is poly foam good for filters?

[tap]

i got his poly foam from hobby lobby and im gonna use it for a filter media, i think ill cut it into junks and just fill the hob filter and im gonna cut up some normal bendy straws into like one inch pieces and throw them in their to because they build up a bunch of gunk inside them and i never have ammonia problems when i do that. jsut wondering if poly foam would be cool, it says its non-allergenic, breathable, durable, washable, cool, and odorless haha so i think it'll be good.

 

[247Plants]

I use the cheap poly fil from wallyworld to put into my canisters. As long as its 100% polyester it shouldnt be a problem.

I wouldnt worry about ammonia so much with the gunk building up as much as nitrates. It all has to go somewhere.

 

[petluvr]

x2 on the poly fill from wally world

 

[excuzzzeme]

Anything that is polyester foam or polyester fiber is safe for aquarium use.

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

I use the cheap poly fiber to stuff small voids in my filter. It feels weird but it works great and last forever, so foam should be OK as long as its not contaminated. I do worry about accidentally having a small piece fall into my aquarium though. It happened when I tried using the Rio 2100 as a submersible a small piece of poly fill came out and one of my BPs gobbled it before I could get it out. The bad part is he never spit it out, hope it passes.

 

[jenazen69]

We just go a hobby lobby here in Buffalo, Ny area. I'm gonna have to check them out for aquarium stuff.

 

[OldMan47]

Using closed cell foam for a filter is a very poor idea. Filter foam is an open celled foam that allows water to flow through it properly. Closed cell foam makes a nice sponge to soak up water but does not let water flow through it very easily. As several have already said, there is nothing wrong with polyester in the tank but in this case the sponge manufacture is a problem because you end up with the wrong cell structure.

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

Concur here. If it is the closed cell type, smooth on both sides, floats like a cork, does not absorb or release water like a normal sponge, it will do nothing but take up space in your filter.

Using closed cell foam for a filter is a very poor idea. Filter foam is an open celled foam that allows water to flow through it properly. Closed cell foam makes a nice sponge to soak up water but does not let water flow through it very easily. As several have already said, there is nothing wrong with polyester in the tank but in this case the sponge manufacture is a problem because you end up with the wrong cell structure.

 

[tap]

hmmmm thats interesting, so if i cut it into chunks so the water could flow throw the little chuncks but stuff would still catch in it it wouldnt be any good??

 

[katschamne]

You don't want poly foam (stuff that cushions are made out of), you want thepoly fil batting that is in quilts. Wallyworld is cheaper then Hobby Lobby with the poly-fil.