polishing filter

twocents

I just got finished scrubbing algae off aquarium walls and squeezing my foam filters out (elsewhere of course).
The water gets cloudy from all the free floating algae. I really don't have the enegy left to do a water change and get rid of some of the floaters. Are there filters out there that I could use temporarily to polish the cloudy water?
Thanks.

Nubster

Add filter floss to your current filter. You are talking about just the algae floating after scraping it or do you have a problem with algae in the water column?

twocents

I only have box foam filters. I guess I have found some of the limitations of them.
I witnessed some years ago a professioanal aquarium cleaning outfit and they had a 'hang on tank/ filter that did a final filtering of the water while they cleaned.

I think what the fix for me will ultimately be is that ye ancient mariner gravel vacuum cleaner.
Thanks anyway.

AbbeysDad

What you have described is most likely a [Vortex] diatom filter that uses diatomaceous earth to filter micron particles from the water resulting in extremely crystal clear water. They are great, but the water flow is very fast so it is best suited for periodic use to polish the water.
I have found similar water clarity results (as mentioned in this thread) using [spun polyester] filter wool in the last stage of my filter along with Seachem Purigen which is a synthetic adsorbant that attracts dissolved organic compounds.

twocents

Thanks. I am not running my canister filtes anymore. I had to cut down on the electrical plug ins..
It would only be used on occasion. I will have to check it out.

AbbeysDad

Perhaps you could run it periodically...maybe even on a timer?

twocents

I am getting a vortex diatom filter. Going to use that to polish out the algae and anything else.
Thanks.

beetlebz

if you didnt interfere, how long before the cloudiness settles?

twocents

cloudiness settles in a couple of hours, I think. I've never really timed it.

beetlebz

I would think its more gunk (detritus) than algae, but ive been wrong before. almost all of my tanks are like that. I just let them settle