Support Forum
Welcome, Guest
Username Password: Remember me
You must register first

Strange types of filter media
(1 viewing) (1) Guest
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2

TOPIC: Strange types of filter media

Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113055

  • Gazza
  • ( User )
  • OFFLINE
  • Expert Boarder
  • Posts: 779
In preparation for my endeavor to build a sump I found these

I'd like to know your thoughts or experience with any of these

(1) nylon/plastic scorers pad/flattened ball

(2) plastic shotgun shell wads

(3) scrunched up fishing line

(4) cut up plastic straws (yeah right how many years time till you want them )

(5} tablet/pill despencers

Heaps more

cheers Gaz
The purpose of life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave with a well-preserved body, but rather to Slide in Sideways, completely used up, yelling and screaming, what a ride!

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113058

  • Noddy
  • ( Moderator )
  • OFFLINE
  • Moderator
  • Posts: 9873
anything with an extended surface will do.
i've seen plastic straws used, and most plastic scrap will do a fine job.
but i resolve to lava rocks and other porous stone.
very cheap and it has a very large surface.
i just got some big lava rocks, and bashed them into smaller pieces and tossed them in the sump.


old t-shirts ripped to shreds will work fine too.
the blue filterfloss is one of my favorites too, and i allways use a 2 foot layer of that in my prefilter.
even if that gets dirty, it will take a long time until the flow is reduced by the dirt.
And dirty floss holds more dirt in the process.

if i was rich,or at least any richer than i am now i'd fill my sump up with ceramic rings, but i checked how much that would have cost me, and it's a small fortune.
the larger sumps for sveral 100gl+ tanks for lfs setups that i've seen were jam-packed with ceramic rings.

keep in mind, that any smoth surfaced plastics will have a very smooth surface, esp. made to hold as less as possible bacteria.
samewith any food grade disposable plastic, and medicinal use dispencers.
trust me, you can do better,i work with those plactis, and i know they are eto be as strerile as possible.
Our fish don't grow too big, our tank becomes too small!
Plecofanatic
Primitive fish Keeper : Florida Gar
OscarFishLover!
Last Edit: 1 year, 8 months ago by Noddy.

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113089

  • Nicki--Sue
  • ( Admin )
  • OFFLINE
  • Administrator
  • DONT QUIT!!!!!
  • Posts: 17428
Gazza, I use the scrubbers in ALL of my filters... They are cheap as hell, they last forever, and they work GREAT!
It's NOT smart to piss off the girl with the BAN button!

My Youtube Channel
www.youtube.com/user/Nickisue1022?feature=mhee

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113098

  • STAFFIE
  • ( User )
  • OFFLINE
  • Platinum Boarder
  • Herb is the unifier of the people. -Bob Marley
  • Posts: 2708
I have used plastic scouring pad/bags for a filter in the past...worked well from what I remember. For removing solid waste anyways..
You have to be trusted. By the people that you lie to. So that when they turn their back on you. You get the chance to stick the knife in
Pink floyd - Dogs

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113101

  • Nicki--Sue
  • ( Admin )
  • OFFLINE
  • Administrator
  • DONT QUIT!!!!!
  • Posts: 17428
Here is a pic of the scrubbies I and several others use...


It's NOT smart to piss off the girl with the BAN button!

My Youtube Channel
www.youtube.com/user/Nickisue1022?feature=mhee

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113118

  • STAFFIE
  • ( User )
  • OFFLINE
  • Platinum Boarder
  • Herb is the unifier of the people. -Bob Marley
  • Posts: 2708
Nicki--Sue wrote:
Here is a pic of the scrubbies I and several others use...




These are the exact things ones I was talking about...
You have to be trusted. By the people that you lie to. So that when they turn their back on you. You get the chance to stick the knife in
Pink floyd - Dogs

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113225

  • cebosound
  • ( User )
  • OFFLINE
  • Platinum Boarder
  • Posts: 8083
I tried to find those scrubbers at the dollar store the other day. with no luck.

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113266

  • Nicki--Sue
  • ( Admin )
  • OFFLINE
  • Administrator
  • DONT QUIT!!!!!
  • Posts: 17428
Here we can only find them at "Dollar General" They are also on Ebay! And is worst comes to worst I have about a million Not in use anymore... And I do ship!
It's NOT smart to piss off the girl with the BAN button!

My Youtube Channel
www.youtube.com/user/Nickisue1022?feature=mhee

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113270

  • cebosound
  • ( User )
  • OFFLINE
  • Platinum Boarder
  • Posts: 8083
Nicki--Sue wrote:
Here we can only find them at "Dollar General" They are also on Ebay! And is worst comes to worst I have about a million Not in use anymore... And I do ship!

Thanks nicki. I will take a look at the "Dollar Tree" one more time, then take a gander at ebay. Then worse case scenario, give you some shipping cash.

Are you able to re-use them quite a bit. Or do they breakdown and need to be tossed very often?


I had some customers they other day that moved here from mississipi. I asked them if there was any store that they miss from where there from vs here. The first thing they said was "the Dollar General" . they were telling me about that store and it sounded legit. They said you buy things such as carpet there. Its kind of like the costco of the dollar stores. (if that is the same store you mentioned )
Thanks again!
Last Edit: 1 year, 8 months ago by cebosound.

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113271

  • Nicki--Sue
  • ( Admin )
  • OFFLINE
  • Administrator
  • DONT QUIT!!!!!
  • Posts: 17428
I have NEVER had to toss one!! In normal cleaning I take them out, squeeze them in a bucket of tank water and replace...

I have used some in filters and then removed the filters, so I took them out, washed them out, and then left them soak in a mild bleach solution. This way they're are reusable...

But I have in over a year never tossed one!
It's NOT smart to piss off the girl with the BAN button!

My Youtube Channel
www.youtube.com/user/Nickisue1022?feature=mhee

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113273

  • PAUL
  • ( Visitor )
i do understand that in your area, you have plenty of synthetic fiber being used
in making quilt, you can use them for a year too with several washing.
similar to this:

Re: Strange types of filter media 1 year, 8 months ago #113281

  • Noddy
  • ( Moderator )
  • OFFLINE
  • Moderator
  • Posts: 9873
PAUL wrote:
i do understand that in your area, you have plenty of synthetic fiber being used
in making quilt, you can use them for a year too with several washing.
similar to this:


and that synthetic cotton wool will give your water an excellent polishing.
Our fish don't grow too big, our tank becomes too small!
Plecofanatic
Primitive fish Keeper : Florida Gar
OscarFishLover!
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2
Moderators: Necromancer4 , Noddy , JasonR

Time to create page: 0.43 seconds

Oscarfishlover Facebook FanBox