How much DE for 50 lbs feed?

[suburbiamama]

Excuse my awful math skills! Our food grade DE arrived today and the bag says to add 2% to the feed. Any suggestions on amt. to add to 50 lbs of layer pellets?

 

[Boondachs]

2% of 50lbs is 1lb

 

[speckledhen]

Do you have a food scale? You'd add 1 lb of DE to 50 lb, but I dont worry about doing that precise of a measurement. I just add a cup or two to the feed to kill any bugs that get in and keep the moisture out. When the feed is about half gone, I may add another cup or two to the remainder.

 

[suburbiamama]

Thanks! That was embarrassing. I'm a great speller, though!

 

[redbone]

I've got a box full of DE that I bought from Home Depot several years ago. It was for pool filters I believe and I used it for a DE filter in my reef aquarium when I had one. Seemed to work fine for that with no issues the whole time I had my aquarium.

I'm curious though, can I feed this?

 

[briana1975]

No don't feed that. It HAS to say food grade DE.

 

[sonew123]

I have a big rubbermaid container-I dump the 50lb bag in and put two double hand scoops in and mix really good! I always lose my cups!

 

[redbone]

I hear what you are saying... but why is one bag of Diatomacious Earth *different* from another except one says "food grade"?

I mean, you take a cow to slaughter and get it back... its not stamped USDA blah blah blah, but you know that its still cow and you can eat it.

 

[redbone]

i just read somewhere....

"Pool filter grade diatomaceous earth has been heat and chemically treated and will poison an animal or human who ingests it, so it is always of utmost importance to only obtain food grade diatomaceous earth to use in and around your household. "


Thats curious still...

Especially if I used it in my aquarium with no ill effects!


I think my 13lb box from Home Depot cost $13. If it is heat and chemical treated... you would think that it would cost more than "food grade" that hasn't been treated?

Maybe its a ploy for "food grade" to cost more!

 

[Phelanite]

Quote:
I just got food grade at my local feed store for 24.99 plus tax for 50lbs. They just started carrying it.