Safe materials to use in aquariums?

[leoslizards]

Another inexpensive alternate is available out there and that is quilt batting. This batting does come in sheets and I have used it extensively as a prefilter for 100Mu and 50Mu media.
Quilt batting is available at stores such as Hobby Lobby.

I do not know about the inexpensive filter floss but the quilt batting comes in two flavors one of which is denoted as fire retardant.
I have never used the fire retardant batting.

TR

Quilt batting sounds like what I'm looking for. Is it made out of polyester?
I was advised to avoid any material that's fire retardant. Seems to have some chemicals added to it that makes it fire retardant.

 

[jones57742]

Is it made out of polyester?

Leo

It appears to be but who cares.

I have been through a ton of it without any problems that I know of.

I do not know the exact equivalent Mu rating but it is much finer than the typical blue and white media but somewhat coarser than 100Mu media.

I have a wet/dry and typically employ a laminate composed of (from top to bottom) the blue and white media, the quilt batting, a 100Mu pad and a 50Mu pad.

You discussed fire retardance in your post but as I indicated you will need to read the fine print as I have never purchased any and therefore have no experience with fire retardant batting.

Please refer to the following two pages:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4150+4231&pcatid=4231
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4150+4353&pcatid=4353

TR

BTW: Three Items

I reuse my mechanical media.
I place the media in buckets which I keep on the back porch and when I have several buckets full I put the media in the washing machine.
I turn the washing machine on soak and induce Chlorox sufficient to produce a very mild chlorine odor.
After the media has soaked for several hours I run it through a normal wash and then run it through the dryer.
I do not know that this would be cost effective for only the quilt batting but as this process is for the blue and white media as well as the 50Mu and 100Mu media why not include the quilt batting.

Please be very careful if you get into quilt batting.
The first several pads (like maybe 15) will clog in hours (like 6) and not days.
Please be even more careful if you get into the 100Mu and 50Mu media.
Do not induce the Mu media to your filtration process for several weeks and then place quilt batting before the Mu media in the filtration process.

If you are interested in some of my screwball ideas concerning biological filtration media and processes you will need to post the particulars of your aquarium including but not limited to the dimensions of your tank and your filtration equipment.

 

[leoslizards]

Thanks for all the info Jones. Very helpful. The reason I asked if it's made out of polyester is because I made a media bag to hold carbon out of cotton gauze and I just recently found out that cotton rots. Looks like polyester and nylon doesn't rot. I removed the bag today and when I sniffed it, surely enough it smelled like rotting fish. That's what's causing my fish deaths. I was doing 25% daily water changes but was still detecting ammonia and nitrites.

The reason I'm looking for batting or sheets is because I want to make more media bags for hob filters. A replacement bag for the hob on my display tank costs $3.00 each. I don't mind spending the $3.00 but I'm setting up about seven 10g and 20g tanks and each tank has a different brand and size of hob filter so that means I have to spend $3.00 on each filter plus the cost of the bio sponge which would cost over $40.00 for all filters. It's much easier and cheaper to just buy the batting and sponge/foam in sheets and make them myself. I could probably get both sheets and filter floss or a micron sheet for under $20.00 at a fabric store.

I would love to here your ideas on bio filtration media and processes. I have a planted (4" dirt and sand) 30g (36Lx12Wx16H) tank with a hob Whisper Power Filter 40. I have a sponge filter guard on the intake to prevent any guppy fry from being sucked in. The filter guard usually clogs within three days.

I'm going to the fabric store today to get some materials.:headbang2:

 

[jones57742]

Leo:

As I believe that you know that I am just trying to help please excuse some of my somewhat more than direct comments.

... is because I made a media bag to hold carbon out of cotton gauze and I just recently found out that cotton rots.

You gotta be "sh...ing" me as the cost of media bags is virtually nothing.

I removed the bag today and when I sniffed it, surely enough it smelled like rotting fish. That's what's causing my fish deaths. I was doing 25% daily water changes but was still detecting ammonia and nitrites.

By rotting fish if you mean rotten eggs then yes you have hydrogen sulfide going on. No telling what all the bacteria which generates this is in but the induction of activated charcoal is imperative.

The reason I'm looking for batting or sheets is because I want to make more media bags for hob filters. A replacement bag for the hob on my display tank costs $3.00 each. I don't mind spending the $3.00 but I'm setting up about seven 10g and 20g tanks and each tank has a different brand and size of hob filter so that means I have to spend $3.00 on each filter plus the cost of the bio sponge which would cost over $40.00 for all filters. It's much easier and cheaper to just buy the batting and sponge/foam in sheets and make them myself. I could probably get both sheets and filter floss or a micron sheet for under $20.00 at a fabric store.

You just gotta be "sh..ing" me here again.
What in the world are you thinking about???
If the tanks are contiguous there is a much, much simpler way to to go.
If the tanks are remote installing identical equipment (even if in multiples on the tanks) is way superior to what you have set forth.

I would love to here your ideas on bio filtration media and processes. I have a planted (4" dirt and sand) 30g (36Lx12Wx16H) tank with a hob Whisper Power Filter 40. I have a sponge filter guard on the intake to prevent any guppy fry from being sucked in. The filter guard usually clogs within three days.

Thanks but I have only limited experience with cannisters and none with HOBs.
My thinking will not work with a bunch of HOBs on a bunch of tanks.

TR

 

[leoslizards]

You gotta be "sh...ing" me as the cost of media bags is virtually nothing.

That day I was lazy, (don't have a car so have to take the bus) and I had a bunch of gauze so I figured what the heck.

You just gotta be "sh..ing" me here again.
What in the world are you thinking about???
If the tanks are contiguous there is a much, much simpler way to to go.
If the tanks are remote installing identical equipment (even if in multiples on the tanks) is way superior to what you have set forth.

The hob filters are only temp, later on when I have more funds I am going to connect them all together and use a wet/dry or canister filter.