Im going to get straight to the point....if i have a diatom filter with everything needed and a whisper filter with everthing too in my tank, do i still need both filters? or can a diatom filter do everything by itself?Im mainly wondering if the diatom filter takes out fish waste and any unwanted thing out of my tank water.
Id use just the whisper, simple and you dont have to mess with loading the powder. But...diatoms have a perfect place and time for use...for serious algae breakouts or when you want microfiltration (ie filter out ick parasite). The diatom can filter some zooplankton out also, and any other microfauna present. It does NOT touch the good nitrifying bacteria however.
I use my canister all the time, but when I get bad bouts of green algae I run the diatom for a few hours to get back to sparkling clean.
I wouldn't use the diatom alone. I don't really think they were designed as a stand alone filter or to be run 24 hours a day for weeks on end. They are great filters but if used as a stand alone you would cleaning it every 2-3 days unless you had a pre-filter to take out the big stuff. I use mine for green water and water polishing only.
