rec.gardens.ecosystems homepage -> archive: MOD$990720.5374@rec.gardens.ecosystems



Subject: Re: Garden Slugs
From: "Bill Robinson" <roseguy@gte.net>
Organization:
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 99 09:28:33
Message-ID: <MOD$990720.5374@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



Donna wrote:
>Please, can anyone explain to me what the DE
>for pools has been treated with? ( Sorry for the
>dangling participle)
I should hope so! No dangles allowed.

Diatomaceous earth is the ecto-skeletal remains
of diatoms. The individual diatom remains are
very small particles and I understand that they
have spots on their outer surface with sharp edges
that reduce their filtering abilities. Swimming pool
DE is heat treated - apparently the cooking process
burns off the surface irregularities which makes it
a better filter.

Chemically, I think it's the same stuff . . . just different
particle shape. The "rounding off of the sharp edges"
in the cooking process renders swimming pool DE
relatively ineffective in controlling snails and/or slugs.

See the snail and slug portions of the FAQ at
http://metalab.unc/rge

Bill
>
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