vic Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 Anybody got an idea on where I can get some of the above filter media? Thanks. Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 Swimming pool companies carry it for pool filter media. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 (edited) UFA coop carries the large bags of it. I don't know if it is as fine as the stuff from the pet stores. You can sometimes get a broken bag of it for quite cheap - $25 -30 for a 25kilo bag. Edited February 12, 2007 by arixonbarnes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 (edited) UFA coop carries the large bags of it. I don't know if it is as fine as the stuff from the pet stores. You can sometimes get a broken bag of it for quite cheap - $25 -30 for a 25kilo bag. Thanks however, the D/E carried by UFA and other farm supply stores is too fine. It is used for non-poisonous pest control. The D/E is sufficiently fine, and sharp, as to lacerate the bugs feet and underbelly. It is also used as a non-chemical worming agent for horses and cattle, particularly dairy cattle. I have checked the pool places in Red Deer and they were not sure about supply as they don't carry D/E. They were also not at all inclined to expend any effort to find the product for me. Real dynamic business operations! Vic Edited February 12, 2007 by vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 (edited) I was thinking about last night and I think Pisces might carry it also. I "think" it was there that I saw it. Also here... http://awwoa.ab.ca/?object=23 D/E is used by alot of gardeners to protect against slugs, etc. The earth is sharp and pointy which cuts the bellies of the slugs (will work the same way on worms and a few other insects) therefore detering the beasts from your plants. Edited February 12, 2007 by TheGr8Blade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 I was thinking about last night and I think Pisces might carry it also. I "think" it was there that I saw it.Also here... http://awwoa.ab.ca/?object=23 D/E is used by alot of gardeners to protect against slugs, etc. The earth is sharp and pointy which cuts the bellies of the slugs (will work the same way on worms and a few other insects) therefore detering the beasts from your plants. Thanks, I have an e-mail out to Pisces. The D/E used in gardening, as for agriculture, is too fine to work properly in a Vortex. The porosity, as a result of the fine degree of the D/E, results in almost no water through put. The D/E used for a Vortex filter is substantially more course than the agri/horticultural product. I think that Vortex has created their own market through the design of their filter! Thanks. Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algae farmer Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 Beachcomber in Edmonton was the place I got some last year. I switched to a magnum 350 cartridge filter in conjunction with the DE and works like a charm, easy to clean and recharge. FWIW the Vortex system is nothing but a PITA but I guess it was ok in its day, about 40 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 (edited) Beachcomber in Edmonton was the place I got some last year. I switched to a magnum 350 cartridge filter in conjunction with the DE and works like a charm, easy to clean and recharge.FWIW the Vortex system is nothing but a PITA but I guess it was ok in its day, about 40 years ago. I unfortunately don't share your opinion of the Vortex but, your opinion relative to Vortex is pretty much accurate for the Magnum, IMO. Edited February 12, 2007 by vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manytanks Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 I unfortunately don't share your opinion of the Vortex but, your opinion is pretty much accurate for the Magnum, IMO. I love the Vortex, they are fantastic as far as I'm concerned. And yes Vic, Pisces does carry diatom powder, that's where I get mine. They have it pre-packaged in several different sizes and also sell it in their bulk product bins - definitely cheaper out of the bulk bin. I'm quite sure Big Al's carries it too. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 I unfortunately don't share your opinion of the Vortex but, your opinion is pretty much accurate for the Magnum, IMO. I love the Vortex, they are fantastic as far as I'm concerned. And yes Vic, Pisces does carry diatom powder, that's where I get mine. They have it pre-packaged in several different sizes and also sell it in their bulk product bins - definitely cheaper out of the bulk bin. I'm quite sure Big Al's carries it too. Bill Muchos Gracias Amigo: I have the XL model that takes 3 cups per charge. I am definitely into the bulk concept. Is the D/E in their bulk bins actually Vortex D/E? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manytanks Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 I have the XL model that takes 3 cups per charge. I am definitely into the bulk concept. Is the D/E in their bulk bins actually Vortex D/E? 3 cups? Holy crap batman. I could swear mine was an XL (memory could be wrong), it only uses a cup. I'm not sure who the bulk is made by, I never asked, but it seems the same to me as the pre-packaged, and it works just as well - I couldn't tell any difference at all in the performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I have the XL model that takes 3 cups per charge. I am definitely into the bulk concept. Is the D/E in their bulk bins actually Vortex D/E? 3 cups? Holy crap batman. I could swear mine was an XL (memory could be wrong), it only uses a cup. I'm not sure who the bulk is made by, I never asked, but it seems the same to me as the pre-packaged, and it works just as well - I couldn't tell any difference at all in the performance. Yours is likely a D1, it requires a 1 cup charge. I bought the XL as I have a 125g tank and the difference in price from the D1 to the XL was $10USD. I also got a gravel vac with the XL. I did get some D/E from a pool outfit in Sylvan. They didn't understand what I wanted and the stuff they sold me must be the hort/agri stuff as a 3 cup charge virtually stops the water throughput. This would make a lot of sense as the hort/agri D/E is much finer than the filter D/E and three cups would expectedly dramatically reduce the filter throughput. I cleaned the filter, including taking it apart, recharged it with 1.5 cups and it worked reasonably well. The next charge will be 1 cup and we will see what happens. Also, because the D/E is so fine, it takes quite a bit longer for the charging process to properly coat the media bag. This again makes sense to me as I expect some of the D/E is going through the media bag and only gets caught when some of the courser powder starts the coating process. The D/E from the Sylvan out fit was $10 for 2/3's of a 5 gallon pail, delivered to my door. If I can make this stuff work properly, I will stick with them. I have to be in Calgary for a couple days in March for the PGA of Alberta spring golf show so if the stuff I have is no good, I will stock up at Pisces. Vic Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manytanks Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 If the stuff works OK you'd better stick with it, that is just so cheap I can't believe it - Vortex is obviously making big bucks off the DE they sell to us hobbyists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted February 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 If the stuff works OK you'd better stick with it, that is just so cheap I can't believe it - Vortex is obviously making big bucks off the DE they sell to us hobbyists. As i said above, the Vortex filter is probably designed to operate best on THEIR D/E. Who'd a thunk it!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick B Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Sorry to butt in but do you have trouble with bubbles with your xl? Seems like mine is sucking air from somewhere. Called vortex and they sent me different sizes of jar O-rings. Didnt make any difference. The screw top jar is poorly designed for fitting of the motor assembly. Anyways....any bubbles? I purchased the 25K bag of DE from a pool shop and it seems to work just like the powder from Vortex. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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