scootertrash
07/18/2013, 03:06 PM
I just purchased a mildly used diatom filter. It looks to have been used only a few times. I took it apart before I used it to see if the internals looked ok , and they did. I put some silicone lube on the o-ring and cleaned the impellar and housing. The clear plastic tube inside the jar had came off so I put that back on. After I got it all put back together I backflushed the filter media. Once I got it all back together and in the tank and charged up with DE I noticed that on a fairly regular basis the exhaust is releasing loads of micro air. I finally got tired of the huge plumes of micro air in the tank and ran the return from the diatom filter down into the sump. Then I started to wonder if I coudn't just run the pick up and return both into the sump somewhere. I really don't know. I'm still new at this hobby and bought the diatom filter because the previous owner totally neglected it as far as water chemistry and water changes. It has been one new type of algae after another. It seems you have one under control and another one pops up. So if anyone has any experience with vortex and micro air any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.