Is Hot Glue/Old Shirt Fabric Safe?

[GamerChick5567]

Hey guys. I have a bunch of old t shirts that I gotta reuse. I need to make a prefilter for one of my small power filters so I can slap it in my fry tank. Think if I hot glue a bit of the fabric over it that it would be safe? I suppose I can get another cheapo sponge filter but this one has been sitting there lol. I was also thinking of sewing some media baggies up too. Obviously I won't be using ones with graphics but a few are dyed. Trying to think of what to make aside from some reuseable grocery bags and maybe pillowcases, haha.

 

[Nathan P]

T-shirt fabric and hot glue are both pretty inert and should be fine. I would wash the t-shirt with just water pretty thoroughly to get out any possible detergent or fabric softener residue. The knit of the fabric is dense enough that it will slow down flow pretty significantly; it might put too much strain on your pump.

If you have a lot of old t-shirts to use up, you could try making a rag rug...

 

[GamerChick5567]

Mostly I just want to put the thing in there as a supplement to the sponge filters, if the flow is a little low that's ok. Just needs to prevent the fry from getting doomed. It's a cheapo whisper 10i.

Good to know hot glue is somewhat nontoxic. I've heard regular superglue or cyanoacrylate whatever glue should be safe too. Hmm.

 

[Chub_by]

Why not use some fishing line to tie the t-shirt piece over the intake? That would make the whole thing reusable.

 

[GamerChick5567]

I have some thread, maybe I'll sew it in a bit haha. Just need to use some hot glue and trying to think of how to use any t shirt scraps up. Was going to make some catnip kitty toys for my friends with old socks and any scraps I have haha.

 

[BIG-G]

It will work.
Tshirt material is really fine mesh and not much surface area for the water to flow through.
So it will probably clog up pretty fast, to the point that no water flows through it.
But I would still give a shot.