Body Scrubbers as filter media?

Hey Guys,

What do you guys think of using body scrubbers as filter media in a sump?

 

Ruan - As long as they have no added chemicals, fungicides etc then Loofah's are a natural alternative

 

Lots of people use them as bio-filters in their sumps, apparently they're a really good, cheap alternative to 'regular' bio-media.

 

but a loofah is a seed-pod or fruit of a luffa plant, i.e its organic material. when used in the shower, it does get time to dry out daily, but wont it rot and decompose in a sump, submerged all day?

 

Quite a good point there Ferryman...I'm still doing some reading on the net, will let you know when I find something

 

I don't know about all loofahs, but many are made from sea sponges, which have a silica skeleton matrix, which is what the loofah is. These should be fine, I would think.

 

that sponge stuff is expensive.
where do you get hold of cheap sea sponge? last of those i saw, my mum bought at Jimnettes art shop for decoupage or whatnot, and for a 20cmx20cmx4cm thingy was over a 100rand i think

 

Lol, no idea Ferryman, I have never used them to either filter my tank water or scrub my body :bigsmile:

 

lol. Ive never used them either, my mum uses it for painting an stuff

 

Ferryman my girlfriend gets them cheap at the spa she works at...

 

(i'm actually not lookin for them myself ruan, thanks though, i was just commenting on how one cant use that stuff in filters as seasponge is too expensive)

If you are refering to loofah, i'm actaually not lookin for that either, but others on here might, so thanks for the info then
( i work at a nursery, i can actually buy the plant and grow my own loofah )

 

When I read the subject of this thread I couldn't help picturing a bunch of beauticians trying to cram into a filter

Yip, they are more expensive to the general public than 'normal' filter media.....