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Re: alternative filter media
Posted: 13 Mar 2010, 16:28
by 2wheelsx2
Hahaha...sorry, I totally forgot about the filter as I have it turned off.
Re: alternative filter media
Posted: 16 Mar 2010, 13:49
by medaka
On the matter of using other materials as filter media in place of aquatic trade recommended types.
I First started using the 'pan scrubbers' as far back as 1990; and I am still using them to this day, I also utilised childrens 'stickle bricks' in the late 1970's. I have used the plastic binding tape found in industrial packaging in my pond filters, Nylon protective covers of roller bearings, which I cleaned, roughed up both their exterior and interior sides and drilled them full of holes, (I am still using these in one of my large external filters). Womens hair curlers. When my daughter got to big to play with her "wendy house" (material tent like, girls play house) I roughed up the plastic poles with glass paper and then drilled lots of small holes in them and cut them up into 15mm/20mm pieces, time consuming, yes; but when you finances are limited, you make do with what's at hand.
There are probably loads of non aquatic, non toxic materials that can be used in place of sometimes expensive aquatic supplies. They just need looking at in the right light. My wife now can recognise my looks when I am in a cheap discount general store, she usually says something like, "what are you looking at now, something for the fish is it"?