Is plant based cotton wool reef safe ?

[Katze]

Hello everyone !

The title says it all.
-I want to use cotton wool to filter out the rest of the phytoplankton bloom. I used medical paper to filter out most of it, but now that the bloom decreased, it is not that effective as it was.
+Is it a good filter media in general ? (I'd change it 2-3 days apart)
(-I still cannot see 50% of my tank :D )

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Cotton is OK, but it may be coated with chemicals that may not be.

 

[Katze]

Cotton is OK, but it may be coated with chemicals that may not be.

A 24hr soak in RODI water should do it right ?
+It is mentioned on the packaging that it isn't "sterile" the same way as it was on the medical paper.

 

[Naekuh]

A 24hr soak in RODI water should do it right ?
+It is mentioned on the packaging that it isn't "sterile" the same way as it was on the medical paper.

with a bag of carbon to absorb and keep pulling out what leeches.

otherwise soaking it in water will dilute it, but not remove it.

Sterile means clean and free from bacteria. Not chemical free.
The cotton can be antimicrobial, and still be "sterile" and that is what i think Randy is cautioning you on.

 

[Katze]

with a bag of carbon to absorb and keep pulling out what leeches.

otherwise soaking it in water will dilute it, but not remove it.

I constatly run carbon. So it should do it but just to be sure I'll buy actual aquarium grade at my lfs.

 

[jda]

Do you have access to a diatom filter? Any old school hobbyists or freshwater clubs in the area. Diatom filters have kinda fallen out of favor in the last decade or two, but nothing cleans water like them.

 

[Katze]

Do you have access to a diatom filter? Any old school hobbyists or freshwater clubs in the area. Diatom filters have kinda fallen out of favor in the last decade or two, but nothing cleans water like them.

No I don't have acces to them, but I could build a diy one.