I have been contemplating how to remove the various things in my tank like flatworms, spaghetti worms and other pests without chemicals and huge amounts of water changes in a short time. The first step most recommend is to siphon out as many as possible. So I was thinking of using my diatom filter which filters to 1 micron and does not remove water but will trap the pests. my question is- IS IT SAFE? The diatom powder is the concern. I can not find a straight answer online. I think it is but want to be sure. I also have a carbon powder for it. I will be using a vortex D-1 with either diatom powder or activated carbon powder or a mixture of both. I have a bunch of stuff to vacuum out of the tank and have not been able to make enough progress through siphon during the frequent water changes lately. If any one has done something similar or has suggestions I would appreciate your input. abcd
I would just use a regular siphon (hose) and siphon to a sock in the sump a 200 Micron sock should be enough to filter most pest easily, the problem with using a filter with media, is you will be pushing a lot of flow through it most media is designed for slow flow and can create dust and fines that get back into the tank if flow is to high.
Scott, I’m not sure what you considered pests in your tank. Some of those pests are considered beneficial animals in your tank. I notice you said spaghetti worms, those aren’t really considered pests, believe it or not those worms are very beneficial to your tank. Do some research and really see what is really bad for your tank and unless your corals or fish are dying I would leave your tank alone and let it grow.
I would go with the sock as Hudzon says and reefman beat me to the punch as you really need to consider what is a pest.
I would not say leave the tank alone however. If you have a large abundance of flat worms and other microfuana in your tank you are likely over feeding and under maintaining your tank. Consider feeding less and doing more water changes.
One other thing about siphoning and reusing the water. Flatworms are often not too dangerous alive, but if you crush them and kill them they release toxins that can be deadly. If you siphon into a sock and the water is pounding onto worms already in the sock and killing them your basically squeezing out the deadly stuff into the water in the bucket which you plan on dumping back in.
You may consider using a fairly small diameter rigid air line tubing connected to some flexible tubing. You can find what you need at most quality LFS. Premium Aquatics has what you need.
I have changed water 4 times in the last 10 days, I don’t think that lack of water changes are the problem. Over feeding? maybe a little. I cut down on feeding corals for now to once every 7-10 days. fish get 2 small feedings a day. There is a HEAVY fish load right now. The biggest issue is that I want to use something to remove the flatworms and they have been too stubborn with a gravity siphon. the diatom filter feeding into the sump would be good I think because the water flow is constant not pounding into a sock. I can also use carbon in it to help with toxins.The flat worms are after the lps mostly and its a pain to break down the rock work to remove all of the corals. But back to the question, is it safe? (the diatom filter powder) I want to suck up some gook in the hard to get to spots. Ok, I guess spaghetti worm can stay. It just seems to me that filtering to 1 micron is better than a used 200 micron sock. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate every one’s :TWOCENTS keep them rolling in, I’ll be rich!!!
How large are the flat worms? Can see them with a naked eye? Can you see the holes in a 200 micron sock?(if so toss the sock and get a new one)
I am honestly not sure how safe the diatom filter is safe to be honest.
I also may have mistaken your saying you have flat worms for having a different type of flat worms. If you have a coral pest it is one issue. If you have massive of brown flat worms that hide in low flow areas and rarely go on the corals this is a completely different issue.
The below only applies if you have masses of brownish red flat worms on your rock and substrate. If you have coral eating flat worms lowering nutrients may not be the direction you need to go(but if you have massive amounts of spaghetti worms you may need to control the nutrients to some extent)
4 water changes in 10 days won’t remove the food you added over 10 months. Two ways to think about how frequent water changes won’t fix a long term problem instantly. You have to starve your flat worms so they stop reproducing. If you did 4 water changes a day for 10 days the flat worms are still likely to find enough food to reproduce and haven’t starved yet.
Second, phophates leach into rock when the nutrients are high and VERY slowly leach out over the course of several months if you lower them. Again it doesn’t matter if you change 50% of the water daily the phosphates are still present. Phosphates are not fed on directly by the flat worms, but other things they may be consuming may use them.
The flat worms are mostly on the lps corals, about 1/4 inch long. definitely large enough to see with your eyes. Even the smallest are the size of a pin head. They are mostly concentrated in lower flow lower light areas on one side of the tank but I have seen them moving further towards the other side of the tank. I think if I stay with using the carbon powder in the diatom filter it will be ok since I still cannot find info on the diatom powder. The pump is rated at 200 gph i believe. The carbon should help remove toxins from the critters that may be released so a double benefit. I will keep you guys posted on how things work out. I think Saturday evening will be when the big vacuum will take place.
you really want to be carful with carbon, you want to make sure it’s not tumbling or breaking down and carbon dust is not getting back into the tank,
I know people that run diatom filters on their saltwater tanks. You have to flush all the loose dust out of it first is all they told me about running them. I would worry more about your flow rate. 200 gph is not much, so it may not be helping you.
Is it possible you have two different types of flat worms? It sounds as if you are describing two types.
Picture is worth a thousand words.
So about the flat worms… I saw them on the larger frogspawn with a vengeance, so i removed it and dipped it as well as a duncan, hairy mushroom and hammer. I used new salt water made from rodi and reef crystals. I used a combination of brightwells dip and TLF revive. Shake em aruond for 4-5 min then dip in clean salt water shake a little. return to tank. I removed over 100 flatworms, no risk of toxins since they were in a bucket. Haven’t seen 1 on any of those corals but just a few on a candy cane and another hairy mushroom. I will likely do the same with them. As for the diatom filter I still have not hooked it up yet. I have added a UV sterilizer in the sump now running a few days nothing much changed yet. I did siphon out a bunch of slime into the filter sock. So next question- Do you guys use bleach or peroxide to clean your filter socks? Right now I am just using water then water treated with prime. not the cleanest but makes them usable. I cant afford to buy a new one each time.
as far as the socks go… the best way i’ve found is run them through the washing machine with NO soap…
i do mine on a “hot water” cycle…“heavy soil”…“extra rinse”… they come out very clean, without the 20 minute at the sink hassle… probably using less water in the long run also
I run socks full time 24x7 I have 5 socks and swap them every three to four days I wash them in hot water and bleach and then wash again in plain hot water, they last about 25 or so washings before they get real thin spots
Back to the diatomaceous earth… it sounds scary for a reef tank, it’s used as a insect killer among other things, and has high silica content i believe… :
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[i]Lets discuss the popular diatomaceous earth uses, on everything from bed bugs to fleas, to helping plants grow strong, acting as a natural immunity booster.
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is derived from a fossilized single celled organism called diatoms. Other names for diatomaceous earth are diatomite and kieselgur. Diatoms are a type of algae that are encased in a hard shell, diatoms are also called plankton. The main component of DE this substance is silica, which is very abundant in soil.
What is diatomaceous earth used for? DE is naturally found in rock form; it is obtained from rock quarries and then milled into a substance that can be used in abrasive cleansers, in filtration systems, in insecticides, in cat litter, and it is used even in the medical field. The most common use for diatomaceous earth is as an abrasive agent used in kitchen cleansers, because DE has the texture and consistency of pumice powder. Another common use for DE is as an additive to pet food and food for farm animals. It is used in animal food to prevent parasites from living inside of the animals, and it also helps to promote overall health to the animal.
Diatomaceous earth is nontoxic to animals and humans; however, it is an abrasive powder, so it is important to avoid breathing it into the lungs. If you are using DE in its powder form, you should always wear a mask before using it. You are not at risk for breathing the powdery abrasive in if you mix it with water prior to using it. Often times farmers use diatomaceous earth as an insecticide. They can blow it onto the crops and onto the soil, or they can spray it in liquid form. Anyone who blows DE in powder form needs to protect their lungs and eyes by wearing a mask and goggles. Even though it is nontoxic, the powder will be abrasive to the eyes.
Diatomaceous earth is one of the best insecticides to use if you want to preserve the environment and engage in organic gardening. Today, everyone wants organically grown food, whether it is food derived from animal protein or organically grown fruits and vegetables. It is important to know that diatomaceous earth doesn’t kill earthworms. Earthworms are essential for aerating the soil, which helps the crops grow, because they not only get air into the soil, they eat decaying matter and return nutritious matter back into the soil. There are many uses for DE, it is preferred over many poisonous insecticides because it won’t harm the environment, and it’s not very likely to harm honey bees (due to their protective hairs), which are necessary for pollination of flowering plants and trees.
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Interesting information, where did you find it? Things can be high in silica and still be safe if it is chemically “locked”. Such as glass and sand. I am no chemist by any means but considering that DE is non-toxic to humans and animals it seems way safer than a lot of things we use in our tanks. I may need to check with a couple of chemist guys and gals on the silica thing in DE and the actual chemical composition of it.