Laundered foam filter pads safe for aquarium inhabitants? A question I have been wanting to ask for a long time now....

Is laundered foam (or other) filter pads safe for freshwater aquarium
inhabitants? Any chance the laundry soap (detergent) leaves any residues
that are harmful for aquarium inhabitants (snails, fish, plants other
invertebrates, etc.) could still be on filter media that has been freshly
laundered? Is it safe to use laundered filter media? Thanks all - good luck
and later!

Daniel Morrow wrote:
Is laundered foam (or other) filter pads safe for freshwater aquarium
inhabitants? Any chance the laundry soap (detergent) leaves any residues
that are harmful for aquarium inhabitants (snails, fish, plants other
invertebrates, etc.) could still be on filter media that has been freshly
laundered? Is it safe to use laundered filter media? Thanks all - good luck
and later!


I probably wouldn't just to be on the safe side...others may differ in
their opinions....

Just curious....why did they get laundered?

Gill

Bottom posted.
"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
Daniel Morrow wrote:
Is laundered foam (or other) filter pads safe for freshwater aquarium
inhabitants? Any chance the laundry soap (detergent) leaves any residues
that are harmful for aquarium inhabitants (snails, fish, plants other
invertebrates, etc.) could still be on filter media that has been
freshly
laundered? Is it safe to use laundered filter media? Thanks all - good
luck
and later!


I probably wouldn't just to be on the safe side...others may differ in
their opinions....

Just curious....why did they get laundered?

Gill

They got laundered for the heck of it (it won't hurt unless I don't listen
to you guys) as the media was hopelessly clogged in the first place. I might
try a vinegar soak overnight for now on - also - I have a 50 micron filter
pad that instructions say to launder I am pretty sure (and I have been using
them as laundered) so I have some experience using laundered media but I
suspect things are different between sponge and 50 micron filter pad (and I
doubt my previous problems were even distantly related to detergent
poisoning as I do the same with the 50 micron pads with all of my tanks and
the turtle tank is problem free (I think the population control (small
turtles) is what keeps the fancy guppies in there from over-populating) but
I am thinking of playing it more safe now after altum's post right after
this one so I plan on using a bucket overnight and a vinegar/water solution
depending on what the diatomaceous earth filter (vortex) website says about
it's own filter bags (they need to be unclogged once or twice a year or so
if I remember correctly). Good luck all and later!

Daniel Morrow wrote:
Is laundered foam (or other) filter pads safe for freshwater aquarium
inhabitants? Any chance the laundry soap (detergent) leaves any residues
that are harmful for aquarium inhabitants (snails, fish, plants other
invertebrates, etc.) could still be on filter media that has been freshly
laundered? Is it safe to use laundered filter media? Thanks all - good luck
and later!

Detergent is poisonous to aquatic critters and there are usually
detergent residues in laundry. I doubt there's enough to be poisonous,
but I don't want to be the one to tell you to use it and kill your fish.

FWIW, I use tupperware containers that have been through the dishwasher
to acclimate fish and prime filters and have never had a problem. If I
were to try laundered media, I would rinse it thoroughly and put fresh
carbon in the filter to adsorb any residual detergent.

Why are you considering laundering filter media? A rinse in plain water
is usually sufficient. If you need to sterilize it and can't afford
new, consider 5% bleach. You can rinse well and use dechlor and/or let
it dry completely and it will be fish-safe.

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