When it comes to filtering the water in an aquarium, nothing does it finer than a diatom filter.
A diatom filter does not just filter the water, it polishes it to almost perfect clarity freeing the water from even the smallest debris and organisms which will ensure that the fish you keep remain healthy.
Since the introduction of this filter, it has enabled even large aquariums to increase the variety of fish they have on display.
How Does A Diatom Filter Work? The main component of a diatom filter is the Diatomaceous earth that makes up its filter media.
Diatomaceous earth is made up of billions of diatom shells.
These shells are left behind by a single celled organism that feed on silicates in the water which they then use to create the shell.
The shell that is created is full of minute pores as small as 3 microns with a smaller secondary pore inside that is capable of trapping even the smallest microorganisms.
These diatom specks can also be liken to microscopic bio balls.
But a word of caution when handling the Diatomaceous earth.
The dust that forms the earth is so small that it is capable of getting lodge in the areola of your lungs so always use a face mask.
It can be potentially harmful to breathe in the dust.
Generally, quite a number of the diatom filters sold today function on the vortex system in which the tank water is pumped into a chamber that contains the earth.
This maximizes the surface area that the water comes into contact with.
Also a fine carbon is also used to trap toxins that might have been released by the contaminants.
The diatom filter is so effective that it not only traps free floating algae but also microbes and bacteria ensuring that the water is superbly clear.
Though it would not be able to remove any parasites already attached to the fish, they do prevent new parasites from attaching themselves, greatly increasing the healing capacity of the injured fish.
Thus, running the filter reduces the need to depend on chemical medication to cleanse the water of disease spreading microbes.
Running the filter for a period of three to four hours each week is sufficient to ensure that the water is pristine.
It would also be a great idea to rinse the earth after every use to ensure that it is ready for use the next time.
Surprisingly, though it is hands down the best fish tank filter available today, it is not known by many aquarists.
This could be due to its cost which depending on the brand that you choose could be expensive.
However, they are worth every cent that you spend on it.
The purpose of this article is not just to explain the functions and capability of the diatom filter but also to convince you of its effectiveness in the hope that you will someday choose to use this effective filtration method.
A diatom filter does not just filter the water, it polishes it to almost perfect clarity freeing the water from even the smallest debris and organisms which will ensure that the fish you keep remain healthy.
Since the introduction of this filter, it has enabled even large aquariums to increase the variety of fish they have on display.
How Does A Diatom Filter Work? The main component of a diatom filter is the Diatomaceous earth that makes up its filter media.
Diatomaceous earth is made up of billions of diatom shells.
These shells are left behind by a single celled organism that feed on silicates in the water which they then use to create the shell.
The shell that is created is full of minute pores as small as 3 microns with a smaller secondary pore inside that is capable of trapping even the smallest microorganisms.
These diatom specks can also be liken to microscopic bio balls.
But a word of caution when handling the Diatomaceous earth.
The dust that forms the earth is so small that it is capable of getting lodge in the areola of your lungs so always use a face mask.
It can be potentially harmful to breathe in the dust.
Generally, quite a number of the diatom filters sold today function on the vortex system in which the tank water is pumped into a chamber that contains the earth.
This maximizes the surface area that the water comes into contact with.
Also a fine carbon is also used to trap toxins that might have been released by the contaminants.
The diatom filter is so effective that it not only traps free floating algae but also microbes and bacteria ensuring that the water is superbly clear.
Though it would not be able to remove any parasites already attached to the fish, they do prevent new parasites from attaching themselves, greatly increasing the healing capacity of the injured fish.
Thus, running the filter reduces the need to depend on chemical medication to cleanse the water of disease spreading microbes.
Running the filter for a period of three to four hours each week is sufficient to ensure that the water is pristine.
It would also be a great idea to rinse the earth after every use to ensure that it is ready for use the next time.
Surprisingly, though it is hands down the best fish tank filter available today, it is not known by many aquarists.
This could be due to its cost which depending on the brand that you choose could be expensive.
However, they are worth every cent that you spend on it.
The purpose of this article is not just to explain the functions and capability of the diatom filter but also to convince you of its effectiveness in the hope that you will someday choose to use this effective filtration method.
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