What is a Diatomaceous Earth Filter?
A diatomaceous earth filter is a filter, usually for swimming pools or drinking water, made of diatomaceous earth. The filter is the most common and most efficient filter on the market. It can remove algae, cysts, and asbestos from water and is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a method of filtering drinking water. It is not as effective, however, at removing color and other dissolved constituents. Diatomaceous earth (D.E.) is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock with an abrasive, chalk-like feel. This light rock is white to off-white and crumbles easily into powder. Silica makes up the major role of the rock’s typical chemical composition at eighty-five percent, but it also contains sodium, magnesium, and iron. D.E. is made from the fossils of diatoms, a type of algae whose size range from five micrometers to one hundred micrometers. The diatomate composite has no odor or taste and is chemically inert, which makes the diatomaceous earth filter an attractive op
