Question about washing/rinsing/re-using polyfill

[ryansmith83]

I decided to quit buying the expensive filter batting/floss for my wet-dry at fish supply places, and instead got a $15 roll of Morning Glory brand batting from Walmart. It's pretty dense and traps a lot of fine particulate but the downside is that it gets nasty pretty fast.

This stuff is washable when used to make quilts and pillows, so can I wash and reuse it by running it through a washer cycle in a pillow case or mesh bag? I wouldn't use soap; I'm just too lazy to sit by the tub and wring it out under running water for ten minutes.

 

[sunvalley aquarist]

I wash my filter socks using soap and bleach. I just run the washer on its second rinse cycle/

 

[bbortko]

I use sheets of the material used for filter socks(dont remember the micron rating) and rinse it using the sprayer in the kitchen sink. It comes pretty clean using this method.

 

[Inglorious]

When I bought a roll of that batting from walmart for under $10 I precut it into sheets so it's easier and quicker when I clean my filters. After I got over 60 sheets I decided that it's not worth attempting to clean it at all and just toss them weekly and install a new one.

 

[ryansmith83]

When I bought a roll of that batting from walmart for under $10 I precut it into sheets so it's easier and quicker when I clean my filters. After I got over 60 sheets I decided that it's not worth attempting to clean it at all and just toss them weekly and install a new one.

Yeah, it's cheap enough that I could probably manage that. The roll gave me enough for 5 or 6 pads when I measured and cut them. I've been changing them weekly with my water change. I may try washing it just to see if it gets it clean. If so, I'll reuse it until it starts to fall apart.