Big Red 265. Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 I picket up a Vortex diatom filter the other week. It dose a great job but is a bit of a pain turning it on and off because it is not intended to be run continuously and the powder clogs quickly which brings my to my question. Are there any SAFE pool filter powders that I can use? If so, which ones and where can I get them? Thanks Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ichthyosporidium Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 What are you trying to filter out of your tank? The Vortex is only designed to run with diatom powder. That is how it filters out particles as small as 2 to 3 microns. The only thing that I know of for pool filter media is sand and it probably won't work very well, if at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 (edited) I think that Kevin is referring to some of the diatomaceous earth products sold in pool supply stores etc. Most of the DE sold for pool filters is chemically treated, so be very careful as the processing methods can vary greatly for this product. Edited August 15, 2006 by RD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinless Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 yeah, public opinion and the use of "DE brand X" in a vortex is all over the place. i wouldn't risk it personally but mine only runs about an hour a month. how quick it clogs up seems to be one of the bigger complaints with vortex and hopefully someone will hook you up with a sack of safe de to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Red 265. Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 It looks like I'm best to poke around town and see if i can find a 10lb sack of the Vortex brand powder. If I can't find any around here, I can always buy online. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 BAs online might be your best bet... or, if MOPS carries it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1foxes Posted September 13, 2006 Report Share Posted September 13, 2006 I found a natural product place in Red Deer that sells FOOD GRADE DE in 25 kg bags for about $20. Its 100% safe, not treated with anything, if its safe for calves to eat its safe for filters. I just happened to have some for fly control in my barn- marvellous stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manytanks Posted September 13, 2006 Report Share Posted September 13, 2006 Also, Pisces carries it, both in 5 lb. boxes and you can buy it out of a bulk bin. It's the cheapest I have seen yet. I found a natural product place in Red Deer that sells FOOD GRADE DEin 25 kg bags for about $20. Its 100% safe, not treated with anything, if its safe for calves to eat its safe for filters. I just happened to have some for fly control in my barn- marvellous stuff! What store is this? I have to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1foxes Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Also, Pisces carries it, both in 5 lb. boxes and you can buy it out of a bulk bin. It's the cheapest I have seen yet. I found a natural product place in Red Deer that sells FOOD GRADE DE in 25 kg bags for about $20. Its 100% safe, not treated with anything, if its safe for calves to eat its safe for filters. I just happened to have some for fly control in my barn- marvellous stuff! What store is this? I have to check it out. I will have to look it up, forget the name...I remember WHERE it is, down behind the Walmart on the north end, down there by the river in that little industrial park on the south side of hwy 11. I found out about the place years ago- there was an article about DE in the Western Producer, and being a good paper listed a couple sources where to get it at the time. It was far more new then, some other places have to have it- give UFA a call, they keep all sorts of stuff. Some of the rural towns, you'd be surprised what the feed stores keep- they deal with alot of cattle people, and DE is becoming more and more popular with cattle, so really it cant be that hard to find- just gotta get creative about where to look. Any you get at a feed store, will be food grade cause it has to be fed to calves- so it would be safe for fishies- I know next time I do my cleaning I'm putting it in my filters, and probably mix some into the gravel to kill little nasty critters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 UFA co-op sells it in 50 pound bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electronic_brick Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/diatomaceous-earth.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manytanks Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 Thanks everyone - this is gonna save me tons of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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