Diatom filter for treating external parasites?

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Thinking about a whole system DE filter for my new FOWLR build. Who are some members with them on their FOWLR systems? I would love to ask them a couple questions!

One is @robert member since 2011, input DE filtration on R2R search option more there

 

[skr791346]

None, some large Aquarium institutions run 24/7. DE filters in refugium away from DT. Dosing food in DT. Give corals time to eat before food goes to DE filter. I love it. Some members here run for SPS,LPS, surprisingly and especially for FOWLR.

Thank you, that puts my mind at ease. I was concerned about water being stripped clean or DE particles blowing around in tank if I didn't notice the filter clogged and filter spewed some back out before cartridge got changed.

 

[skr791346]

For those using the Marineland Magnum -

After charging it in a 5 gallon RODI bucket with 6 tbsp, I waited until the water turned clear.

Then I turned the unit off, and lifted the unit fully out of the water and put it back in the bucket - to simulate how the unit would run once it was in the display tank.

I noticed once the unit was out of water post-charging, then re-submerged, water turns cloudy again before clearing. Tried it in a new bucket with fresh RODI and same issue. I'm guessing it's shooting DE powder back out before absorbing it.

Is this normal? I was expecting DE powder to stay inside the filter, attached to the micron cartridge, preventing any DE powder from being blown around in the display tank. Any advice would be appreciated. Did I add too much powder? It was cakey and it might've been a bit more than 6 tbsp.

 

[ReefWithCare]

How do you run a DE 24-7? Wouldn’t the replacement of the filter be a lot of daily work? Also - how do you clean the filters or are ppl throwing them away [emoji848]

 

[reefwiser]

You clean out the cartridge filter under a sink. I wash the filter under running water then I place the filter in a bucket of 50/50 bleach and water to sanitize the filter.Then after 24 hours I place the filter in a bucket of water and add Prime to dechlorinate the filter.
In 24 hour operation one would need a large filter that would take a long time for it to be clogged. You could make a manifold of several filter cartridges so that you could cycle thru the filters over time.

 

[droog]

Guys,

How about using a standard 5-micron or 1-micron sediment filter inside a 10" R/O canister as a "cheap mans" DE filter? Attach a feed pump and place in the sump (or even in the DT)?

I imagine the throughput would be much less than a dedicated DE filter, but this would be easy to setup and run and seems like this could work, especially if the water is pre-filtered for larger particles.

Any thoughts?

-droog

 

[reefwiser]

 

[Cory]

I am in the process of upgrading my tank. I have a decision to make on going fallow and keeping two tanks running for 75 days, or moving the fish over during the swap and adding a DE filter.

I had an ick/velvet/fluke outbreak over a year ago that took out 60-70% of my fish population. There were 7 survivors, including three tangs. I have since added a few wrasses, mystery, possum, melanurus, etc... with no sign of ick, but I'm sure it's still in the tank... I know I need to dose with prazipro for some internal parasites (white stringy poop) but I can do that in the "old" tank before moving the fish over.

I found a vendor who sells new Vortex XL filters shipped with the mag drive upgrade installed.

Would really appreciate your thoughts.

I bought one of these with the upgraded mag drive, what a mistake. Imagine having to take the mag drive off and try to spin the propeller to get the thing started. Yup. Then sometimes it stopped spinning, unscrew again get started. I should have got the original.

I know this post is 4 years old. Just a warning to others.

 

[Cory]

Im going to build one like this with a clear canister housing and a reef octopus water blaster 10000. Just haven't figured out the pumbing side yet. Would love to back flush it unstead of unscrewing it.

 

[tgrick]

Well, I will only say that DE filters and parasites have never worked for me.

I would run a Vortex XL and two System One filters simultaneously. It did nothing for ICK and Velvet. Oh...I purchased a Pentair UV filter - oversized to also run in the system.

It did not fix my parasite problem.

My only solution was going fallow for 76 days or whatever @Humblefish wrote. That's it. Don't waste time or money.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Well, I will only say that DE filters and parasites have never worked for me.

I would run a Vortex XL and two System One filters simultaneously. It did nothing for ICK and Velvet. Oh...I purchased a Pentair UV filter - oversized to also run in the system.

It did not fix my parasite problem.

My only solution was going fallow for 76 days or whatever @Humblefish wrote. That's it. Don't waste time or money.

I've NEVER been able to control parasites with a DE filter either - including a 90,000 gallon tank at a public aquarium. The problem is either too much by-pass of water through the media, or, like UV sterilizers, they cannot control parasites that never get into the water column to be pulled out by them

Jay

 

[Cory]

any idea what size micron your diatom powder was rated at? The stuff i got says .5 micron.

 

[tgrick]

any idea what size micron your diatom powder was rated at? The stuff i got says .5 micron.

I"m not sure. I've used the diatom powder from Vortex and system one and I would assume it's the finest money can buy. I have also purchased bulk pool diatom powder which worked exactly the same as the much more expensive powders. In the end, I'm convinced that a diatom filter does nothing to prevent or even slow parasites.

I've tried this several times in the course of 40 plus years doing this and it has never worked in large tanks and small tanks that fish were moved into. I've spent a great deal of money trying to make it work and the only thing I got was a dead fish. Now, I have fish that are fat and old. I use chloroquine phosphate and/or copper (Hanna Tester) to rid the fish of parasites and the tank they were in is made fallow. It just works!

 

[Superlightman]

I read we can get similar results with the MarineLand Magnum Polishing Internal filter ,but will it not be toomuch filtering for the filtering animals we have in the tank,tridacna,xenia,goniopora...?good or bad ?

 

[brwaldbaum]

I've NEVER been able to control parasites with a DE filter either - including a 90,000 gallon tank at a public aquarium. The problem is either too much by-pass of water through the media, or, like UV sterilizers, they cannot control parasites that never get into the water column to be pulled out by them

Jay

Is this guy being disingenuous or deceiving himself? Granted, he uses an oversized unit to clear the infection, but he relies on a hobby grade unit to keep the tank disease free.

 

[Paul B]

The fish in that tank look very healthy, not stressed or hiding. I also feel it is a good thing that he introduced an angelfish with spots. I realize you will all disagree with me but that will keep those fish immune and I will also say they will be more immune if he left them alone and didn't use that nuclear reactor thing he has there.

 

[MnFish1]

Velvet and CI are present in the ocean. The saying goes - the reason that they don't die - is that there are a lot fewer protozoa - as compared to a concentrated aquarium. My guess is that UV systems costs a 'lot' of money. A hobby grade UV is not so bad - My guess it would take care of the problem though - equivalent to a more natural ocean setting where the protozoa are not multiplying exponentially in a closed space. I find a couple things interesting - why didn't he QT the regal angel? (that had CI) - In any case - there is no doubt it will work - just like a huge diatom filter shoudl also work. anything that decreases parasite burden will help. IMHO

 

[MnFish1]

The fish in that tank look very healthy, not stressed or hiding. I also feel it is a good thing that he introduced an angelfish with spots. I realize you will all disagree with me but that will keep those fish immune and I will also say they will be more immune if he left them alone and didn't use that nuclear reactor thing he has there.

No actually not - if I had a 5000 dollar UV system - I would introduce everything into my tank

 

[tastyfish]

How effective any UV or DE filter is, is irrelevant when it comes to ciliate infections. They spend a very short and limited portion of their life cycle free swimming in the water. Their only aim as soon as the tomont ruptures is to attach to a host. The protomonts will form and theronts hatch out exactly where the fish are, which is handily, exactly where the fish sleep.

Unless you have huge pumps pushing large flow through all these areas and enough filtration capacity to filter 100% of the flow at 100% efficacy, through the night, they are going to find a host. They're unlikely to have to circulate the system enough for a filter of any sort to irradiate or catch them before finding a host, therefore these measures are controlling numbers only and in the case of home aquariums and hobbyist equipment, are unlikely to be very successful.

Implement an effective and proper prophylactic QT Process for all fish and you will likely never have a ciliate disease outbreak in your display.

 

[brwaldbaum]

How effective any UV or DE filter is, is irrelevant when it comes to ciliate infections. They spend a very short and limited portion of their life cycle free swimming in the water. Their only aim as soon as the tomont ruptures is to attach to a host. The protomonts will form and theronts hatch out exactly where the fish are, which is handily, exactly where the fish sleep.

Unless you have huge pumps pushing large flow through all these areas and enough filtration capacity to filter 100% of the flow at 100% efficacy, through the night, they are going to find a host. They're unlikely to have to circulate the system enough for a filter of any sort to irradiate or catch them before finding a host, therefore these measures are controlling numbers only and in the case of home aquariums and hobbyist equipment, are unlikely to be very successful.

Implement an effective and proper prophylactic QT Process for all fish and you will likely never have a ciliate disease outbreak in your display.

You're saying the guy in the video is being disingenuous? He claims this is his go-to approach for ich/velvet.