What can you use besides filter cartridges on HOB filters?

jhays79 · 01-05-2013, 07:59 PM

I'm tired of paying for filters on my whisper HOB filters. It seems like after a few months they fall apart if I try to rinse them out in old tank water. IS there a more cost effective item I could get at a store like Lowes or Home Depot and make my own?

houseofcards · 01-05-2013, 08:03 PM

Just buy any bulk filter floss, cut and put it in there.

driftwoodhunter · 01-05-2013, 08:11 PM

yes, filter floss is great. Just go to a Walmart or a fabric store and buy the polyester quilt batting sold in the fabric/crafts dept (if a Walmart) Get the stuff that made in sheets for blankets/quilts, not the fluffy loose batting used for pillows.

Sluggo · 01-05-2013, 08:12 PM

Buy mesh media bags and use ceramic rings, bulk carbon, etc.

creekbottom · 01-05-2013, 08:25 PM

I had a tetra whisper 20. I kept the backbone for the floss bag as a divider, but I probably didn't need it. I used ceramic rings and small lava rock in the HOB.

oh wait, the divider was to keep the bag of purigen seperate from the floss, and to keep the floss in the filter.

GeToChKn · 01-05-2013, 08:44 PM

Plastic pot scrubbers from the dollar store usually fills 90% of any of my filters.

cclaeys · 01-05-2013, 09:49 PM

yeah those plastic pot scrubbers are what I use too and filter floss or the batting for some water polishing if necessary - just make sure you get the ones without soap or anything else in them...last time they were 6/$1 at the dollar general or whatever, dont forget the cheese balls and fiddle faddle while you are there

jhays79 · 01-05-2013, 10:42 PM

Haha excellent! I will be hitting up the dollar store tomorrow!

R.sok · 01-05-2013, 10:45 PM

Like everyone else said. Polyester quilt batting (the stuff in certain pillows) That's all I use & my water ic crystal clear

jhays79 · 01-07-2013, 12:03 AM

Bought a TON of pot scrubbers at the dollar store today for less than the cost of 1 box of filter cartridges! Got some batting too, I should be set for a long time!

Diana · 01-09-2013, 02:59 AM

I stuff all my filters to replicate the Aquaclear style. I have a lot of Aquaclears, too.

Sponge at the bottom. (Actual Aquaclear sponges)
Quilt batting on top of the sponge.
Nylon stocking of loose media that varies with the tank: Peat for soft water, coral sand for hard, and ceramic bio noodles or lava rock. I can cut knee-hi stockings into 3 media bags for small filters or 2 larger bags for the bigger filters.

I cut the plastic frame from the cartridges about 1.5" high so it just sits in its grooves at the top of the filter, and keeps the media from falling into the tank.

01-05-2013, 07:59 PM	#1
jhays79 Suspended (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: nj Posts: 257	What can you use besides filter cartridges on HOB filters? I'm tired of paying for filters on my whisper HOB filters. It seems like after a few months they fall apart if I try to rinse them out in old tank water. IS there a more cost effective item I could get at a store like Lowes or Home Depot and make my own?

01-05-2013, 08:11 PM	#3
driftwoodhunter Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23/100%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Christiansburg, Va Posts: 2,758	yes, filter floss is great. Just go to a Walmart or a fabric store and buy the polyester quilt batting sold in the fabric/crafts dept (if a Walmart) Get the stuff that made in sheets for blankets/quilts, not the fluffy loose batting used for pillows. __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt # 7* **- Daughter of the Dirt - Canon Club #018 Twin 29g Dirt Tanks on an Iron Stand - DIY 3D Backgrounds http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...stand-pic.html The Behemoth - 125 dirt tank** http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=199772

01-05-2013, 08:44 PM	#6
GeToChKn Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,113	Plastic pot scrubbers from the dollar store usually fills 90% of any of my filters. __________________ 20g platy, , 2 x 10g shrimp, 3 x 20g shrimp, 7.5g shrimp and 1 great dane/mastiff puppy. Sump Pimp #2 My Tanks and my shrimps

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01-05-2013, 08:03 PM	#2
houseofcards Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (51/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,099	Just buy any bulk filter floss, cut and put it in there.

01-05-2013, 08:12 PM	#4
Sluggo Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Portland, Me. Posts: 187	Buy mesh media bags and use ceramic rings, bulk carbon, etc.

01-05-2013, 08:25 PM	#5
creekbottom Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 214	I had a tetra whisper 20. I kept the backbone for the floss bag as a divider, but I probably didn't need it. I used ceramic rings and small lava rock in the HOB. oh wait, the divider was to keep the bag of purigen seperate from the floss, and to keep the floss in the filter.

01-05-2013, 09:49 PM	#7
cclaeys Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: SLC, UT Posts: 38	yeah those plastic pot scrubbers are what I use too and filter floss or the batting for some water polishing if necessary - just make sure you get the ones without soap or anything else in them...last time they were 6/$1 at the dollar general or whatever, dont forget the cheese balls and fiddle faddle while you are there

01-05-2013, 10:42 PM	#8
jhays79 Suspended (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: nj Posts: 257	Haha excellent! I will be hitting up the dollar store tomorrow!

01-05-2013, 10:45 PM	#9
R.sok Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: wa state Posts: 315	Like everyone else said. Polyester quilt batting (the stuff in certain pillows) That's all I use & my water ic crystal clear

01-07-2013, 12:03 AM	#10
jhays79 Suspended (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: nj Posts: 257	Bought a TON of pot scrubbers at the dollar store today for less than the cost of 1 box of filter cartridges! Got some batting too, I should be set for a long time!

01-09-2013, 02:59 AM	#11
Diana Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Contra Costa CA Posts: 5,015	I stuff all my filters to replicate the Aquaclear style. I have a lot of Aquaclears, too. Sponge at the bottom. (Actual Aquaclear sponges) Quilt batting on top of the sponge. Nylon stocking of loose media that varies with the tank: Peat for soft water, coral sand for hard, and ceramic bio noodles or lava rock. I can cut knee-hi stockings into 3 media bags for small filters or 2 larger bags for the bigger filters. I cut the plastic frame from the cartridges about 1.5" high so it just sits in its grooves at the top of the filter, and keeps the media from falling into the tank.