[MontanaRocknReefer]

Hey folks! I put some polyester filter fiber in the overflow box to catch the detritus from the skimmer after causing a sand storm in my aquarium! Seems to work quite well!
I thought about putting in a fresh piece after and leaving for a few days or is that really necessary? I can't see where it would harm anything but if not beneficial then no point in doing it!
Just an OFR mind working here!!

 

[thefatman]

i do the same thing johnny

once a week, or when needed i cut a new piece of filter and put it right in the overflow box.

i put mine in the inside box, that way, as water flows through the combs, it falls onto the filtermedia.

stops the bubbles, and catches the crap

doesnt hurt to have it there, but i replace once a week to prevent it from releasing stuff back into the water.

i get my filter media at the lfs here for 1 dollar for a 12"x12" piece. that cuts nicely into 4 6" squares, that fit real well into hte internal overflow box.

25 cents a week for cleaner water. cant go wrong

 

[Mrs Smith]

2 words: Quilt batting.

It's dirt cheap, and when I need a filter, that's what I use. (Mostly, because it's cheap.) Haven't needed it lately as we beat down the hair algae, but it's a really nice thing to have around.

Danielle

 

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Danielle feed my mind. What is the connection between the Quilt batting filter and the hair algae? Does the filter help cut down on nutrients to starve out the algae?

 

[Minnreefer]

I believe that quilt batting is the same thing as filter fiber.

HTH

 

[thefatman]

yup. just polyester fiber i believe

and yeah johnny, it grabs the junk from the water, just like using the filter fiber, so it makes the water cleaner, and fewer nutrients.

 

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Thanks everyone for the info!

 

[Mrs Smith]

Danielle feed my mind. What is the connection between the Quilt batting filter and the hair algae? Does the filter help cut down on nutrients to starve out the algae?

Um... the connection is that they've both been in our tank.

As far as I could tell, there really wasn't any connection, except that sometimes, rather than do a 30 gallon water change, we'd run the siphoned hairy water through the filter and back into the sump. It just helped collect it. Physically ripping it out cut down on the nutrients.

And yes, it's pretty much the same as the polyester fiber the LFSs sell. It's a little thicker, but same general stuff. A bit cheaper, as you can get 3 yards or so for $3 if I remember right.

Danielle

 

[thefatman]

does that work well danielle? (siphoning through the padding)

i was thinking of doing a shiphon on my crushed coral and rocks to get rid of some of hte cyano mattings. but doing that would suck out a LOT of water.

i was thinking the other day, i wonder if put some filter media in a spaghetti strainer, and the place that over the sump, then siphon for as long as i need to, and never actually lose anywater, but the media would assumably catch all the junk that gets pulled out.

 

[tdwyatt]

Wal-Mart.

In the fabric corner.

In HUGE bags for around $7.00 (pillow stuffing).

Keep in mind that if you don't change it every 2 or 3 days, it is just like bioballs, it becomes a place to hold the suspended materials while they rot (albiet aerobically) to release ammonia/nitrite/nitrate while all your filterfeeder worms/clams/turnicates are starving to death...


Great idea while doing tank maintenance, especially when removing nuisance algae, but leave it out after 24 hrs...

 

[Mrs Smith]

does that work well danielle? (siphoning through the padding)

i was thinking of doing a shiphon on my crushed coral and rocks to get rid of some of hte cyano mattings. but doing that would suck out a LOT of water.

i was thinking the other day, i wonder if put some filter media in a spaghetti strainer, and the place that over the sump, then siphon for as long as i need to, and never actually lose anywater, but the media would assumably catch all the junk that gets pulled out.

That's pretty much what we did. You will have to watch the padding, as it gets gunked up quickly if you're siphoning bulky stuff like hair. Use a couple of layers, too.

But yeah, that's exactly what we did. I prefer quilt batting over poly-fil, but it's all the same stuff. And it's always cheaper at somewhere-that-isn't-the-LFS

Danielle

 

[tdwyatt]

(siphoning through the padding)
...if put some filter media in a spaghetti strainer, and the place that over the sump, then siphon for as long as i need to...

Lots of folks use the polyester stuffing loosely packed in a 3 liter inverted coke bottle with the bottom cut off. Easy to clip to the side of your sump and clamp the exit end of the siphon into it. Leave about half the packed bottle empty to allow for the "funnel" to start filling when the fiberfill gets clogged.

btw, this works great for siphoning out flatworms, but you might want to line the bottom with some cheesecloth to prevent any of the little boogers from getting through the floss.

 

[Mrs Smith]

Ooh - I like the coke bottle idea. I was using a large funnel with a fine mesh strainer at the bottom... but somebody had to hold it.

And we used it for flatworms, too. (Before resorting to chemical warfare. But that's another story.)

Danielle