djoutkast22
Active Member
Looks promising
Pillow Stuffing Filter... for those of us who hate washing filter socks!
- Thread starter NeveSSL
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I have used pillow stuffing for years in various ways
Right now it is being used in the chamber in my bio cube. Instead of bio balls. I used the bucket method above on my 390 fowlr about 10
Years ago. Worked great!!!
Bob
Right now it is being used in the chamber in my bio cube. Instead of bio balls. I used the bucket method above on my 390 fowlr about 10
Years ago. Worked great!!!
Bob
Great idea! I am definitely gonna make this I was just at the laundry mat last night washing filter socks wife won't let me wash them in her fancy washer and dryer Thank You !
The only other comment I have about using the stuffing is that it is not gonna filter as much as a sock. Water goes right through the stuffing. Where a filter sock sort of fills up with water and a 100%. Of the water gets filtered
OP
OP
Well, technically, the water goes right through the filter sock just as it goes right through the stuffing. 
But I understand what you're saying. This really depends on what kind of filter sock you have, too. Some are made much better than others and will catch more than others. That's why I'm thinking about layering different materials in with the pillow stuffing... almost like RO/DI filters, without the carbon. In my mind, the pillow stuffing is like a 10 micron filter (not literally...) and maybe I can layer it with some of that pond filter material or the EZ Dry material that was mentioned to act as a 5 micron or 1 micron filter, if that makes sense. I'm seriously thinking about hitting Mixer911 up for cutting a bunch of circles out of a roll of that stuff.
This can certainly be improved upon, so if anyone has any ideas, please share them! And thanks for mentioning the other materials, guys.
Brandon
But I understand what you're saying. This really depends on what kind of filter sock you have, too. Some are made much better than others and will catch more than others. That's why I'm thinking about layering different materials in with the pillow stuffing... almost like RO/DI filters, without the carbon. In my mind, the pillow stuffing is like a 10 micron filter (not literally...) and maybe I can layer it with some of that pond filter material or the EZ Dry material that was mentioned to act as a 5 micron or 1 micron filter, if that makes sense. I'm seriously thinking about hitting Mixer911 up for cutting a bunch of circles out of a roll of that stuff. This can certainly be improved upon, so if anyone has any ideas, please share them! And thanks for mentioning the other materials, guys.
Brandon
OP
OP
It could, depending on how you have it installed. I have a BeanAnimal type overflow, which runs most of the water through a full siphon, so I have very few to begin with.
Brandon
Brandon
lars
Active Member
I bought some pillow stuffing to use as described but I couldn't bring myself to use it because when I put it in the chamber I made little fibers stuck to my fingers. My thought is that these pieces aren't biological and won't break down. I thought of them getting stuck in the propellers of pumps and such. I also worried about them wrapping around my acros and the current causing them to cut through the flesh. I've seen this happen with my wife's hair before after it somehow got in the tank. These may be silly ideas but once its in the water collum it seems it would be hard to remove.
KoleTang
Valuable Member
It can also be used in a Lanthanum Chloride Reactor: Anybody using an all in one gfo/carbon? - Page 2
OP
OP
Nice! The 2 for 5... are you buying pillows and tearing them open or buying just the stuffing?
I don't think that's silly, personally. I've seen a strand or two make its way into my powerhead. Never seen any on my corals, though. I've also never had any stick to my hands, even when wet.
That's a great use for it, also. Are you using lanthanum chloride personally? Do you have any zebrasoma tangs?
Brandon
KoleTang
Valuable Member
I haven't used it myself. I'm trying a ATS first, then LaCl will be my backup if it fails.
On the whole fish thing, I have to say that it has to do with over dosing. Apparently there were fish casualties when the dosage was being figured out (which means a lot of overdosing). They say it could be due to lowered oxygen levels, but if you have a big skimmer and surface agitation it shouldn't be a problem. When you think about it, we dose bicarbonate every day, but if you added too much you would fry your tank. You just have to know what you're doing.
Plus, public aquariums use this stuff all the time I hear. Anybody using an all in one gfo/carbon?
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/melevsreef/129798-tired-phosphates.html
Lanthanum chloride - Reef Central Online Community
hawkinsrgk
Valuable Member
Thanks for the post. I made one out of a one gallon ice cream bucket and eggcrate. Got the pillow stuffing from walmart and set it up last night. So far really pleased with it.
riche
Valuable Member
I used pillow stuff in all my freshwater filters, and it always kept the water crystal clear.
I was at my LFS last week and asked them how they keep there water so clear, and they do something very similar. They use the blue filter padding they have the drain pipe running over that, and then I was going to add a box with pillow stuffing under this method and I would be filtering it twice. You can get the blue filter padding by the foot(its about 5' long and then you buy it in 1ft widths) and the pillow stuffing I get at walmart for $3.99 a bag or some have the 10 pound boxes for $24.99 there is a lot in that box
I was at my LFS last week and asked them how they keep there water so clear, and they do something very similar. They use the blue filter padding they have the drain pipe running over that, and then I was going to add a box with pillow stuffing under this method and I would be filtering it twice. You can get the blue filter padding by the foot(its about 5' long and then you buy it in 1ft widths) and the pillow stuffing I get at walmart for $3.99 a bag or some have the 10 pound boxes for $24.99 there is a lot in that box
OP
OP
Glad it helped! I recently didn't replace the pillow stuffing in mine. I can tell a big difference. Gonna have to put it back in.
There were some others who mentioned the filter padding earlier in the thread. You can get it on Amazon pretty cheap, too! I like that it would be more consistent than pillow stuffing. I may grab a foot from the LFS just to try. Wonder if I could find a 4" cookie cutter sharp enough to cut through the filter padding? Haha!
Brandon
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