diatomaceous earthe and fluidized sand beds?

Question

for the salwater junkies anyway,

does anybody use a diatomaceous filter?
how do you think they stand up with other kinds of fine filtration?

also does anybody use a fluidized sand bed?
same questions, and did you buy yours, or make it?

Answer 1

Diatomaceous earth (DE) filters are mechanical filters that use the exoskeletons of diatoms (hence the name), a marine phytoplankton, to filter the water. Diatoms are NOT coral. Coral is made of calcium carbonate. The exoskeleton of diatoms is composed of silicate. DE filters are great at removing very fine particulate matter from your system but they are expensive and labor intensive. The more waste your tank produces, the faster the DE filter will clog and flow will decrease. To minimize this, a pre-filter may be helpful at efficiently sequestering larger particulate before the water passes through the sand filter.

DE filters are primarily mechanical filters. Fluidized sand bed filters are biological filters. They do little to trap suspended solids out of the water column. They function instead to provide an optimal habitat for bacteria which break down nitrogenous metabolic byproducts. The sand provides a surface area for the colonization of these aerobic microbes. The fluidized action which keeps the sand particles in suspension keeps oxygenated water flowing over the particles while delivering the ammonia, and nitrite to the surface of the biofilm where it is broken down into less harmful nitrate. Fluidized bed filters are great at increasing the ability of your system to handle and process nitrogenous waste. You can buy one or make one for fairly cheap, but I'd research a few designs before you make an investment either way.

Answer 2

I used to sell a lot of diatonateous earth to people who wanted crystal clear water for fresh water tanks, but that was years ago when the quality filters just weren't available. Now I only sell it to people who want to get rid of parasites on raptors and people wanting to rid the home of fleas. Diatonateous earth of course is fine crushed coral. Today we have excellent protein skimmers available for marine tanks and canister filters/biological filters.
Running the water over dead coral (was live rock) is an excellent biological method. Biological filters, are by far the best.

Answer 3

Diatoms are a wonderful filter and are used to filter out heavy metals in oil refineries every day. Chrome , Nickel and Arsenic are captured in the Ca-Cl bed and since many times the OIL is PH imbalanced the filter helps to correct PH also. The down side is once its used its got to be disposed of professionally....I think they incinerate most all of it. ....Good luck from the E!!!!!!