once it becomes saturated with the toxins it's designed to remove, it begins throwing them back in the tank. Avoid problems by changing your carbon frequently. There are much better products to maintain your bio filter bed.

[deli_conker]

I read in another post that carbon won't release what it is holding unless something else pulls it out.

I may just get rid of the carbon all together. One less variable as I see it.

[BrianNY]

I use NO carbon in my discus tanks. But than I change a lot of water.