Should I replace my sponge with floss?

[X-37B]

I use filter felt sheets cut to size which I think is kind of in between... I do wash and reuse them but only a few times till they get too fuzzy and then I replace. But I like that I can stack the felt pieces so I can put 2-3 in at a time and just take out the top dirty one however often I want depending on the tank's state.

I haven't noticed any issues with my water level based on the felt.

Yea I use the big roll not floss. You cut the piece to size. Yea not felt though.
Wow! Its a roll of floss I need to get out of the heat.

 

[saltcats]

Yea I use the big roll not floss. You cut the piece to size. Yea not felt though.

Yeah, mine is like the same stuff filter socks are made of, but just in a flat roll instead! I got it from BZA but not sure they still sell it... I think I got the last couple rolls because they refunded me part of my order lol

 

[soreefed]

On my 20g aio I use an In tank rack with a sponge in the first compartment and a thin piece of floss on top of the sponge. I replace the floss 3 times a week.

 

[dangles]

I like my InTank filter floss caddy. However the filter floss is 1000 and 500 micron. Filter socks are anywhere from 50-200 microns so they’ll catch a lot more.

Whatever you use, the longer you leave it in the tank the dirtier the water will get. I change my floss every 3 days.

 

[Reefer Brent]

OK I pulled the trigger and hit buy! I bought a couple packs of the in tank floss pads and a surface skimmer to help with surface film as well. I'll update with results once it arrives. Liking the idea of not having to deal with sponge cleaning. Thinking the floss will be thick enough to be effective but might try stacking as @saltcats said. Thanks!

 

[Reefer Brent]

OK I pulled the trigger and hit buy! I bought a couple packs of the in tank floss pads and a surface skimmer to help with surface film as well. I'll update with results once it arrives. Liking the idea of not having to deal with sponge cleaning. Thinking the floss will be thick enough to be effective but might try stacking as @saltcats said. Thanks!

All the In Tank equipment is in!
Love Love Love the weir skimmer! No more film and great surface movement. Gotta sink the food now as it will grab it all out.
I'm getting used to the floss holder as it starts to look gross real quick. Not like the black sponge that hid a lot of it. Guessing it catches more but it also doesn't look to be a complete seal so I wonder if anything is getting around the holder.
All in all I'm happy and finding floss is a lot easier than the giant sponge.

 

[Starganderfish]

I'd go even further and dump the floss pads in favor of loose floss. I started with the filter pads but the hassle of having to cut them to size annoyed me really quickly, and the price is kind of unreasonable for what you get. I also ruined several pairs of scissors cutting that stuff!!! LOL
I buy a big bag of Polyester Quilt wadding from the local Craft store for the equivalent of about US$6. A 1.5 x 1m bundle lasts for probably a year. Just throw the dirty floss out every few days, roughly tear a handful off the pack and shove it in. Literally takes 20 seconds, and costs cents.
Just make sure the floss you get is pure polyester floss. Some of them have anti-bacterial or anti-fungal additives which you want to avoid. The beauty though, is that those kind of additives are generally "premium" features they charge extra for, so the cheapest and crappiest wadding is also the best for the tank.
A handul of filter floss and some Chaeto is all the filtration in my 20 gal tank. No protein skimmer, no added bio media or chemical filtration.

 

[Reefer Brent]

I'd go even further and dump the floss pads in favor of loose floss. I started with the filter pads but the hassle of having to cut them to size annoyed me really quickly, and the price is kind of unreasonable for what you get. I also ruined several pairs of scissors cutting that stuff!!! LOL
I buy a big bag of Polyester Quilt wadding from the local Craft store for the equivalent of about US$6. A 1.5 x 1m bundle lasts for probably a year. Just throw the dirty floss out every few days, roughly tear a handful off the pack and shove it in. Literally takes 20 seconds, and costs cents.
Just make sure the floss you get is pure polyester floss. Some of them have anti-bacterial or anti-fungal additives which you want to avoid. The beauty though, is that those kind of additives are generally "premium" features they charge extra for, so the cheapest and crappiest wadding is also the best for the tank.
A handul of filter floss and some Chaeto is all the filtration in my 20 gal tank. No protein skimmer, no added bio media or chemical filtration.

Interesting! I'll have to give that a go once I get through all the pads I bought. Yes cutting it is a chore and I can see that the kitchen shears I am using will prob start to wear out quickly.