The Secret To Crystal Clear Water On The Cheap!

[deftuch]

filter floss/poly pads are a great way to trap fine particles on debri and clear up your tank, but they are expensive arent they!? wrong! infact poly pads are made from polyester, so where can we get polyester from without spending £5 on a few tiny strips!? well... pillows! pillows that are made from polyester contain the same amount of polyester that £50 or more could buy you if you purchased poly pads from a brand name like juwel or fluval. i purchased two pillows from my local store that cost me £2 and i now have enough material to last me a year or more! there is only one tip you need when you decide what pillow to choose, chosse a pillow made from 100 percent polyester and one that isnt non allergenic, non allergenic pillows you must avoid as they pose a danger to fish! i use polyester in both my internal and external filter, i only found out about this secret a few months ago, even though its been in my face the whole time! i was on youtube and cam across this video. i watched the video and read the comments for advice and tried it for myself, ive had nothing but amazement and good comments about my clear water since! i really hope you all do this as its stupidly cheap and effective, youl notice the difference in hours! there is no limit as to how much polyester you want to put i your filters, just know that the better the filter, the less you will need, you will have to completely replace it every 4 to 6 weeks and rinse and boil it before you use it, also you have to place it in your filters appropriately, for external filters you will want it in between layers of media, as you dont want it to be free moving and clog up your impeller. good luck guys!

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IZ-hF8sj38

 

[*pete*]

Great tip... as you said.. "right under our nose's....

Thanks for putting up the link deftuch ...stay your way.

 

[Essjay]

You mention that you have to avoid non-allergenic pillows, but didn't I read somewhere that you have to avoid fire retardant pillows as well? Or did I imagine reading that?

 

[techen]

Pretty sure polyester is pretty flammable anyway. But I think am about to go to the shop to buy bloody pillows LOL.

 

[Essjay]

That's why some pillows are treated with flame retardants, and I'm sure I read somewhere that polyester treated with them shouldn't be used. But I can't remember where I read it

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, nearly all cushion/pillow fillings are treated with a flame retardant, and it is toxic to fish.

You can buy proper filter floss very cheaply, in a roll or bag, from ebay etc anyway.

 

[deftuch]

You mention that you have to avoid non-allergenic pillows, but didn't I read somewhere that you have to avoid fire retardant pillows as well? Or did I imagine reading that?

That's why some pillows are treated with flame retardants, and I'm sure I read somewhere that polyester treated with them shouldn't be used. But I can't remember where I read it

yeah thats a vital piece of info i missed out, however really cheap pillows arent flame retardent but they will say something like conforms to fire safety regulations and they are not treated with any form of flame retardent, avoid non allergenic and flame retardent pillows

filter floss/poly pads are a great way to trap fine particles on debri and clear up your tank, but they are expensive arent they!? wrong! infact poly pads are made from polyester, so where can we get polyester from without spending £5 on a few tiny strips!? well... pillows! pillows that are made from polyester contain the same amount of polyester that £50 or more could buy you if you purchased poly pads from a brand name like juwel or fluval. i purchased two pillows from my local store that cost me £2 and i now have enough material to last me a year or more! there is only one tip you need when you decide what pillow to choose, chosse a pillow made from 100 percent polyester and one that isnt non allergenic, non allergenic pillows you must avoid as they pose a danger to fish! i use polyester in both my internal and external filter, i only found out about this secret a few months ago, even though its been in my face the whole time! i was on youtube and cam across this video. i watched the video and read the comments for advice and tried it for myself, ive had nothing but amazement and good comments about my clear water since! i really hope you all do this as its stupidly cheap and effective, youl notice the difference in hours! there is no limit as to how much polyester you want to put i your filters, just know that the better the filter, the less you will need, you will have to completely replace it every 4 to 6 weeks and rinse and boil it before you use it, also you have to place it in your filters appropriately, for external filters you will want it in between layers of media, as you dont want it to be free moving and clog up your impeller. good luck guys! EDIT dont use flame retardent pillows, anything that says conforms to fire safety regulations doesnt mean it has flame retardent chemicals in it, by law it has to say if its actually flame retardent or not.

 

[raptorrex]

filter floss/poly pads are a great way to trap fine particles on debri and clear up your tank, but they are expensive arent they!? wrong! infact poly pads are made from polyester, so where can we get polyester from without spending £5 on a few tiny strips!? well... pillows! pillows that are made from polyester contain the same amount of polyester that £50 or more could buy you if you purchased poly pads from a brand name like juwel or fluval. i purchased two pillows from my local store that cost me £2 and i now have enough material to last me a year or more! there is only one tip you need when you decide what pillow to choose, chosse a pillow made from 100 percent polyester and one that isnt non allergenic, non allergenic pillows you must avoid as they pose a danger to fish! i use polyester in both my internal and external filter, i only found out about this secret a few months ago, even though its been in my face the whole time! i was on youtube and cam across this video. i watched the video and read the comments for advice and tried it for myself, ive had nothing but amazement and good comments about my clear water since! i really hope you all do this as its stupidly cheap and effective, youl notice the difference in hours! there is no limit as to how much polyester you want to put i your filters, just know that the better the filter, the less you will need, you will have to completely replace it every 4 to 6 weeks and rinse and boil it before you use it, also you have to place it in your filters appropriately, for external filters you will want it in between layers of media, as you dont want it to be free moving and clog up your impeller. good luck guys!

A great idea, first suggested here, 8-10 years ago.
No idea is ever, really, new.
Especially when you consider the knowledge this forum used to have.

 

[deftuch]

filter floss/poly pads are a great way to trap fine particles on debri and clear up your tank, but they are expensive arent they!? wrong! infact poly pads are made from polyester, so where can we get polyester from without spending £5 on a few tiny strips!? well... pillows! pillows that are made from polyester contain the same amount of polyester that £50 or more could buy you if you purchased poly pads from a brand name like juwel or fluval. i purchased two pillows from my local store that cost me £2 and i now have enough material to last me a year or more! there is only one tip you need when you decide what pillow to choose, chosse a pillow made from 100 percent polyester and one that isnt non allergenic, non allergenic pillows you must avoid as they pose a danger to fish! i use polyester in both my internal and external filter, i only found out about this secret a few months ago, even though its been in my face the whole time! i was on youtube and cam across this video. i watched the video and read the comments for advice and tried it for myself, ive had nothing but amazement and good comments about my clear water since! i really hope you all do this as its stupidly cheap and effective, youl notice the difference in hours! there is no limit as to how much polyester you want to put i your filters, just know that the better the filter, the less you will need, you will have to completely replace it every 4 to 6 weeks and rinse and boil it before you use it, also you have to place it in your filters appropriately, for external filters you will want it in between layers of media, as you dont want it to be free moving and clog up your impeller. good luck guys!

A great idea, first suggested here, 8-10 years ago.
No idea is ever, really, new.
Especially when you consider the knowledge this forum used to have.

lol i know this isnt a whole new idea, hence the already pre existing youtube video!! tbh now ive found about about this pillow trick, i can stuff my external filter tray/s full of it, change it every single week if i wanted to and its gunna cost about £2 max. a pound per pillow. if you change the polyester contents every 4 weeks or so. its gunna last you 6 months to a year easily.

 

[phishyphil]

Pond Filter Floss

Simple! and Cheper overall than Pillows . Also you have the added knowledge that is is safe for fish. Alot of the times with pillows is that the polyester lies around in factories exposed to chemicals, fumes, dust etc.

You Can buy different thicknesses too.

Always worked for me

LINK TO POND FILTER FLOSS

 

[max1e]

thanks for the link, just got a 5m roll for my eheim 2180. should last a year at least

 

[phishyphil]

I have had 5 metres for the past 10 months and thats sharing it between 1 x pond, 2 x tanks

 

[deftuch]

I have had 5 metres for the past 10 months and thats sharing it between 1 x pond, 2 x tanks

)

yeah thats a great alternative! only thing is one pillow costs a quid and will last you a year easy

 

[phishyphil]

But the filter floss is made for FISH so you KNOW it is safe

 

[fluttermoth]

But the filter floss is made for FISH so you KNOW it is safe

Agreed.

I knew someone, a few years ago, who wiped out their entire tank using pillow/cushion stuffing instead of proper filter floss. For the sake of a few quid, it's not worth the risk, IMO, not when a roll of floss can be had so cheaply. I think I paid about a tenner for my roll, and its going to last for years and years.