"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

I agree with you. I was going by what the man at FishTownUSA told us
that day.

yeah, the website that I bought mine off says the same thing - not
designed for continuous use, but rather for use as an intermittent
polisher etc.

The other poster must have a different DE filter then. Not the XL or D1. I
didn't know any would run continuously due to their clogging so quickly in
any case. And they're useless as biological filters.

Since it's not a biological filter I really have no need for it to run
24/7/365 anyway. My water is usually crystal clear until I stir it up
gravel vaccing and doing water changes. Then I run the Vortex for an
hour or two.......

I've got a bad feeling that if I stop running the vortex my green cloud
algae will return... Hmm...

You need to find the problem behind this algae. Something is FEEDING it.

Regarding the fast clogging of the DE - yep it certainly gets full of crap
and changes colour fairly quick, but the water flow doesnt diminish a hell
of alot ??

Mine will when the surface of the powder is covered with crapola from the
water change. It'll do several tanks then I change the powder.

My first charge collected the most crud, and after 1 week the water flow
still *seemed* ok...
I backflushed, recharged with fresh powder, and made sure to check out the
flow as soon as I started it back up - flow was about the same as after
running for 1 week with 1st charge ???? Hmmm....... maybe the head of
water is too much - 3 foot ?? better check the manual....

That doesn't sound right. There may be a small hole in the bag, it's not
seated right, or not enough powder. Your tank should be CLEAR after no more
than a few hours at most. A good bag, well seated and with enough powder
will clog after several hours in a tank that's a real mess with green water
and other floating "stuff." By then the tank should have crystal clear
water.

WHAT???? $500 bucks for a DE filter? Was that a typo? They're around
$50 here in the USA depending where you buy them.

no typo my friend....
$450 for the D1
$550 for the XL
$200 for an Eheim 2213

How much for an Eheim over there ?????

They run $200 to $250 here in the USA. Where are you located?

Well, I shoulda got u to buy me a vortex & send it over - u woulda made a
great profit and I still woulda come out way ahead - even after postage &
duty etc. :-(

What country are you in?


--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
Aquariums: http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastada...ium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o