Perlite as filter media, any thoughts on use?

CWO4GUNNER

CWO4GUNNER

USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
Apr 18, 2009
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I believe some people use Perlite as a filter media and it is actually sold by some aquaria brands as media for allot more money. This is my first attempt at using it sold by Miracle Grow in a large 8 quarts bag for $3.50. Anyone use this stuff before?
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I belive its the same stuff sold by Ehiem as substrait filter media for $12 a liter, same stuff right?
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I've never used Eheim Substrat, but I'd imagine perlite would be too light to stay submerged.
 
I have read where people use it in the old Ehiem filters sandwiched between poly. But I put some in nylon filter bags and it does sink in the bag but lighter then carbon when wet IMO. Its like the opposite of carbon having to rise it forever to get the milky white powder rinsed out. I just hope I don't poison my fish as Miracle Grow brand had some 1 or 2 bits of twigs and seed in there. So I'm soaking it in hot chlorinated water for an hour or so before placing it in one of my FX5 tray. I'm placing it above the carbon tray so it can get detoxed on the way down to the pump lol.
 
Ehfisubstrat is sintered glass media, nothing at all like perlite, which is extremely light, bouyant, and prone to crumbling into dust. In a filter bag it might work, and it'd be interesting to see how effective of a media it turns out to be.
 
red_wall said:
Do you have an ingredient list?
Compare them.
Click to expand...

No I cant compare but the Miracle Grow label just says how it is derived not that anything is added and i don't think Eheim would ever admit to their "EHFI substrate" being simply Perlite because people wouldn't pay that much for it.

Man talk about a close call Whew! I just found out that this brand of Perlite is tainted with miracle Grow fertilizer! Lions and tigars and bears Oh My! I was just about to move it from the sink to my tray, thank provedence for answered questions. No biggy I only paid $4 and I actually need this stuff for some plants I have. Back to the drawing board I guess and have to wait until I order "pure" Perlite and Vermiculite as I hear they both have excellent filtration and bio growing properties.

"Perlite is an odorless, non-flammable, and non-explosive chemical; an inorganic component which does not deteriorate. Other benefits of horticultural perlite are its neutral pH (6.5 to 7.5). Industrial applications for perlite are the most diverse, ranging from high performance fillers as a filter media for pharmaceuticals, food products, chemicals and water for municipal purification systems and swimming pools." Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass.
Mirical Grow added ammonia nitrate, amonium phosphate, potassium sulfate, potash, and of course Perlite. Cant belive I dident read the tiny print. Thanks for putting that bug in my ear.
 
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Update. Well after all my research I did find a great source of pure coarse grain Perlite for $0.10 a quart. Sadly after all that I found out that there is scientific controversy as to the long term affects of Perlite leaching fluoride into the soil consumed by crops for human consumption. And although its well known that Floride is sometimes added to drinking water and has no known health affects on humans or wildlife (fish), Floride leaching at a rate of .5 PPM was not high on my list of media side benefits. So its off my list nevertheless feel good about doing my homework before adopting it. As far as vermiculite no problem there but unlike Perlite which stays intact when manipulated, vermiculite crumbles much more easily more then I like when I squeezed it. So both are scratched. Ill probably use small pebble lava stone which is very porous.
 
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