30 replies to this topic

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

In the search for inexpensive media, I found an item called "Nu Foam" made by Fairfield. It is an alternative to foam rubber for outdoor cushions. It is a compressed polyester fiber pad much like scrubbies. It comes in multiple thicknesses, in bulk rolls and prepackaged sizes. I purchased mine at JoAnn Fabrics. The one inch thick rolls (27in wide) are 11.99 a yard. Two inch by 27in. are 18.99 a yard. If you sign up for their sales flyer you get a 40% off one regular priced item in each flyer and occasionally, they will put in a 50% off coupon. I was fortunate to have a couple 50% coupons so I bought a couple yards of the 1". In figuring cubic inches it was much cheaper than scrubbies at the dollar store!

[koikeepr]

Isn't this stuff too dense to be a proper media? Also, does it have any chemicals on it in terms of it's makeup. I know that foam rubber does, for example. Won't this get very heavy when waterlogged?

Hmmm...have not seen this stuff used before.

I use 1/2" poly strapping for bacteria collection (sort of like springflo), but it's way cheaper. I just stuff it into a net bag and jam it into my filter. It weighs nothing, and is very easy to just pull out and rinse the bag a few times a year. You can buy it on Ebay. It also lasts for years and years without breaking down. I also use a few matala mats just to catch some thick stuff. I have 1 of their black mats and a green one. On ebay you can buy 'em for $27 each--pricey, I know, but they last forever, too.

By the way, someone calculated that it's cheaper to buy the scrubbies in bulk at costco versus the dollar store. Can't remember who figured out the math on that one...

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

The nu foam is the same stuff as the scrubbies just thicker. It's 100% poyester. It has a little lighter density than the scrubbies, so it wouldn't clog or hold any more water than they do.

[Stouty109]

[quote name='

I use 1/2" poly strapping for bacteria collection (sort of like springflo), but it's way cheaper. I just stuff it into a net bag and jam it into my filter. It weighs nothing, and is very easy to just pull out and rinse the bag a few times a year. You can buy it on Ebay. It also lasts for years and years without breaking down. I also use a few matala mats just to catch some thick stuff. I have 1 of their black mats and a green one. On ebay you can buy 'em for $27 each--pricey, I know, but they last forever, too.

QUOTE']



1/2 poly straping i have an unlimitated supply of that stuff, B/C i manage a ware house and thats what we use to band pallets. anyway we could get some pic of what u have to c if its the same stuff

[Camper Man]

I also tried NuFoam in my quest for the perfect, cheap media. It is not as dense as seat-cushion-type foam, but it is close and therefore serves as an excellent "fines" media. The NuFoam worked so well that it soon became laden with silt and required cleaning about every week. It was fiarly heavy to remove. If you can give it the maintenance, it will get your pond water crystal-clear. But after a couple of months I pulled it out of my box-type filter. The quest continues.

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

I plan on using it on the top (bottom fill filter) as a fines with coarser media on the bottom. My pond is only 6ft. diameter and 3ft. deep, so perhaps it won't be too bad. I had to clean the prefilter on my previous "pond" every couple days, so every week would be an improvement. You can read my ponding history in my "introduction" thread in the newbie section. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

[koikeepr]

Camper Man said:

I also tried NuFoam in my quest for the perfect, cheap media. It is not as dense as seat-cushion-type foam, but it is close and therefore serves as an excellent "fines" media. The NuFoam worked so well that it soon became laden with silt and required cleaning about every week. It was fiarly heavy to remove. If you can give it the maintenance, it will get your pond water crystal-clear. But after a couple of months I pulled it out of my box-type filter. The quest continues.

that's what i thought. thanks camperman.

[koikeepr]

[quote name='Stouty109'][quote name='


QUOTE']



1/2 poly straping i have an unlimitated supply of that stuff, B/C i manage a ware house and thats what we use to band pallets. anyway we could get some pic of what u have to c if its the same stuff[/QUOTE]

You lucky dog! the stuff is great for filter media! Make sure it's the textured type so that bacteria can cling easily. Stuff it in a bag and stick it in your filter.

[Stouty109]

yea it is the textured stuff i just drained my pond and am makin a skippy filter after i get off work, im guna start the pond all over again i half to power wash the pond tonite as well it was so green way to much sun and not enough filter

[Stouty109]

so is that all thats in a skippy is scrubbies or poly straping? How many dif layers or is their only one i was thinkin f goin Poly straping then scrubies am i on track?

[koikeepr]

My bio filter has a bag full of the poly strapping (and, yes, it should be the textured one); and I have two matala mats (sort of like souped up scrubbies). So, I use both.

There are some people that will just use the strapping or just use scrubbies. It's really up to you and what you're trying to accomplish. Just strapping means you're using it purely as a nest for bacteria, because poly alone won't grab solids. Adding the scrubbies give you both the bacteria cling AND a mechanical means of catching debris, etc.

If you're gonna use the scrubbies, put 'em in a net bag--because it you've ever got an issue and you need to remove them, you sure as heck don't want to be taking out wads of individual pads. Or maybe you can even put 'em in a small laundy basket with lots of slats/holes all over it, so at least they are contained in one place. That's why I opted for the matala instead--for one, they last years and it's one large pad--so it's just one big thing to rinse when needed. I also have my polysrapping in a net bag as well. Some people just stick it all loose into the barrel. I prefer to just be able to take the whole thing out if I need to rinse it or whatever.

But there's totally nothing wrong with the scrubbies. They make great media for a skippy.

[leeannecastro]

I found some deer netting at Lowe's. A roll of 7x100 is $15 and my 55 gal drum holds about 4 rolls wadded up. I also have scrubbies, cut pieces or tubing and quilt batting on the top.

[koiguy1969]

when your at the dollar store buying scrubbies you can buy a 3 pack of media bags for a dollar too!

[koikeepr]

I'm thinking of trying bacti-twist with my latest barrel. Lots of raves about this media...just shove it into a mesh bag, too.

[Stouty109]

where do u find that mesh bags