# Lifetime supply of polyester batting (filter floss)



## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

make sure you get the hypoallergenic type, no additives.


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Hmm thanks for suggestion fshfanatic.

I think it says in the fine print "hypoallergenic type". If it's labelled 100% polyester, implicitly there shouldn't be any additives?


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

There are two specific different types ( well 4 ), two of each the roll and the big bag that looks like a huge cotton ball, then there are the same in hypoallergenic. I believe the HA label is a light green.


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## LS6 Tommy (May 13, 2006)

dekstr said:


> Per suggestion from indiboi on this forum regarding how to get filter batting in bulk, I went to wal-mart today and bought 1.4kg of thick 100% polyester batting and 2x1 metre of thin 100% polyester batting. Cost about $15 in total:
> 
> [This will last me a lifetime LOL.
> 
> You can just go to wal-mart and buy your own for really cheap. They come in different sizes and thickness. The thinner the cheaper it is. Now I realize it's a bit overkill!



Yes, the floss will last you a lifetime but your livestock won't. NEVER use poly pillow batting. They ALL contain release agents to keep it from sticking to the manufacturing equipment, are required by law to be fire retardant & usually have mold retardants, so they're LOADED with chemicals!


Can this info be made into a "sticky", maybe?


Tommy


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

LS6 Tommy said:


> Yes, the floss will last you a lifetime but your livestock won't. NEVER use poly pillow batting. It contains release agents to keep it from sticking to the manufacturing equipment, fire & mold retardants, so it's LOADED with chemicals!
> 
> 
> Can this info be made into a "sticky", maybe?
> Tommy


Uh... :icon_roll The poly pillow batting that I bought at WalMart specifically warns that it's _not_ flame resistant. Can you dig up some evidence for your claims? I could see making this into a sticky if it were true, but I suspect it's just rumor and fearmongering. A lot of people have used generic poly pillow batting without problems.

I'm not saying you're wrong, btw, just that I don't trust you without some proof. I'm a skeptic like that.


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

LS6 Tommy said:


> Yes, the floss will last you a lifetime but your livestock won't. NEVER use poly pillow batting. They ALL contain release agents to keep it from sticking to the manufacturing equipment, are required by law to be fire retardant & usually have mold retardants, so they're LOADED with chemicals!
> 
> 
> Can this info be made into a "sticky", maybe?
> ...


Probably not as the hypoallergenic quilt batting I buy at walmart has none of the things you warn of. I have been using it for about 10 yrs and have never had an issue.


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

Get the kinds without those additives, Tommy?


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Tommy, polyester fiber fill is perfectly safe to use. There certainly are some kinds that are treated with flame retardant chemicals, but they'll say that quite big and boldly on the label because it's a reason to charge more. There's no 'legal requirement' as you say (at least not one that applies to all polyester filling everywhere).

I've been using the Walmart polyfill in the light green bag with the label of "morning glory" for years now... I don't have a tank of corpses as you say I should. This walmart stuff I'm referring to specifically warns of it being extremely flammable!

Why on earth would we want a sticky that only perpetuates the FUD you're spreading here? :thumbsdow


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Without ever having looked at the stuff, I think that Tommy may be right- if anything is *advertised* specifically to go into a *PILLOW* I think there may be laws attached- same as there are for mattresses, etc...

Basically the long and short is just to read the label on what you buy. Same as you need to be careful what silicone you buy- the stuff that is made for bathroom applications typically has bacteria-resistant stuff added that makes it inappropriate for aquarium use...


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

Not to hijack the thread or anything but what is the name of that fish that DEKSTR has in his avitar?

Thanks


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## daFrimpster (Mar 7, 2005)

I have been using this stuff for years with no problems.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

EdTheEdge said:


> Not to hijack the thread or anything but what is the name of that fish that DEKSTR has in his avitar?
> 
> Thanks


Asian Rummynose- he just put a profile in the Fish section, too! :thumbsup:


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## LS6 Tommy (May 13, 2006)

indiboi said:


> Tommy, polyester fiber fill is perfectly safe to use. There certainly are some kinds that are treated with flame retardant chemicals, but they'll say that quite big and boldly on the label because it's a reason to charge more. There's no 'legal requirement' as you say (at least not one that applies to all polyester filling everywhere).
> 
> I've been using the Walmart polyfill in the light green bag with the label of "morning glory" for years now... I don't have a tank of corpses as you say I should. This walmart stuff I'm referring to specifically warns of it being extremely flammable!
> 
> Why on earth would we want a sticky that only perpetuates the FUD you're spreading here? :thumbsdow







The stuff you're using obviously is OK. Most plain polyfill or "craft stuffing" is. There may be the tiny risk of something being in there if it's not made specifically for aquarium use, but I know too many people who do use it without problems to really worry about it. It may not even be an issue for fish tanks, but I do know the labs I used to have at my old job used poly specially made for parts of their DO & DI water systems. I suggested using the "cheap stuff" once & had the whole thing about the chemical traces explained to me. 

If you had read my post more carefully you'd be less likey to use the stuff I'm talking about. ANY stuffing (or any material) that is to be used _specifically_ for furniture, pillows or mattresses MUST be fire retardant, period. It IS the law as per the National Fire Code. It has been for years & probably always will be. That's why the stuff you buy is labeled as "not flame resistant". It's also why it's not labeled as "pillow stuffing".

I don't know what FUD stands for, and I'm sure it's not very complimentary. :icon_lol:

Tommy


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

LS6 Tommy said:


> I don't know what FUD stands for, and I'm sure it's not very complimentary. :icon_lol:


For what it's worth, FUD = Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt


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## LS6 Tommy (May 13, 2006)

swylie said:


> For what it's worth, FUD = Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt



Thanks! I learned something new!

Tommy


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

LS6 Tommy said:


> The stuff you're using obviously is OK. Most plain polyfill or "craft stuffing" is. There may be the tiny risk of something being in there if it's not made specifically for aquarium use, but I know too many people who do use it without problems to really worry about it. It may not even be an issue for fish tanks, but I do know the labs I used to have at my old job used poly specially made for parts of their DO & DI water systems. I suggested using the "cheap stuff" once & had the whole thing about the chemical traces explained to me.
> 
> If you had read my post more carefully you'd be less likey to use the stuff I'm talking about. ANY stuffing (or any material) that is to be used _specifically_ for furniture, pillows or mattresses MUST be fire retardant, period. It IS the law as per the National Fire Code. It has been for years & probably always will be. That's why the stuff you buy is labeled as "not flame resistant". It's also why it's not labeled as "pillow stuffing".
> 
> ...


You may be right. The stuff I buy at wally world is "Quilt Batting" not poly fill for pillows.


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Neither the quilt batting, the polyester fiber fill, or the stuff shown in the photos here are labeled as "Pillow Stuffing." The whole pillow stuffing scare is a red herring. The sensible warning is to make sure the product is hypoallergenic and not specifically flame retardant. Judging based on the name of the product isn't. You heavily implied the stuff the OP bought will kill his fish... and that's not true.

This whole thing is just as bad as the LFS guy that says that you have to buy his sand because the 50lb bag at the hardware store for $2 will either kill the fish or cause algae. That's simply not true.

It's just as bad as someone saying that you can only use genuine Vortex diatom filter powder, because the stuff at the pool supply will -absolutely- contain chlorine and nasty chemicals. That's simply not true either.

If you want to warn someone, please do so, but don't just go spreading the FUD like you did with your first post in this thread. Advise people to read the labels instead of providing misleading or false information.


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## daFrimpster (Mar 7, 2005)

indiboi said:


> The whole pillow stuffing scare is a red herring. .



I wouldn't recommend stuffing your pillow with red herring


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## jinx© (Oct 17, 2007)

daFrimpster said:


> I wouldn't recommend stuffing your pillow with red herring


Nor stuffing your red herring with a pillow...it's lethal I hear.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

ROFL

Nice one Jinx.

I appreciate the mood lightening- I'm sure no one meant to mislead or had any intention other than encouraging people to read a label before purchasing something that might not be appropriate for the use they had in mind.


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

indiboi said:


> Neither the quilt batting, the polyester fiber fill, or the stuff shown in the photos here are labeled as "Pillow Stuffing." The whole pillow stuffing scare is a red herring. The sensible warning is to make sure the product is hypoallergenic and not specifically flame retardant. Judging based on the name of the product isn't. You heavily implied the stuff the OP bought will kill his fish... and that's not true.
> 
> This whole thing is just as bad as the LFS guy that says that you have to buy his sand because the 50lb bag at the hardware store for $2 will either kill the fish or cause algae. That's simply not true.
> 
> ...


Touche!


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

lauraleellbp said:


> Asian Rummynose- he just put a profile in the Fish section, too! :thumbsup:



THanks!!! Very intresting fish.


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

It's pretty straight-forward. The label will state what the material is, nothing more, nothing less. If a product has any additives, it is usually plastered in huge font size across the front to market the product.

Misleading labelling/packaging claims can lead to lawsuits. Wal-mart is the biggest retailer in US and Canada, so they will not like to stock anything that will give them a bad rep (lawsuits go to manufacturer, but gives Wal-mart bad PR). 

Yes my avatar is one of my male asian rummynoses. In the presence of females and other males, the male's nose and tailfin turn burning orange, with dark, powder blue colouring on their body. The females look like plain brown versions of the male. But together they provide very nice contrast.


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## LS6 Tommy (May 13, 2006)

indiboi said:


> Neither the quilt batting, the polyester fiber fill, or the stuff shown in the photos here are labeled as "Pillow Stuffing." The whole pillow stuffing scare is a red herring. The sensible warning is to make sure the product is hypoallergenic and not specifically flame retardant. Judging based on the name of the product isn't. You heavily implied the stuff the OP bought will kill his fish... and that's not true.
> 
> This whole thing is just as bad as the LFS guy that says that you have to buy his sand because the 50lb bag at the hardware store for $2 will either kill the fish or cause algae. That's simply not true.
> 
> ...


Although I agree I could have been clearer in my statement not being about the product in the picture, it _was_ specifically about "pillow stuffing". I'm not providing false information. If anyone misunderstood what I said I apologize for not making it clearer. 

I just don't know why you feel the need to keep getting so retaliatory about it. This isn't a contest about either one of us being "wrong" or "right". It's a forum. Forums are for posting information & opinions to help others with similar interests. I posted my info in addition to yours. I wasn't correcting you in any way. 

Tommy


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## 9am53 (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi, to add to this thread...I recently got a canister and wanted to add filter floss to replace the carbon insert...I got an actual pillow that was labelled as hypoallergenic...so I thought it would have no chemicals in it, but I think I was wrong....
my water turned a cloudy white colour....I have been for a few weeks now trying to figure out whats wrong, I though it was a bacterial bloom cause I have changed over to a new filter, so I put on the old AC30 and water changed, and it was gone....when I put the new filter on with new pillow stuffing it started clouding again....so I frantically cut the new filter and water changed...
My point being that you should not use the stuffing from an actual pillow (maybe im dumb for trying), si got some of that quilt batting from wallyworld today, so Ill see how that goes....ill keep you "posted"


P.S. is the eversoft stuff in the original post OK? does anyone have experience with that particular stuffing? because they they had that for sale when I was just there, and I passed it over thinking it would be bad too...


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

The stuff in the OP is the good stuff.

Just read the label on the bag, and don't get filler that's advertized for pillows.


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

wow, im glad i read this post before i went out and started buying cheap floss. 

i heard that you could use pillow fill but i didn't know that there should be a certain kind to use

so definitely make this a sticky somewhere.


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## patzy (Aug 22, 2011)

*Yipee inexpensive filter floss*

Thanks for the informative posts about obtaining filter floss from Walley World. I have a hard time finding it where I live, and online one can get a good price, but then they charge $9.00 for shipping. (Ummm filter floss weighs slightly more than air ....)
W.W. is a 30 mile round trip (yes I'm rural) but due for a trip into town for fish supplies and now I can add cheap filter floss to the list...thank you, thank you!:bounce:


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

FWIW: The polyester "snow" sold for under Christmas trees (that goes for about a quarter a bag after the holidays) is labeled as 100% Polyester Non Allergenic but it is also labeled as - Flame Resistant 460 Degrees. Why? Polyester is inherently flame resistant. It doesn't need to have a flame retardant added. 

Here are two such products. 
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Fluffy-Cover-Allergic-Polyester/dp/B0051J0THY

http://www.amazon.com/BUFFALO-BATT-FELT-CB1339-Buffalo/dp/B00113T73Q/ref=pd_sim_hi_4

The Buffalo Snow product is manufactures from corn.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I actually now use huge rolls of bonded filter media (sold for pond filters) and cut it to size. It's a little easier to use since it stays in place better and doesn't get all over my hands if they're wet LOL You can buy big rolls for super cheap on E Bay.


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