Re: [APD] Diatom filter and Haze (resolved?)

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

The only effect a diatom filter such as the System One or
Vortex models will have on CO2 is possibly increasing the
rate at which is is shed due to the air-water turbulence.
This is more striking with the System One since, it
continuously squirts a strong but fine stream of water from
above the water surface down into the aquarium. This squirt
comes from the hole in the pump output assembly that allows
the siphon to break when the unit is turned off. Without
this hole to break the siphon, removing the jar while the
filter is hanging on the aquarium would be a very watery
adventure.

With the Vortex models the intakes and outputs are all
under whater and the only increase in air-water exposure is
due to the water flow in the aquarium that filter pump
presents.

In an aquarium where CO2 is shed quickly without the diatom
filter, adding the filter won't have much effect. In an
aquarium that does not shed CO2 rapidly, the diatom,
especially the System One, can show more dramatic results.

Scott H.

--- David Terrell <Dave at terrellclan_com> wrote:

> Alright, I gave up on the haze and finally broke out the
> diatom filter. 
>   I recall sometime back people talking about these
> things saying they 
> might raise the pH because they'll extract CO2 from the
> water.  I wanted 
> to find out for myself if it was true or not, so before I
> started it up 
> I took a pH reading which was 6.8 (I have KH6).  That
> leaves my CO2 at 
> about 28ppm.  I ran the diatom all night, from 4-8 pm
> when after the 
> water was clear I took another reading.  pH this time was
> still 6.8.
> 
> The other thing I noticed about this process is, its a
> closed system. 
> Whatever CO2 is removed from the water is put right back
> in, either by 
> the diatom kind of 'burping' a fine mist back into the
> tank (which 
> subsequently dissolves quite quickly), or just by the
> fact that the CO2 
> held up in the diatom jar actual re-dissolves and goes
> back into the 
> aquarium.  I don't know, either way I won't worry about
> using this thing 
> in the future (which hopefully I won't have to).
> 
> Another thing I wanted to mention was that I bought
> another Nitrate kit 
> to measure with more accurately.  It seems my other test
> was quite 
> inaccurate.  The nitrate level is actually closer to
> 40ppm!  I stopped 
> dosing for two days to see if it would come down on its
> own and it seems 
> it hasn't, or at least it has only come down a small
> amount.  Another 
> water change Friday will hopefully remedy this, resetting
> everything. 
> I'm not sure, but I would have to say this could easily
> be contributing 
> to an ongoing, but mild, bloom in the tank...no?  Also,
> could this 
> really high level be contributing to the strange signals
> my plants were 
> giving (very lightly colored, almost translucent and
> quite wavy tissue)?
> 
> So, for the moment at least, the haze is at bay and I'll
> be resetting 
> everything this week.  I'll also have to re-evaluate the
> dosing...
> 
> Thanks to George, Scott and Jerry for their help and
> comments.
> 
> -Dave
> _______________________________________________
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> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
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> 


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