Cheap Mechanical and Biological Media

[HappyFit]

I'm tired of paying pet store prices and paying shipping for cheaper products! Any one have any suggestions for cheap bio or mechanical media that would be safe for fish and plants?

 

[Rutrag]

Ye ol' poly fiber from a craft store works as a mechanical filter and will eventually seed with bacteria. If you need something a littleote solid, the pads for floor buffers also work. Just rinse before use. (just so I am clear use only new floor buffer pads.)

 

[Dale_I]

What kind of filter do you have in what size tank?

 

[GodFan]

I am thinking of buying a cheap ceramic planting pot (the brown unglazed ones) smashing it and using the larger pieces as biomedia. LFS prices are ridiculous.

 

[maxwellag]

I am thinking of buying a cheap ceramic planting pot (the brown unglazed ones) smashing it and using the larger pieces as biomedia. LFS prices are ridiculous.

The edges are smooth though, so I don't think that will work very well.

 

[BillD]

Bio Filter Media for Ponds and Koi has lots of good info.

 

[HappyFit]

@Dale-I have an aquaclear 110! Awesome filter! I'll consider your suggestions! Thanks everyone!

 

[epiphysis]

Bio Filter Media for Ponds and Koi has lots of good info.

Thanks for the article. Was also looking for some alternative media for my canister. But the ceramic rings are to big. Will give the 'scrubbies' a go.

 

[GodFan]

The edges are smooth though, so I don't think that will work very well.

The broken edges wouldnt be though.

 

[maxwellag]

The broken edges wouldnt be though.

But (just saying) there are much better bio media types on the market... like bio balls, the big plastic balls, bio stars, matrix, bio rings, etc.

 

[Nubster]

I am thinking of buying a cheap ceramic planting pot (the brown unglazed ones) smashing it and using the larger pieces as biomedia. LFS prices are ridiculous.

If you are that desperate for biomedia...go to your local dollar store, buy a pack of those colorful plastic scrubbies and shove those into your filter. For a $1 you'll have all the biomedia you'll need.

What kind of filter do you have anyways? I don't buy into the biomedia hype most of the time anyways. Unless you are very overstocked, 99% of the time the mechanical filter media in your filter will house all the bacteria you need along with what is in the substrate, on decor, and if you have plants, even better. I wouldn't waste money buying biomedia. I just use double sponges in my AC110 and have never had an issue with not having enough biofiltration.

 

[Dale_I]

You can get a box of ceramic ring bio-max on amazon for under $10 shipped to your door. They will last for a looooong time. The AC bio media is half of that. I know I've seen SeaChem bio media dirt cheap too. Try to look for online fish stores as well. They are always having sales with free shipping and anywhere from 10% to 60% off. Sign up on some of their sites to get free emails for their weekly or monthly specials.

 

[GodFan]

Yea I am big on over biofiltration and the stuff I have seen is expenisive.

 

[maxwellag]

Yea I am big on over biofiltration and the stuff I have seen is expenisive.

You can buy plastic bio balls that last pretty much forever...

 

[HappyFit]

Rutrag or anyone else-I went to walmart found polyfil (100% polyester-see picture). Do you replace once it gets dirty or reuse by washing out? Also, it seems to be thicker wherein water would not go through as good.

Also, aquaclear uses a sponge-is washing it over and over just as good?

 

[jetajockey]

I use aquaclear sponges over my filter intakes, it works good for about 6 months or so. Polyfil works fine, but personally I'd just use scrubbies if I had a large area to fill with biomedia.

 

[Island_Emt]

The pot scrubbers already mentioned work great. I use air handler filter media. Blue/white stuff comes in rolls. Works great in sumps.

 

[HappyFit]

Yah the pot scrubs idea seems to be legit. I'll give it a try and it's only a buck.