Diatom Filter -v- Reverse Osmosis -v- UV

[enigmatic]

Hi,

Sorry if this is a daft question but I've found very little about these to be able to compare and fully understand their benefits.

Whilst I understand what each of them does (OK, not so much the RO) I don't understand which of them to consider.

I currently have 1 planted tank and will be in the setting up another much larger tank for Discus over the coming weeks.

I'm not saying I will get any of these items but if I were to have a shopping/wish list, which unit would I want and in what order? What would be the benefit of adding one to my tank(s).

My guess is that the UV is the place to start but I'm not 100%.

My tank is generally pretty good with the occassional bit of algae. I've currently got a hazy tank after a snail died in there and the water went to pot but it seems to be coming back around after a few water changes etc.

[taksan]

They do three completely different things so cannot be compared.

Diatom filters arn't used much and filter micron sized particals for removing (for exhample) a green water spike. They are not a full time thing.
R/o treats your water before you do your water changes removing impurities
whether you need one or not depends of the quality of your tap water.
UV's are pretty much essential for all serious fishkeepers

[enigmatic]

So UV is the one at the top of the list then.

Just out of interest, how does the UV unit fit in to the setup? Does this sit somewhere on the pipe coming from/going to my Eheim?

BTW, I thought the RO unit sat under the tank; I didn't realise it was used to filter the water for the next water change. With seeing photos of this unit under a tank, I thought it was filtering water within the tank - DOH

[Dee]

Hello Enigmatic,

R/O's are as Taksan said, used to remove impurity's from the water. You can not use 100% RO water as it contains little to no minerals (which the RO unit has removed). RO water needs to be supplemented with either tap water or a product like Kent RO Right (both methods will re add the lost minerals). RO units are basicly a multistage water filter that filters the water used for water changes. A lot of people use RO units to soften thier water supply if they have hard water (high mineral content), but can also be used to purify impure water.

UV's in general are placed on the output side of your canister filter inline, although internal units are available. IMO I would invest in a quality UV first, given that you dont have rock hard water.

HTH.

Cheers,

Dee :D

[enigmatic]

So, would a:

DeBary Aqua-UV Electronic UV Sterilizer AN11E

Be a good place to start?

Is a UV something that could be moved between 2 tanks easily or would I need 2 dedicated units?

Thanks,

Chris

[taksan]

DeBarys are vey good but also very expensive not only to buy but also to replace the bulbs as they do not use the standard Phillips UV globes that are widely available. I've also had them leak and break easily as have other people.
Also 11 watts isn't going to do much against pathogens you really need 20 watts per 1000 l/ph flowrate to have any effect.
Pondmaster make a very good 36W UV unit that is 1/3 the price of a Debary and uses the standard Phillips globes.
I've been using these 36w Pondmasters exclusively now (over 25 units in operation) after trying all different brands (DeBary,laguna,TurboTwist, Pro Aqua etc) and I can vouch for them.

For two tanks you would need 2 deadicated units UV's are ment to be on 24/7 as they are used inline with your cannister filter.
2 Pondmasters at 36w each would cost about 60% of the price of 1 DeBary at only 25w.



So, would a:

DeBary Aqua-UV Electronic UV Sterilizer AN11E

Be a good place to start?

Is a UV something that could be moved between 2 tanks easily or would I need 2 dedicated units?

Thanks,

Chris

[enigmatic]

DeBarys are vey good but also very expensive not only to buy but also to replace the bulbs as they do not use the standard Phillips UV globes that are widely available. I've also had them leak and break easily as have other people.
Also 11 watts isn't going to do much against pathogens you really need 20 watts per 1000 l/ph flowrate to have any effect.
Pondmaster make a very good 36W UV unit that is 1/3 the price of a Debary and uses the standard Phillips globes.
I've been using these 36w Pondmasters exclusively now (over 25 units in operation) after trying all different brands (DeBary,laguna,TurboTwist, Pro Aqua etc) and I can vouch for them.

For two tanks you would need 2 deadicated units UV's are ment to be on 24/7 as they are used inline with your cannister filter.
2 Pondmasters at 36w each would cost about 60% of the price of 1 DeBary at only 25w.

Great - thanks for the advice. Really appreciate the input - I love this forum ;-)

[Davo]

I have a 15w De-Bary UV on my 430 litre tank. De-Bary are one of the best UVS around. You get what you pay for and they are quality and made in Germany. As Proteus stated, Pondmaster are good but are not the same quality as De-bary.

I also have a Vortex Diatom filter which I use once a week. This filter polishes the water to an amazing degree. They are not hard to use contrary to what has been written about them. They really polish the water and after 3 or 4 hours of use you would not even know your tank had water in it. My discus lay eggs within a couple of hours of using the Vortex Diatom.

ASA will be stocking the De-Bary UV's but I do not know about the Vortex Diatom Filters.

Dave.

[Proteus]

ASA will be stocking the De-Bary UV's but I do not know about the Vortex Diatom Filters

I hear through the grapevine... lo... l that they will be carrying the Vortex range of Diatom filters and possibly another brand if it can be obtained...

:wink:

[Davo]

Would the other brand be the Hot magnum??

[enigmatic]

Well have to thank everyone here for their help and input.

I picked up a Pondmaster and it arrived yesterday. The missus thought it was a rocket launcher!

Thanks to this device, the pea soup that has been my tank for 3 weeks now despite every effort I've made has been clearing in the 24 hours it has been running.

[sonflowerjoela]

This is great information and very helpful to me. I didn't even have to ask any :?: :?: :?: 's I would like to know more about R/O water use. I tested my water for hardness last weekend and it was 90ppm, the instructions with the kit say that is medium hardness. Not sure. Should I use some R/O water? I have 2 tanks with discus in them a 72 and a 55. :roll:

[enigmatic]

I have to say that I am simply blown away by the change in my tank since I started using the UV filter.

I'd had a murky tank for several weeks - not sure why; snail died, have moved to another area of NSW, level 4 water restrictions, worse water quality etc etc....

Now I have water that is so clear I could dive in to the tank :D The plants in the tank have also been transformed with a much higher rate of growth, colour and pearling.

[ozone]

I prefer reverse osmosis because it has a better filter membrane because I get clearer water based on personal experience.