Cheap Bio-Filter Material

[Kingkat]

Does anyone recommend a cheap bio filter material and where to get it? Nylon pot scrubbers possibly?
Cheers,
David.

[kalebjarrod]

i was thinking of poly beads from a plastic manufacturer?

[DiscusEden]

There's a particular wadding you can get by the metre from Spotlight - but I can't remember which one, and only one is acceptable. It was intended to be helpful......

But I gather you're after a bead/gravel thing?

[Kingkat]

I tried the local plastics manufacturer but they use a powder not beads. I found some cheap nylon body scrubber things at The Wharehouse so I will try them. I have used trawler netting before but it can have some bad things come with it.
Cheers,
David.

[mistakes r crucial]

Hi David,

I have trawler netting in half of my degassing chamber and it's working very well, no hassles thus far with it. I think the key is to use it after its been in the sun and out of water for a month or two. Another very good one is Gutter Guard, I used it exclusively in one of my sumps for over 12 months and it never missed a beat. Just make sure you secure it properly in rolls as it unravels itself all the time and becomes a proverbial pain in the ass.
MAC

[bushie]

I know this post is a bit late to help you kingkat, but it may help others.

A lot of reticulation shops also do installs.
most do not use the plastic filters from the sprinklers and so over time they end up with boxes of them.

they make the perfect bio mass as there are lots of tiny holes for water flow and massive surface area on each one.
they pack together quite tightly but are still open enough to give perfect water flow and circulation throughout the filter.

they are of no use to them and so will eventually be thrown out.
if you go in and ask and tell them what you want them for, they should be glad to get rid of them.

I have filled 3 cannisters and an 80 litre drum on my pond filter from just visiting two shops.

hope that helps someone