Environmental friendliness of filter floss?

[ceaver]

So does anyone ever feel a bit icky about all that filter floss that gets tossed, replaced, reordered, re-cut, and tossed and replaced again? How many people change their filter floss every or every other day? How much waste is that going into landfills? And what's that stuff even made out of??

Don't get me wrong, I used to order my hunks of floss from inTank and eventually couldn't do it anymore. Instead, I ordered one roll of felt, same stuff filter socks are made of, cut it into a bunch of squares like my old filter floss, and now I go through most of my squares, changing twice a week, and then run 'em through the laundry like filter socks. I don't plan on buying or throwing away mechanical filter material for a long time, if ever...

Any thoughts or discussion on this? Is it just me?
Thanks

 

[Spare time]

I don't use them because of this. I prefer socks (or anything reusable). You can wash filter pads and socks (filter pads would work for the in tank). I think filter floss is polyester which is not so eco-friendly (from my understanding, polyester is horrible for the environment because of its production and that it is not very degradable) .

 

[HomebroodExotics]

Yes this does bother me. I’m about to finish a bag of filling and I’m going to try to experiment with some alternative options. It works so well though.

 

[ceaver]

Yes this does bother me. I’m about to finish a bag of filling and I’m going to try to experiment with some alternative options. It works so well though.

Yes, it does work really well! I actually like it more than my felt sock material in terms of functioning, but I made the switch anyways due to this concern.

 

[bmkid1997]

I change my filter floss twice a week. Frankly never thought twice on it, and not sure I would really. It works well and catches what I need, and is affordable and easy to maintain vs cleaning socks out.

 

[amygetsalife]

But then you need to consider the water usage of washing the reusable materials.

 

[ceaver]

But then you need to consider the water usage of washing the reusable materials.

That's a good point. Not sure how one would go about an analysis of it, but I would think lots of that floss material being produced and then trashed would be worse...??

 

[homer1475]

Typical response these days. Lets think about what were throwing out, but not about the alternative, and the issues that arise from that.

Kind of like how we all should go electric, but lets not think about all the coal were burning, or the sheer amount of dead atomic rods(nuclear) were burying to get that electric.

Nope never thought about it one time, and will still never think about it.

Were worried about throwing away filter floss, but lets not discuss how much clean water were throwing away from making RO/DI. Or how about the amount of carbon/GFO we throw away weekly. Or the amount of electricty we use( I know I'm using 130% more then my neighbors).

FWIW....

This hobby is not for people who want to save the earth. We throw away way to much stuff in this hobby.

 

[amygetsalife]

I wonder if there's any possibility of using a cotton batting product for filter use? Especially as the changing of filter floss is for enough that it shouldn't degrade in the tank?

 

[homer1475]

Wool would probably a better alternative then cotton. Most filter socks are made out of wool. Best part, it's environmentally friendly(source as natural, and can be regrown in a few short months)!

 

[ceaver]

I think about the waste water from RODI all the time. I also brew beer and use it for that purpose as well. Both are water intensive hobbies which I feel guilty about often. I don't know what alternatives there are in reef keeping for RODI water, but there are clearly alternatives for mechanical filter options. And I personally don't run GFO, though occasionally carbon. Nevertheless, your point is well taken.

 

[Midrats]

Dumping saltwater down the toilet can't be good. I'll be doing that when I get home from work and do a water change.

Just don't use and mech. Moral dilemma solved

 

[teaktoc]

So does anyone ever feel a bit icky about all that filter floss that gets tossed, replaced, reordered, re-cut, and tossed and replaced again? How many people change their filter floss every or every other day? How much waste is that going into landfills? And what's that stuff even made out of??

Don't get me wrong, I used to order my hunks of floss from inTank and eventually couldn't do it anymore. Instead, I ordered one roll of felt, same stuff filter socks are made of, cut it into a bunch of squares like my old filter floss, and now I go through most of my squares, changing twice a week, and then run 'em through the laundry like filter socks. I don't plan on buying or throwing away mechanical filter material for a long time, if ever...

Any thoughts or discussion on this? Is it just me?
Thanks

Would anyone be interested in a bamboo fiber based option? more specifically for roller mats

 

[Chad Gardens in L.A.]

Typical response these days. Lets think about what were throwing out, but not about the alternative, and the issues that arise from that.

Kind of like how we all should go electric, but lets not think about all the coal were burning, or the sheer amount of dead atomic rods(nuclear) were burying to get that electric.

Nope never thought about it one time, and will still never think about it.

Were worried about throwing away filter floss, but lets not discuss how much clean water were throwing away from making RO/DI. Or how about the amount of carbon/GFO we throw away weekly. Or the amount of electricty we use( I know I'm using 130% more then my neighbors).

FWIW....

This hobby is not for people who want to save the earth. We throw away way to much stuff in this hobby.

So does anyone ever feel a bit icky about all that filter floss that gets tossed, replaced, reordered, re-cut, and tossed and replaced again? How many people change their filter floss every or every other day? How much waste is that going into landfills? And what's that stuff even made out of??

Don't get me wrong, I used to order my hunks of floss from inTank and eventually couldn't do it anymore. Instead, I ordered one roll of felt, same stuff filter socks are made of, cut it into a bunch of squares like my old filter floss, and now I go through most of my squares, changing twice a week, and then run 'em through the laundry like filter socks. I don't plan on buying or throwing away mechanical filter material for a long time, if ever...

Any thoughts or discussion on this? Is it just me?
Thanks

What a great discussion and I'm all about having my cake and eat it too. Change is part of any hobby/society. In the plant hobby we've made it a mission to stop using peat moss and use sustainably harvested and renewable materials instead, like coco coir and the free mulch and compost the city gives back to the residents. Innovation is key, like all the wonders of hemp and cannabis. I wonder how (pool) filter sand works and if it can be applied to the aquarium hobby. Agreed it doesn't make sense to enjoy nature in the home if we destroy ecosystems/the planet to achieve it.

 

[Chad Gardens in L.A.]

hmmm...

 

[Chad Gardens in L.A.]

Typical response these days. Lets think about what were throwing out, but not about the alternative, and the issues that arise from that.

Kind of like how we all should go electric, but lets not think about all the coal were burning, or the sheer amount of dead atomic rods(nuclear) were burying to get that electric.

Nope never thought about it one time, and will still never think about it.

Were worried about throwing away filter floss, but lets not discuss how much clean water were throwing away from making RO/DI. Or how about the amount of carbon/GFO we throw away weekly. Or the amount of electricty we use( I know I'm using 130% more then my neighbors).

FWIW....

This hobby is not for people who want to save the earth. We throw away way to much stuff in this hobby.

What a great discussion. Change is part of any hobby and innovation is key. In the houseplant world we've stopped using peat moss and opted for renewable, locally sourced, and sustainable materials like coco coir and mulch/compost the city makes from our green waste. Hemp and cannabis has so many uses - I'm sure it can make a great filter floss. I use hemp as bedding in my chicken coops. I wonder how (pool) filter sand works and if it can be applied to the aquarium hobby? Agreed, it doesn't make sense to enjoy nature in the home while destroying ecosystems and the planet to do so.