Diatom filter for treating external parasites?

[Humblefish]

Nice find Bobby.

Gotta give @omykiss001 credit (above) for pointing me in the right direction with Bear Valley Aquatics.

 

[omykiss001]

Don't et the XL filter. The small one is better and has a much larger impeller. I don't know why. All their pumps are garbage. I have a bunch of them for parts as they rust badly.
The one on the left is the XL

Hey Paul I thought the same thing when I first got the XL. If you notice the plastic part on the XL you attach the bag to comes out of the impeller housing, not easily but it does and from my inspection the impellers look to be the exact same, I suspect the motors are also the same size. I think this might be one of their issues with the XL and motor it might be undersized for the load the larger bag and filter material.

 

[omykiss001]

Looks like the Bear Valley Aquatics retrofit pumps are the way to go.

For Model D1: http://www.bearvalleyaquatics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_5_7&products_id=185

For Model XL: http://www.bearvalleyaquatics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=169

I bought the one for the XL and from initial inspection looks to be a quality retrofit. It runs very quiet and does not get hot like the vortex motor does and does not need to be oiled, big bonus! I don't have a ton of hours on it yet, but so far my impression is a positive one.

 

[omykiss001]

@omykiss001 Thanks for that. I'm wondering if I should even bother to experiment with this. The plan was to setup a 30 gal QT with the "XL" Filter. Take a fish with velvet, give him a FW dip + acriflavine bath like I usually do, and then drop him in this tank with no meds. The thought process is to use the DE filter to siphon out the free swimming dinospores in lieu of using copper or CP to eradicate them.

I think with the bear valley motor this would be a good experiment as that one uses the mag drive pump so should be able to run 24/7 just need to change the powder out every few days or so to keep it moving. That is the main reason I decided to get the retrofit, that and I already had most of the goods, figured good to polish the QT water or DT water, and if I get a case of ich or velvet to keep the swimmers low while treating.

 

[scardall]

I have been running a diatom filter on my tanks a few times a year since probably the 60s. I still use it on my reef. My tank is set up so that it requires a diatom filter a couple of times a year. I also use it sometimes for NSW if it looks to be cloudy or have a bunch of stuff in it that I may not want in my tank. There is a tiny brass threaded screw behind the impeller but with the impeller screwed against it I doubt any of it is in contact with the water. It has never bothered my tank and sometimes I run two of them together.
The powder is cheap but sometimes hard to get. It gives you cancer if you live in California but if you live in Brooklyn, Bayone New Jersey or France, you will be fine.

Diametrius earth is available at pool supply stores

 

[Paul B]

Hey Paul I thought the same thing when I first got the XL. If you notice the plastic part on the XL you attach the bag to comes out of the impeller housing, not easily but it does and from my inspection the impellers look to be the exact same, I suspect the motors are also the same size. I think this might be one of their issues with the XL and motor it might be undersized for the load the larger bag and filter material.

On mine the XL impeller is much smaller. I think the motors are the same which is silly. My smaller unit pumps much more water with more pressure also. After they get old, I drill holes all over them because they overheat. I also drill holes in the bearing housings to add more oil because on some units, that oil tube doesn't connect to anything. They are a terribly designed pump and should be ashamed of themselves for using such a motor as a filter. I have had quite a few of them and now decorate my house with them as I have a bunch in various degrees of disassembly. I constantly redesign them. The bag is also not very well designed so I make my own.
The thing is a good Idea, to pump water through diatom powder, but the way they do it could be designed much better. If I ever get time (not likely) I will just design and build my own from scratch using much better materials.
I only use the thing a couple of times a year so I never got around to it.

 

[cono]

If you ever design one the "Italian way" I'll buy one lol

 

[Paul B]

Forgetaboutit.

 

[cono]

Lol

 

[omykiss001]

On mine the XL impeller is much smaller. I think the motors are the same which is silly. My smaller unit pumps much more water with more pressure also. After they get old, I drill holes all over them because they overheat. I also drill holes in the bearing housings to add more oil because on some units, that oil tube doesn't connect to anything. They are a terribly designed pump and should be ashamed of themselves for using such a motor as a filter. I have had quite a few of them and now decorate my house with them as I have a bunch in various degrees of disassembly. I constantly redesign them. The bag is also not very well designed so I make my own.
The thing is a good Idea, to pump water through diatom powder, but the way they do it could be designed much better. If I ever get time (not likely) I will just design and build my own from scratch using much better materials.
I only use the thing a couple of times a year so I never got around to it.

Interesting, looking at the motor on your XL it is different too. In the pic above the plastic insert that the bag connects to was still in place on the XL motor assemble so just assumed it looked smaller, when that is removed on mine it is approx the same diameter as the plastic insert. Wonder if they put a bigger impeller in at some point. How old is that XL?

 

[Paul B]

I think Lincoln helped me take that apart, so it may be very old. I have no idea.

 

[omykiss001]

Thought I'd post a pic of what the retrofitted unit looks like with the mag pump

 

[Humblefish]

@omykiss001 Nice! Is there any brass looking metal on the impeller? I'm guessing not, meaning this retrofit pump makes the DE filter reef safe.

 

[cono]

Does anyone know how to diy one of these

 

[Humblefish]

Does anyone know how to diy one of these

My good buddy @robert started this thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-diatom-filter.212893/

 

[omykiss001]

@omykiss001 Nice! Is there any brass looking metal on the impeller? I'm guessing not, meaning this retrofit pump makes the DE filter reef safe.

None that I could see. It's a lifegard aquatics quietone 3000. They sell em at marine depot. So I assume safe in SW.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Lifegard...ps-Lifegard_Aquatics-RB30000-FIWPSBUF-vi.html

 

[MickeyCT]

I find myself with my first ich outbreak. Reef tank is 12 years old with numerous 6-7 inch fish. Two hippo tangs now show signs of ich and it just isn't practical for me right now to pull them all out, if I could even catch them. I also don't think two 20 gallon QT tanks will be big enough to house them for 76 days. So, I'm going to try Ich Management but have a couple of questions.
1. Is the Vortex going to be large enough for a 230 gallon system?
2. What about the Nu-clear filters? I thought about getting the 530 model with the extension which says it will go up to a 180 gallon tank. Or maybe the 533 model with extension which can also hold carbon (for use on another day).
3. Does it make sense to try to run on for 4 hours or so on multiple days in a row?
4. I presently have a closed loop running through my chiller 24 hours a day, even in the winter though the chiller is off. Pump is a Pan World 100px. Rated for 970 gph and I get somewhat less than that I'm sure. I've minimized the elbows. piping from the tank is 1 1/2 PVC with a reducer down to 1" right at the pump, then 3/4" tubing through the chiller and connecting to 1" PVC back to the tank. I'm thinking about adding valves to go from pump to the Vortex or Nu-clear filter and bypass the chiller completely for when I use this. Does that make sense and is it a good idea?

Any advice would be appreciated. One of the hippo tangs is the largest fish I have and I've had him for 5 years or so and really don't want to lose him.

 

[laga77]

I find myself with my first ich outbreak. Reef tank is 12 years old with numerous 6-7 inch fish. Two hippo tangs now show signs of ich and it just isn't practical for me right now to pull them all out, if I could even catch them. I also don't think two 20 gallon QT tanks will be big enough to house them for 76 days. So, I'm going to try Ich Management but have a couple of questions.
1. Is the Vortex going to be large enough for a 230 gallon system?
2. What about the Nu-clear filters? I thought about getting the 530 model with the extension which says it will go up to a 180 gallon tank. Or maybe the 533 model with extension which can also hold carbon (for use on another day).
3. Does it make sense to try to run on for 4 hours or so on multiple days in a row?
4. I presently have a closed loop running through my chiller 24 hours a day, even in the winter though the chiller is off. Pump is a Pan World 100px. Rated for 970 gph and I get somewhat less than that I'm sure. I've minimized the elbows. piping from the tank is 1 1/2 PVC with a reducer down to 1" right at the pump, then 3/4" tubing through the chiller and connecting to 1" PVC back to the tank. I'm thinking about adding valves to go from pump to the Vortex or Nu-clear filter and bypass the chiller completely for when I use this. Does that make sense and is it a good idea?

Any advice would be appreciated. One of the hippo tangs is the largest fish I have and I've had him for 5 years or so and really don't want to lose him.

I am a big fan of the diatom filter and yes it does help in removing the free swimming stage of the ich. This helps the fish beat the parasite on its own. If I were you, I would get the largest one available because of the size of your tank. Run it continuously until the ich goes away. You will need to watch the flow as it will slow down as it filters the water of everything. More importantly, you will need to determine what caused the outbreak. What did you change or what happen in the past month. Once you get your system back to normal, hopefully the fish will get better.

 

[Joey waid]

My question is if you were to spend 150.00? Would a diatom filter or a uv steralizer be better. I'm no too worried about the polishing part, just the parasitical part of it. Thanks!!

 

[Paul B]

IMO a UV sterilizer is a total waste of time and money for parasites. But that's just me.