[FLIP5CICHLIDS]

I have a 18-20g Eclipse for my fry tank but it seems too expensive for me to replace the filters....does anybody have any suggestions on making filters out of households materials plus it would help me out the way since I have more than multiple big tanks to worry about? I heard scrubbers are good for filtration and maybe replace the pad and carbon with bio balls and pad lining?

 

[PfunMo]

Correct on not wanting to buy the ready made filter media. One of the quick easy improvements is NOT using carbon. Most agree that the carbon does a fine job but it stops working as the tiny holes get filled quickly. Then you just sort of have lumps with water flowing over rather than through them. Once you bacteria is well established it is time to change things a bit at a time. One quick way to move to much cheaper is replacing the current media with DIY pads. Many choices for that but I'm satisfied with the major gain I get by using flat sheets of the blue/white bonded pads and cutting them to fit. I find they work fine and last nearly forever with just rinsing in tank water. They collect and keep a lot of the bacteria we want.
One source I've used:
http://www.petsolutions.com/storefr...filter-pads/prodmagnumcanisterfilterpads.html
These are 12X24 for three pads at $4.99, it is cheap enough for me.
Many others have other items they use but these are simple to cut and use and ready made for the hobby. No questions on whether they are safe that way.

 

[FLIP5CICHLIDS]

Thanks fellow hobbyist, there is an alternative to filters! I've made it this far with the replacement filters but since the hard times, I've rinsed filters and reusing them.

 

[BillD]

http://www.wernersponds.com/biofiltermedia.htm may be of use to you or anyone interested in the comparitive values of various materials used for bio media.

 

[bearwithfish]

i use poly batting from any craft store as long as its 100% polyester its fine for a filter... you can by a bag large enough for a queen size bed for about $8 and this will last well over a year or more if you rinse and reuse from time to time....

 

[Jaws]

I'm with bearfish on this one.

Been using the 100% poly (untreated with flame retardant) for many years now. Never had a problem, never use chemicals, never had a sick fish except using this batting.

I never rinse or reuse its so cheap. However I did just buy some and it seemed the price went up quite a bit for some reason.

Waltmart craft section has it.

 

[BillD]

The price of polyester batting is sure to rise with the price of oil. the only problem with using the batting, which is an excellent filter material, is that if you are discarding it (as I do), you lose any bacteria built up in it. At least a portion of the bio media in a filter should be of the reusable kind to maintain at least a sufficient amount of bacteria when you discard the batting.
Bioballs aren't a good material for small filters as they don't offer enough surface area for the space they take up in the filter. They are really designed for use in wet/dry systems.

 

[KaiserSousay]

you are discarding it (as I do), you lose any bacteria built up in it

Maybe that is not a bad thing.
If you have a filter style that makes it simple to service by replacing media, then the bulk of your bacteria colonies are in tank.
Mine runs just peachy without a lick of bio specific media in the filters.
I would have to really go out of my way to damage the bio colony that exists in my tank, where it is pretty easy to muck up any colonies in a filter.
I think there are a large number of tanks running with the bulk of the biological action happening in the tank and not in filters, even with a large amount of bio specific meida stuffed in the filters.

 

[mok3t]

Genearally with the really fine filter media, i replace it every 2-3 weeks anyway. I doubt i'm losing much bacteria this way