RE: [APD] Micron filtration and nutrients

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

I haven't seen that one on the web -- but all sorts of
things get spread around. 

Some folks use and recommend diatom filters, which beats
the heck out of a Micron filtera when it comes to fineness
of filtration. A diatom filter won't hurt a planted tank.

The biggest issue with fine filtration is how quickly the
media loads and clogs, requiring maintenance -- daily --
hourly.

Activated carbon, though, can grab trace elements and is
generally not advisable for planted tanks, except on
special occassions, such as removing meds from the water.
OF course, if you leave it in the filter for more than a
couple of weeks, it filtering capacity is pretty much shot
and the granules then serve pretty much the same function
as clay rings, lava rocks, or other high surface-area
biofilter media.


Scott H.
--- Sean Kettle <kettles at videotron_ca> wrote:

> Makes sense... And that's what I figured.
> 
> So why is it all over the web, the recommendation is to
> not use a micron
> filter in a planted tank?  What myths or misinformation
> has let to this
> general recommendation?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> aquatic-plants-bounces+kettles=videotron_ca at actwin.com
>
[mailto:aquatic-plants-bounces+kettles=videotron_ca at actwin.com]
> On Behalf Of
> Andrew McLeod
> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 2:48 PM
> To: aquatic plants digest
> Subject: Re: [APD] Micron filtration and nutrients
> 
> 
> On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 14:02:01 -0400, Sean Kettle
> <kettles at videotron_ca>  
> wrote:
> 
> > I have a HOT Magnum that I like to put on the tank once
> a week to 
> > polish
> > the
> > water.
> >
> > Which elements, if any, will be stripped from the water
> column from a
> > micron
> > filter.  I believe Marineland says the filter is good
> for particles down  
> > to
> > 4 microns.
> >
> > Would any of the macro nutrients be removed?  What
> about traces?
> >
> > Just curious... Otherwise I'd run the micron all the
> time as a 
> > secondary
> > for
> > some additional movement in my 75 gallon.
> >
> 
> Atoms are way, way, way, way smaller than 4 microns. If
> your filter could  
> get anything like the size of elements, it would be
> filtering out the  
> water molecules as well... i.e. it wouldn't let the water
> through (this  
> technique is regularly exploited in many household
> objects, such as  
> kettles, saucepans and cups!)
> Most of the macro nutrient, such as NO3, PO4, CO2 etc are
> simple, small  
> molecules, and are (at a very rough guess) at least
> 10,000 times smaller  
> than 4 microns?
> It's not going to remove anything that is dissolved.
> 
> -- 
> Andrew McLeod
> thefish at theabyssalplain_freeserve.co.uk
> 
> This email was scanned carefully before transmission to
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> content, information or relevance.
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